Most of my posts have been about my daughter and how her Sensory Processing Disorder affects her life, how we all cope, and how a seemingly benign day trip can turn into an adventure. Through all this though, we still don’t have a good understanding of how she feels and why certain things set her off. While I may not need to understand to find coping mechanism, it would be helpful. After all, it’s easier to navigate an unknown room with a flashlight, you’re less likely to walk into a wall. Recently, thanks to A’s early intervention specialist, we have been given that flashlight in the form of a YouTube video.
This video is about an autistic girl, but it gives a window into the world that my daughter lives in. A may not be autistic, but the sensory issues are the same. Granted, A is not as severe as this girl, and I am in no way seeking to compare my situation to what this family lives through. However, the small glimpse into the world that these children live in has helped me to better understand A’s difficulties with the world around her and teach her to cope in a positive and effective manner.
While most people will never have to suffer the heartache of watching your child struggle to eat or communicate or do things that “normal” children do, I think this is something that they should still see. It might help all of us better understand why these children do what they do.
sensoryadventures 
Mar 27, 2012 @ 06:35:39
Amen. The revelation was truly remarkable. It further confirms my belief in the awesome wonder that we call our brain – biologic computer that performs within a delicate balance of sensory connections provided by chemical and physical networks that allow us to function within our environment. Upset the balance and we see the results, in some cases, as sensory processing disorder, or others – autism.
With a computer, I can reprogram the software or repair the hardware. What can you do for the brain? Sometimes, we can “adjust” the “software”, as seen with “A”, and help the brain to form new pathways and “learn” to process the “input”. No matter the challenge, it is a long and arduous path for these children and their families.
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Mar 27, 2012 @ 18:57:08
That is true. A big problem is that while “adjusting the software” there is no user’s manual and tech support is more trial and error (especially in A’s case) than proven methods, especially since every child is different.
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