SPD

Sensory Processing Disorder. It's a really tough thing to explain. Many times when I try to explain it to people I recognize this look they get in their eyes that says "everything you're telling me is exactly what a typical kid is like - and you're going to go labeling it as a disorder and claim that it's hard? WOW!" Sometimes it makes me doubt myself. And other times it makes me feel like I need to help the world understand this. But most of the time I try to blow it off and just keep doing my best and trying hard to figure out exactly what Cpc needs.

This week that is going pretty well. Last week I thought I just might die. We took Cpc to therapy (Occupational Therapy) on Friday and even his therapist was lost as to how to help him. We use to take Cpc to therapy earlier in the day. Well, he's never real dis-regulated until afternoon/evening, so I guess she just wasn't quite seeing the real issues we were dealing with. But we started, by chance, taking him on Friday afternoons - generally his worst time of the week. And boy, this last week she really got a good picture of what we have been struggling with around here. The interesting thing is that even though she seemed completely lost and we left therapy feeling very disheartened - I think it was actually the most helpful session we've had. We learned some things that I don't think we would have learned otherwise. Not only does Cpc need LOTS of heavy work (he carries 8-10 gallon jugs of water up and down the stairs on a daily basis - plus other similar activities) to help regulate him, he also needs help calming his system after these activities. We knew after the first week we went to therapy that it was helping. But we could never quite make it work at home. What we didn't realize is that the 20-minute car-ride immediately after therapy was an essential part of the process for him. Car-rides are a calming for him, but we also have other things that help to calm him. The funny thing is, no matter how wired he is, trying to calm him without getting in that heavy work doesn't work. But you put together a few heavy work activities with a calming activity and suddenly he can function just the same as any other kid. He's kept his underwear dry 4 days in a row now, without me having to notice when he needs to go potty. Maybe this is too much information for some, but this is literally a miracle in this household. It has been AGONIZING over the last 10 months to watch Cpc go from perfectly potty-trained to COMPLETELY UN-potty-trained even while he tries so hard and wants so much to wear underwear and not diapers. Pmc thought of an awesome way to explain this last night.

It's like there is a freeway between his senses and his brain. If he hasn't had the input+calming activities that he needs it's like there is a traffic jam on the freeway. But if he has had the activities he needs there is a free-flow of traffic. If he's not regulated through those activities it doesn't matter if his bladder is sending out the signals that it's full and needs to be emptied, his brain just doesn't get the signals and he never gets himself to the potty. But if he is regulate - no problem. He needs no reminders from us, he knows exactly what to do.

And this is more than just potty training. Cpc is a kind, thoughtful, obedient boy. But when his system is not regulated - I can tell him 12 times (with him hearing every word - and capable of repeating back to me what I just said) to do something and what the consequences are if he doesn't(that he definitely doesn't want), and he won't do it. The connection is never made. He just can't do it. It's not a matter of choice. He. Can't. Do. It. He seems stupid, or defiant, or belligerent. But boy, you get that kid regulated and he is on the ball. He's not perfect. He makes mistakes. But he is kind, thoughtful and obedient. His true personality shines through. He's brilliant. He's funny. He's happy. He's loving.

I'm so grateful for our discoveries this week and have a lot of confidence that we have made a breakthrough. But just in case this is another one of those "two-week-fixes" that have been common for us - I'll try to delay partying about it for another few weeks!

But I'll have you know that I now have to use TWO hands to count the number of times Cpc has fallen asleep cuddling in my arms. And that made me cry tears of joy yesterday!