Welcome to this week’s Blogging Through the Alphabet! I have been Blogging through the Alphabet with Ben and Me and many other bloggers who are offering a wide variety of topics. I am sharing a new topic related to Sensory Processing Disorder each week as we blog through the alphabet. This week’s letter is “N.”

N is for Neurological

Is SPD neurological? As more is learned about Sensory Processing Disorder, major medical strides are being made. For example, what used to be looked at as a disorder they weren’t even sure can be a standalone diagnosis, it is now being recognized for what it is – a neurological disorder.
In fact, there is more hope than ever for those of us who have SPD and those of us that have children with SPD – or in our case both.

The Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders has just released its first diagnostic guide, the Diagnostic Manual for Infancy and Early Childhood (ICDL-DMIC). The guide includes the first-ever diagnostic codes for Sensory Processing Disorders.
– Source: Advance Healthcare Network

This was a HUGE breakthrough! Back in September I also shared another major breakthrough for Sensory Processing Disorder that showed there are distinct brain differences in those that have SPD versus the Autism Spectrum and ADHD. The abnormalities they found focused on a different region of the brain, which indicated SPD may be neuroanatomically distinct.
As time goes on and we continue to advocate, more and more breakthroughs will be made, and more support will be available for those with SPD.

ABC Blogging

Don’t forget to check out the other bloggers as well who have linked up to Blogging through the Alphabet! There are a wide variety of topics! Learn more by clicking on the button below!

 
Please note: I am not a medical professional. I am an adult with SPD raising three children with SPD and speak from my experiences. I do a lot of research and will share sources, but opinions are my own.
 

Welcome to this week’s Blogging Through the Alphabet! I have been Blogging through the Alphabet with Ben and Me and many other bloggers who are offering a wide variety of topics. I am sharing a new topic related to Sensory Processing Disorder each week as we blog through the alphabet. This week’s letter is “M.”

M is for Misdiagnosis

There are many disorders that can be grouped together in the misdiagnosis category. The most common are Autism Spectrum, ADD and ADHD, OCD and SPD. Many are co-morbid – for example, many people on the Autism Spectrum also have SPD. The most common misdiagnosis, though, is for those that *only* have SPD. In fact, for those with SPD misdiagnosis is very common. This can make getting an actual diagnosis difficult. What is worse, is some medical professionals don’t recognize SPD as a single diagnosis.
What happens when someone is misdiagnosed? Well, for a child this often means taking medications they don’t actually need. This can, in turn, be harmful. Many children with SPD often get a diagnosis of ADHD first – particularly those that are sensory seekers. It isn’t until after they realize the medication isn’t working that they don’t actually have ADHD. By then, they may have also experienced side effects from the medications.
Adults with SPD are not excluded. I know I, personally, was misdiagnosed with OCD, ADD, and even a personality disorder when really it’s just SPD. These diagnoses are pretty common for an adult with SPD. In turn, it may be recommended that they take anti-depressants, ADD medication, and receive cognitive therapy. Although I, personally, feel there is nothing harmful about therapy (and even feel it’s helpful even for those without mental health concerns), taking medication you don’t need can be frustrating.
For me, I was put on an anti-depressant that made me feel AWFUL. I was exhausted all the time and couldn’t even make it through a workout anymore. It actually made me feel depressed, too. It was hard weaning off of it as well. To know, now, I could have avoided all of that, is definitely frustrating! I wish I could have gotten that year back!
We can’t change the past, but it’s important to know the facts. If you’re an adult, be sure you ask many questions about any diagnosis you receive, and if it doesn’t “feel right” speak up and let them know. If you’re advocating for your child, the same applies! Get second opinions if needed, but don’t give up!

ABC Blogging

Don’t forget to check out the other bloggers as well who have linked up to Blogging through the Alphabet! There are a wide variety of topics! Learn more by clicking on the button below!

 
Please note: I am not a medical professional. I am an adult with SPD raising three children with SPD and speak from my experiences. I do a lot of research, but opinions are my own.

Welcome to this week’s Blogging Through the Alphabet! I am Blogging through the Alphabet with Ben and Me and many other bloggers who are offering a wide variety of topics. I am sharing a new topic related to Sensory Processing Disorder each week as we blog through the alphabet.

K is for Kids

 

There are some common misconceptions about Sensory Processing Disorder – only kids have it and that some children that have it are “just being kids.”
SPD isn’t a Childhood Disorder
There are many reasons Sensory Processing Disorder is so easily dismissed. One of the main reasons is that people believe it is just a childhood disorder and children “outgrow” it. If that is the case, can it really be a disorder or are those children just taking longer for their sensory system to mature? See, it provides quite a confusion, doesn’t it?
Well, countless adults (including myself) have SPD. We definitely didn’t outgrow it, and it affects our life in some way every day. Will you see adults having a meltdown and crying when they are having sensory overload? Some actually may, but most of us have learned how to cope and develop strategies to disconnect or whatever we need to do in that moment. It’s harder to find help as an adult, though, as adults with SPD are greatly misunderstood. We may be misdiagnosed with ADD, OCD, personality disorders, and more, when in reality, we have SPD and have probably been trying to cope with it all our lives because it wasn’t recognized like it is today. There is still a long way to go.
They’re “just being kids”
SPD kids can be sensory seekers, which is often viewed as hyperactivity. Because many children (boys in particular) just naturally have more energy, it is assumed that it’s “typical” behavior for kids. There is a difference, though, between children who are naturally hyperactive versus children that are needing sensory input. Because of this, though, it is misunderstood that they’re “just boys” or “just kids” and don’t otherwise have a challenge.
As parents, we have to be advocates for our children. Sometimes we have to just let it go in one ear and out the other and stay confident that we are doing everything we can to support and help our children. As an adult with SPD I know what it’s like to not get that support, and I believe that makes it easier for me to not doubt due to naysayers or those that just don’t know better. I truly believe people have good intentions, but we know our children best. God chose us to parent them. We have to remember that.

ABC Blogging

Don’t forget to check out the other bloggers as well who have linked up to Blogging through the Alphabet! I’m too late to link up (again! *Sigh*), but I guarantee you don’t want to miss it! There are a wide variety of topics! Learn more by clicking on the button below!