Sensory Integration, Parent Guide

Parents usually know and understand their children better than anyone else. They are the one who know when and where their children are struggling, stumbling, or suffering. In most cases, parents don't know what to look for or they are unfamiliar with terms like "sensory overload," "sensory processing," "auditory processing." "Executive functioning," and "perception." All of this sounds like medical mumbo jumbo and could these issues even possibly be a real thing? In my clinical practice I see with most of the children that come to my center is very real and it doesn't just affect how they read or spell, but the brain as a whole. Their bodies and their learning capabilities are disconnected and in most cases, I have to work at the lower levels first before I can help them perform at higher levels (reading, writing spelling, and math). Some of the most common things that parents say is their child had a tough birth experience, they missed development milestones, they notice behavior issues at school, they hate loud noises, tags in their clothes or they suck on their shirts or chew on their pencils, and they often ask "huh" or "what" when they are asked to complete a task or chore. All of these are signs that point to why a child may struggle in home and school.

While intervention is available to help kids who are struggling with these issues, it may still be a difficult concept for parents to grasp and understand. Oftentimes when we see children who experience a Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) or struggle with other issues that affect behavior and academics in the classroom, I find it hard to recommend good resources to parents because there aren't many that easily explain what their child is going through.

**Contents and Sample Pages**