Just Asking, Part II

What about sensory processing disorder (SPD)? Where are the SPD adults and SPD support (for those who have it and parenting support)?

For starters, there is the SPD Foundation, incorporated in 2005. I'm not sure how high its profile is at this juncture, however.

As for support, I see two obstacles. First, SPD is not formally recognized as a diagnosis. Second, those who do diagnose it (mainly occupational therapists) haven't been doing it for long, relatively speaking. As noted above, the SPD Foundation incorporated in 2005, whereas autism support has been around for much longer. SPD support simply isn't evolved in part because it hasn't been around that long.

As for the lack of adults with SPD, perhaps that's in part due to the novelty of the diagnosis and in part to the affect of maturation on SPD. By the time adulthood sets in, perhaps the condition has lessened or the person has learned to adapt? Just guesses. In the next ten years or so, perhaps adults might start identifying as having sensory processing disorder? But as of today, that doesn't appear to be the case.

Added: As Kris points out, SPDLife is a resource dedicated exclusively to adults with SPD.

Asked and Answered

Now let's consider dyspraxia, which is often used interchangeably with developmental coordination disorder or DCD.

Send in the adults! Early on, I discovered this video "playlist", entitled "Dyspraxia and Me." Not kids. Adults. Yes, they exist!

See, in the UK the "dyspraxia" label has been around for quite some time. The medical community and the schools recognize it. DANDA, the Developmental Adult Neuro-Diversity Association, provides support and awareness. Troll Amazon UK for books on dyspraxia and you'll find thousands, literally. Unlike SPD in the US, the "dyspraxia" label in the UK is evolved and accepted.

Why do I care? As I have blogged, I believe that "recovery" exists for PDD-NOS. To me, this means that the child met the diagnostic criteria and then at some future point ceased to meet the diagnostic criteria. Often this is referred to as "becoming indistinguishable from one's peers."

But I don't believe that PDD-NOS or SPD or DCD ever goes away. Rather, I believe that symptom severity decreases and it manifests itself in a different manner. And that's what I try, most often in vein, to wrap my brain around. What's left after the diagnosis goes away? Perhaps the video stream is a glimpse? Perhaps not, but at least it's something.

Phoning it in: Google Edition

Hey all. This week, it's a filler post on blog stats. Here are my unscientific observations regarding my blog traffic, courtesy of Sitemeter:

• Traffic: 40-60 unique visitors per day, on average. I don't think sitemeter picks up mobile devices though. Atleast, I don't think it picks up my mobile.
  
  
• Locale: in the US, heavy concentrations from the east and west coasts, and smatterings from the midwest and Texas. Outside of US: primarily Canada, Australia and UK.
  
  
• Referrals: about half come my way by Google search (and Bing and Yahoo), and the other half via other blogs and bookmarks.
  
  
• Top Google searches (unscientific): "PDD NOS", "PDD NOS RECOVERY", "PDD NOS PROGNOSIS", "PDD NOS POTTY TRAINING", "ASD AND DCD", "SPD AND RECOVERY", "AUTISM AND RECOVERY", "ASD AND DSM-IV"

Back To School

I'm writing to report that there's not a whole lot to report. Which is good, I suppose.

We're back to four days a week at integrated pre-school ("integrated" meaning special needs and typical peers). As I have blogged, Brad is in a great program with a rich curriculum, including motor group and one-on-one speech. It wasn't all good news last year though. In last year's class, he had difficulty keeping up and tended to withdraw.

Over the summer, Brad had a good teacher, who REALLY REALLY understood Brad and appreciated him. (Well, technically, I think the summer program is camp, but it was at the same place.) Anyway, according to her, Brad came out of his shell during the course of the summer. Brad showed her that fullness of expression that we see around the house. She loved him. Well maybe she loves all of her students, but still, I was enjoying her Brad appreciation.

Anyway, out with the old and in with the new. His teacher for this year (September through May) has yet to bond with him on that level. But I'm hopeful they'll get there. And the class mix seems to be better for Brad, in terms of age and temperament and whatnot.

One thing new on the roster: they might add a twist to Brad's one-on-one speech pullouts. They suggested one-on-two, meaning one speech therapist for two children. To facilitate a friendship and administer therapy at the same time. Call me crazy, but I like that idea a lot.

Brad-Ism

"I've got a wedgie, mommy."

-Brad, informing me that his shirt tag was uncomfortably rubbing the nape of his neck.

I know this is what he was trying to convey because he gestured to the tag, not his underwear.

Brad has a point. The tag is a clothing-induced source of discomfort. And they say our kids have weak generalization skills.

And while we're on the topic, why isn't there a word for the uncomfortable sensation a tag creates? Maybe our children aren't language-impaired. Maybe our language is autism-impaired. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it.

TGIF.

Phoning It In: Back to School Edition

Back to school went well for Jeremy and Brad. Nothing remarkable to report, other than OMG Jeremy started kindie! *sniff* But that's off-topic.

Brad's first day of school (morning of) interview:



How was back to school for you and yours?