Hi Sisters just wanting some info/help about possible sensory overload.
my 3yr old has always been sensitive to sunlight- at only weeks old she would cry and fuss if we took her outside. The car would create meltdowns, as would bright lights in shopping centres. she has been wearing sunglasses since about 8weeks old and still stresses out if she doesn't have them when outside.
shopping centres seem to overwhelm her and she freaks out covering her ears and becoming quite anxious at noises like the blender, vacuum, public toilet hand dryers. She loves cuddles and holding handsand will play with messy things but hates her hands being dirty and will obsessively wipe her hands clean during these activites.
she doesn't have tantrums but rather becomes anxious, agitated and withdrawn.
otherwise she doesn't have obvious autism spectrum issues- very good verbal skills (full sentences at 12months), good social skills, very affectionate but clingy, shes quite imaginative etc.
i dont want to make mountains out of molehills but also wonder should I be mentioning these concerns to someone?
to other mothers with children diagnosed with sensory issues do my concerns match your childs behaviour?
Thanks for your time.
sensory overload?
sensory overload?
Posted in:
Baby & Toddler
2 Replies
I would definitely speak to a developmental paediatrician. It maybe high functioning autism (aspergers). It's a much more useful diagnosis than SPD which doesn't attract any government assistance as it isn't recognised on the DSMV and is not looking like being included in the official diagnostic manuals anytime soon.
Also a lot of kids who are diagnosed with SPD by on OT then go on to be diagnosed as ASD (aspergers) by someone else by which time the have missed out on the early intervention funding and wheels have come off so to speak at school.
Kids with aspergers never used to be diagnosed until school age but with better understanding they are being diagnosed much much earlier. My son received his diagnosis at 2, 18 years ago!
I now work in early intervention and school age intervention and I see the above I described play out time and time again, much to the frustration of the parents if the child who miss out on assistance.
A non-expert opinion here but I would almost definitely say she's experiencing a sensory issue and probably ASD (many high functioning kids actually display precocious behaviours such as hitting milestones early, speaking very early - not all have speech delay or other developmental delays).
Ask your doctor for a referral to a paediatrician and go from there. GL IM xx