Parenting a Child with Sensory Processing Disorder

The difficult, picky and apparently overly sensitive child in your life may be struggling with a little-known condition called sensory processing disorder (SPD). Kids with SPD may seem unduly sensitive to physical sensations, light and sound, and they may react strongly to sensory events that adults and other children take in stride or totally ignore. SPD can make it hard for kids to do well in school, participate in social events and live peaceably with other family members. Until now there have been only limited resources for parents of kids with this condition, but now a child advocate and child psychologist offer this comprehensive guide to parenting a child with SPD and integrating his or her care with the needs of the whole family. The book introduces SPD and offers an overview of what it means to advocate for a child with the condition. It describes a range of activities that help strengthen family relationships, improve communication about the disorder and deal with problem situations and conditions a child with SPD may encounter. Throughout, the book stresses the importance of whole-family involvement in the care of a child with SPD, especially the roles fathers play in care-giving. Many of the book’s ideas are illustrated with case stories that demonstrate how the book’s ideas can play out in daily life.