1. What brings you here?
I've been searching for help for my 3.5 year old daughter, who is extremely sensitive and emotional, and I started reading about SPD and wondering if she may have it.

3. Share a little of your journey if you'd like.
My daughter is a sweet 3.5 year old. At times she can be happy and joyful, but she's sensitive and prone to mood swings and severe tantrums. She seems especially sensitive in places that are busy with people and lights, like airports and malls. She also has great difficulty with transitions like leaving the house or a change in routine. For example, we usually bathe her at night. One day last week, we attempted to give her a bath during the day, and she had a complete meltdown, refusing to get into the tub. Later, when she was calm, she explained to me that she had been upset because she wanted to take a bath at nighttime.

When she was younger, she was very sensitive to noise. We would have to leave the playground if the lawnmower came around--she couldn't stand it. This is not as much of an issue now as it used to be, but sometimes it comes up. There's a song that plays on her favorite TV show. One day she said she liked it, then the next day she covered her ears and said she didn't like it because it was too loud.

Right now the biggest issue we face with her is that she doesn't want to leave the house. It started with her not wanting to go to preschool, but now she's reluctant to go out at all. When she's at home, she likes to either wear certain pajamas, her ballet leotard, tights, and shoes, or just underwear. She doesn't like to wear "regular" clothes. Sometimes I can convince her to go out if I allow her to wear either her pajamas or her ballet things.

I'm not able to figure out what's going on and why she doesn't want to leave the house. She says that she doesn't want to go to preschool because she's afraid of the other children pushing her. There are lots of high-energy kids in her class, and her teacher has told me that she doesn't interact with the other children, except for her twin sister, who is also in her class. I'm wondering if she's overwhelmed by the other kids, or the business of the classroom, or if some of the kids have bumped into her by accident and now she's afraid of that happening again.

Most people don't understand when I tell them that my daughter isn't going to preschool because she doesn't want to. It's more than that she just says, "No." It's that if I try to convince her to go, she bursts into tears, screaming and running from me, throwing herself on the ground, kicking. How can I force her to do something that obviously causes her so much distress?

Some other things I have noticed about her: She's a lot more sensitive to hot and cold temperatures (of food, water for washing hands, etc.) than her sister. She's also sensitive about her hair--doesn't want me to brush it or even push it away from her face with my hands. She breaks her toys frequently and when she draws she often makes holes in the paper from pushing too hard. But she can be gentle too--she knows how to gently pet an animal.

4. Is there any immediate help you need?

It seems like my daughter's issues are mainly emotional. I'm wondering if one can have SPD with mostly emotional dysfunction, or if I'm barking up the wrong tree here. I'm planning to call her pediatrician about this, but I thought it would be good to get feedback from people who are familiar with SPD.

5. SPD doesn't run your life! What are you or your child's gifts? Interests? My daughter loves to dance and to draw.
6. What do you like to do in your spare time? Any hobbies or interests? I love to read and write.

Thanks for taking the time to read this long post!