My name is Kate and I am mum to Joe 13, Archie 7 and Darcy 2. Archie has recently been given the diagnosis of SPD although not badly so. We are at the beginning of the ALERT course with 2 lovely OT's but we are struggling with Archie's anger issues. He is a doll but if he doesn't get his own way, boy does he blow!! After school is a trigger point too. Its getting horrid, anyone have the same??

What is making Archie angry? How are his senses affecting him? Which ones seem to be upsetting him the most?

(05-22-2011, 04:11 AM)beck7422 Wrote: What is making Archie angry? How are his senses affecting him? Which ones seem to be upsetting him the most?

Hi Beck, thanks for replying. New to all this so when u mean which sense, how do you mean? Sorry to be dim!

Hi Kate! Welcome! My sons are off the wall when they get home from school. They can hold it together long enough to be good in school, but as soon as they're home, they let it all out. For the first hour they're home, I try to get them to do something active or using their muscles. On nice days, I can send them outside to play. We have a trampoline which they love to jump on, or they ride their scooters, or sometimes they swing. Those things seem to help them calm their bodies and calm their minds. Then they are better able to work on homework afterward.

My older son (10 now) was 6 when we got the diagnosis. He's more sensory defensive/avoider. When he was younger, if someone brushed by him or bumped him, his first reaction would be to punch that person because it felt like an attack to him. It's taken a long time but he's better about that now. But recently I noticed that when he had a meltdown, he punched the arm of the chair. When he was younger, he would just scream and cry for his meltdowns. I hope that he won't get more violent as he approaches puberty. I may need to get a punching bag to hang up in the basement!

My younger son (6) has mild SPD. He's a sensory seeker. He will control his anger with friends, but he will punch or kick his brother if they get into an argument. But that might just be a normal brother thing, not SPD related.

Welcome to the group!!

Thanks Lynn and hello. I am so new to this and just learning whats what! He does like rough and tumble with his bro, very rough to but steers away from kisses and cuddles!! All kisses, unless he chooses, are to be placed on top of his head which I hate but hey ho! After school, I encourage a session on trampoline or with his punchbag but he is so keen to be off out and, should I say no, boy does he blow up!!! If his mates aren't in he takes it badly and gets angry at home. I just don't know what too do! Hubby, Arch and I played Jenga tonight but Arch just wanted to spoil the game by way of playing roughly. Couldn't understand as he had 2 parents attention but still wanted to upset it. Guess its a long road with many twists yet to come!!

Welcome Kate!
I am sensory defensive, myself. Emotions, no matter what they are, good or bad, often feel overwhelming. Anxiety is the worst. Many activities are anxiety inducing. We got a new car recently, which you would think would be a good thing and should make me happy. However I experienced anxiety for several days. Every time I walked out the front door and into the driveway I got a burst of anxiety. Something was very different, not what I was used to, and it made me anxious. You would think I could say to myself, "oh it's just a new car, you know this, its okay." But it didn't matter, it still felt terrible. It just took me a while to adjust.

At 12 we want to be with our friends. Nature designed us that way. There is just no substitute for it. And there is a lot of social anxiety that goes with that. As we mature we learn that we don't always get what we want. We learn coping mechanisms to deal with our emotions. It may take him some time to adjust to all the changes happening with him. My oldest son was a monster at that age. But he is a fine man now. He still gets very stressed out about things that don't matter as much to most people but he deals with it more constructively. Try to remember to take good care of yourself so you don't get too stressed out yourself.

What is the ALERT program?

(06-01-2011, 06:33 PM)LaneSensorina Wrote: Welcome Kate!
I am sensory defensive, myself. Emotions, no matter what they are, good or bad, often feel overwhelming. Anxiety is the worst. Many activities are anxiety inducing. We got a new car recently, which you would think would be a good thing and should make me happy. However I experienced anxiety for several days. Every time I walked out the front door and into the driveway I got a burst of anxiety. Something was very different, not what I was used to, and it made me anxious. You would think I could say to myself, "oh it's just a new car, you know this, its okay." But it didn't matter, it still felt terrible. It just took me a while to adjust.

At 12 we want to be with our friends. Nature designed us that way. There is just no substitute for it. And there is a lot of social anxiety that goes with that. As we mature we learn that we don't always get what we want. We learn coping mechanisms to deal with our emotions. It may take him some time to adjust to all the changes happening with him. My oldest son was a monster at that age. But he is a fine man now. He still gets very stressed out about things that don't matter as much to most people but he deals with it more constructively. Try to remember to take good care of yourself so you don't get too stressed out yourself.

What is the ALERT program?

Hi there, the ALERT program is arranged by OT's and aimed at 7-12 year olds. It is teaching them to manage their emotions by relating them to a car engine and establishing whether they are "low/just right/high". We are on week 3 and they have been trying different activities and foods and see how they make the children feel before and after taking part. Its a good introduction to this (sometimes) overwhelming disorder (of thats the right word!).
Archie is 7 and I noticed on todays cycle ride how he would keep putting a foot down to scuff along the floor. I wondered if this is a sensory seeking move? He has been away for this week with grandparents and was very angry/emotional at bedtime wanting me to sleep in his room with him. It certainly isn't easy saying the right thing to him, very much the eggshell treatment and we all find it really hard to cope!