All three of my kids were treated for sensory issues. They got OT from about age 20 months to age 3 through Early Intervention. It was a life saver! My daughter was highly sensitive to sound. Certain sounds would just cause her to completely melt down. The OT really really helped.

She is now 6 years old and in Kindergarten. She still doesn't like loud noises, but does not have the hysterical reactions that used to be a common occurrence. She will tell me sometimes that a place is loud, or react by either getting quiet and withdrawing a little, or getting really really silly. The only time she got a "blue card" in Kindergarten was the day her brother threw up and had to come home, so she was already probably a little upset, and then the fire alarm went off because someone burned popcorn in the teacher's microwave. They had to evacuate until the firemen cleared the building. Her report that day said "singing, laughing and talking at inappropriate times". I guess that was her way of coping!

One book I would highly recommend is The Out of Sync Child. It explains about sensory issues and gives things you can do to help. There is a companion book called "The Out of Sync Child at Play" that is also wonderful. It had activities for all different sensory issues that you can do at home. Another great book is Sensational Kids: Hope and Help for Children with Sensory Processing Disorder by Ph.D, OTR, Lucy Jane Miller and Doris A. Fuller. I also like the magazine at this website http://www.sifocus.com/

The best thing you can do is learn as much as you can about sensory issues. The more you know and understand, the better you will be able to help your child. You will also learn all kinds of things you can do at home that will help. We do have some strange rules in our house - for instance I don't mind if they take all the cushions off the furniture and "crash" into them on the floor as it is great for my propiseptic overseeking son. One son has standing permission to spit food in the trashcan as he has oral sensitivity and that rule got him to try all kinds of new foods. And my daughter sometimes wears her earmuffs around, though at this point I think it is more of a fashion statement than a need to buffer her ears. I still have to catch myself sometimes and ask myself "is this a discipline issue, a sensory issue, or both". At this point I most often lean towards a discipline issue, but occasionally can really see the sensory stuff, especially if they are tired or in a new environment. The therapy made a huge difference. When I mention their sensory issues to their teachers, they say "we never would have known if you didn't tell us" because they are soooo much better now!

Katie