Overexcitabilities and Motor Skills

[Wehomeschool]

If anyone has a highly sensitive child with gross or fine motor delays you may like this site (http://www.skillsforaction.com/?q=node/21).

[Amber in AUS]

Thanks for this. I have passed on to a friend who has a child in this boat .

[MaMa2005]

Great information. Thanks for the link.

[wapiti]

Generally speaking, motor issues and sensitivities are both sensory processing issues, i.e., issues of the central nervous system. What is described at the link seems to me to be a subset of Sensory Processing Disorder. It's a bit confusing to call the same thing by two different names. See, e.g.:

http://www.starcenter.us/aboutspd.html

http://www.spdfoundation.net/

Apparently there is still a chance that SPD will be included in the DSM-V. http://www.spdfoundation.net/dsmv.html

[Wehomeschool]

Generally speaking, motor issues and sensitivities are both sensory processing issues, i.e., issues of the central nervous system. What is described at the link seems to me to be a subset of Sensory Processing Disorder. It's a bit confusing to call the same thing by two different names. See, e.g.:

http://www.starcenter.us/aboutspd.html

http://www.spdfoundation.net/

Apparently there is still a chance that SPD will be included in the DSM-V. http://www.spdfoundation.net/dsmv.html

The skillsforaction website is helpful for both children with overexcitabilities and sensory processing disorder. Overexcitabilities and sensory processing disorder may look similiar clinically, but they are quite different. With overexcitabilities a child has highly sensitive receptors. The child with sensory processing disorder has problems processing sensory information. This article (http://www.sengifted.org/articles_social/Cronin_AsychnronousDevelopmentandSIIntervention.sh tml) goes over the differences.

[wapiti]

The skillsforaction website is helpful for both children with overexcitabilities and sensory processing disorder. Overexcitabilities and sensory processing disorder may look similiar clinically, but they are quite different. With overexcitabilities a child has highly sensitive receptors. The child with sensory processing disorder has problems processing sensory information. This article (http://www.sengifted.org/articles_social/Cronin_AsychnronousDevelopmentandSIIntervention.sh tml) goes over the differences.

Thank you for the link.

As for the original link, I was just confused by the terminology. Looking back at it, it is from South Africa, where perhaps they have different names for these things (the Behavioral Inhibition described therein sounds identical to a subset of SPD).

[Wehomeschool]

Thank you for the link.

As for the original link, I was just confused by the terminology. Looking back at it, it is from South Africa, where perhaps they have different names for these things (the Behavioral Inhibition described therein sounds identical to a subset of SPD).

That makes sense :) Yes, the site is not from the USA and they do say some things a little differently.

[dmmetler]

Has anyone else hit being told that their child is "just gifted, and it's normal for gifted kids" on the OE level? I've been told that my DD doesn't qualify for services for SID, because "It's normal for profoundly gifted kids to have sensitivities" and "They outgrow it without therapy".

And the next question is-do they? I will say that my DD no longer goes into total panic when a vacuum cleaner is turned on, like she did when she was younger, so I guess that's progress....

[DandelionMom]

Has anyone else hit being told that their child is "just gifted, and it's normal for gifted kids" on the OE level? I've been told that my DD doesn't qualify for services for SID, because "It's normal for profoundly gifted kids to have sensitivities" and "They outgrow it without therapy".

And the next question is-do they? I will say that my DD no longer goes into total panic when a vacuum cleaner is turned on, like she did when she was younger, so I guess that's progress....

Great question! I have 2 PG children, ages 13 and 7. My oldest has SI and Aspergers, but we noticed a marked improvement once she went through puberty. She understands conversation much better, can communicate normally and understand facial expressions more easily. Best of all, she does not get angry or frustrated hardly at all anymore.

Our youngest is extremely sensitive, not SI or anything, but her sensitivities have been very high since she turned 7. Since we have seen changes in sensitivities with our oldest daughter as she matured, it doesn't stress me out nearly as much when our youngest falls apart.

Hope that helps!
Blessings,
Kelly

[Wehomeschool]

Has anyone else hit being told that their child is "just gifted, and it's normal for gifted kids" on the OE level? I've been told that my DD doesn't qualify for services for SID, because "It's normal for profoundly gifted kids to have sensitivities" and "They outgrow it without therapy".

And the next question is-do they? I will say that my DD no longer goes into total panic when a vacuum cleaner is turned on, like she did when she was younger, so I guess that's progress....


I can relate to my 8 year old. As an infant he needed constant holding and attention. At age 2 he would run screaming if someone with a loud voice talked to him. At age 7 he covered his ears crying at an IMAX theater - his first time in a theater. In general, he has outgrown most sensory issues. He still has many overexcitabilities, but the sensory overexcitabilites are barely seen anymore. It pretty much only shows up now when he is in a very loud and busy environment. He can handle it. He just doesn't want to be there long.

I plan on getting How Does Your Engine Run? to help him deal with some of the emotional overexcitabilities.