It's amazing how empowering knowledge can be. After the initial feelings of "why my child?" and the few days of feeling extremely sorry myself and for Henry, I feel more energetic and patient with him than I ever have.
Having this diagnosis has given me the push to bring Henry to a pediatric sleep clinic to finally get some help for his sleep issues. I've sort of admitted that Henry has been sleeping in my bed since last November, but I don't think I've told you that five out of seven nights he has some type of night terror, wakes up every half hour and cries in his sleep. I pretended for too long that Supernanny tactics would do the trick, but now I feel like I can take advantage of any and all available resources to help make our lives better. I feel like I no longer have to deal with these issues on my own.
Thank you for all of your encouraging comments and emails. I love hearing your own personal stories. For anyone that understands a little about SPD, Henry is considered sensory seeking. He is hypo-sensitive and looks for stimulation. He seeks input about where his body is. This is why he pushes and hits. It's why he likes sparkling water. The bubbles feel fantastic in his mouth, not because he's a fancy New Yorker.
I do need to make a conscious effort not to let this become my excuse for all of Henry's bad behavior. He's still a two year old with likes and dislikes. Still a little boy who doesn't appreciate sharing and doesn't always want to take a nap. A fine line, it is. In fact, some believe that SPD is just an excuse for lazy parenting and really, who among us doesn't have a few quirks? Even if I was certain that Henry would outgrow this condition (or maybe just learn to cope with or hide it), I still want him to feel good now. To fit in now. Oh yes, it would be nice to get some sleep, as well.
