Themostwonderfultimeoftheyear ·
26/10/2020 07:13
DS has some unusual behaviours and I am wondering if they could indicate spd.
From the day he was born DS has done this thing where he tenses his whole body and shakes. On the day he was born the doctors thought this indicated sepsis and he was put on antibiotics but cultures came back clear thankfully.
As time went on I noticed that it seemed to be connected to new and exciting things so when we first started weaning he would do it before eating (he also puts the back of his hands to his face when doing it). I have a video of him doing it when he had a toy with lots of light, music and movement.
As a baby he was very challenging, incredibly unhappy, especially if we went into cafes or shops. The moment we went in he would start screaming and wouldn't stop until we left. He did not sleep well and now at almost 5 still wakes in the night and wakes very early in the morning.
I asked the HV when he was a few months old about the tensing and shaking but she wasn't concerned. However when he started preschool they picked it up within the first week and asked if we would see the SENCO and also recommended we contact our HV and described it as stimming.
What he does now he is older is he stands still, tenses his body, puts one hand to his face with fingers pointing outwards and then holds something dangly in his other hands and shakes it. It is hard to get his attention when he does this. He very much enjoys doing this and seeks out dangly things wherever he goes. We have a whole drawer of suitable things now and all he has asked for for Christmas is more.
He can smell citrus smells from considerable distances and doesn't like them. He hates loud noises such as hand dryers and blenders which makes using public loos quite stressful. He is also extremely tactile with DH and me, gets very upset if DH shaves as he loves stroking his bristles.
The HV did an assessment and referred us to the GP who says that DS' behaviour is unusual but that he shows no other signs of ASD. DS is very easy going behaviour wise, very confident and sociable, has no issue with changing routines etc (I know ASD varies massively though).
We are now on a watch and wait approach with the school and if they feel it is an issue we can ask for a referral to paediatrics. School says that he does do it a lot at school but understands when is and isn't an appropriate time to do it. I'm not too worried at this stage as he is in Reception and they mostly play but what about in older years when there is no longer an appropriate time to stand in a room and shake? Should I be trying to get support now?
So as not to drop feed I have sensory issues myself although have learnt how to manage them. I can't touch certain materials such as velvet or sponge, am very sensitive to food textures and only wear dresses with tights/leggings as I cant stand trouser waistbands. If I wear trousers I scratch my chin almost raw (they make my chin itch).
Sorry for the long post!