DD's difficulties'are becoming more apparent as she gets older. . I didn't see it coming.

[siblingrivalry]

DD is going to be 8 very soon. She has a dx of Sensory Processing Disorder and is having an assessment next week because the psyc suspects uneven development and developmental difficulties.She has a marvellous OT who has been so supportive.

However, as she gets older,it seems that her problems are getting more severe - mood swings, sensory overload, OCDs, lack of cognitive planning etc. Or could it just be that as the 'gap' between dd and her peer group grows, I notice things more?

From birth, I knew that there were issues. But as a pre-schooler, her problems (such as being audio-defensive and disliking certain food textures) were not totally uncommon IYKWIM. Maybe I have been naive, but I didn't anticipate that she would find things so much harder as she got older. Her psyc said that it is often around age 7 that children receive a dx, because their behaviour can no longer be attributed to age. Am I making any sense? I feel like I am suddenly very inarticulate!

Basically, I feel as though we are starting to uncover layer after layer of problems and I feel so . I have been really weepy since I received a letter from her psyc last week, talking about why a neuropsychological assessment is required. We are months down the line from her SPD dx, yet things are only 'hitting' me now. I feel very anxious and scared, cos I don't know what is coming next.

Thanks if anyone managed to plough through all of this -I just needed to get it all off my chest. I am very mindful that other people on this thread are coping with much worse problems than me -hope I don't cause offence. I just needed to make sense of my feelings

I can relate to what you are saying. I was o.k. at diagnosis (ds has autism) but a bit further along and it's sort of hitting me now. When ds' play therapist said she thought he might have dyspraxia as well I sobbed all the way home, a thing I don't often do. I can just about cope with one label but not two.
It's the nature of a childs life to progress so Im not surprised all this is hitting you hard. Be kind to yourself and I try and take one day at a time, because we have to stay strong too.
Big hugs

i really feel for you. as much as you can warn yourself that there may be problems further down the line, the impact of it is unlikely to hit you until the problems actually start to reveal themselves.

my ds's SALT drew me a little graph to show how the differences between him and his peers may widen as he gets older. like you, i don't think the reality of that will hit me until we actually start to experience it.

hope that you are all able to help dd find ways to deal with the issues she's facing.

Thanks Nikos and Robin. I feel calmer, knowing other people have been through these emotions too -not that I am would wish them on you IYKWIM.

The graph you mentioned sums up what is happening, Robin. A couple of years ago, it wasn't too noticeable that dd struggled to dress herself. Of course, it is woefully apparent now -her sister(4) is usually dressed first My only problem with that is seeing how it affects dd1 -she talks about feeling useless.

DD's psyc thinks that she may have dyscalculia(sp?) and has said she definitely has Generalised Anxiety Disorder, probably linked to coping with the SPD... so I can see what you mean about coping with more than one label. It's scary, isn't it?

Thanks so much for the support.

My daughter is 10 and has delayed development across the board. Over the last few months there has been a decline in her general behaviour, lots of hitting, uncompliance and impulsive crying when she is told to wait for something.

I know exactly what you mean, I have a 5 year old too and my older child is frustrated seeing how easily her sister copes with everyday life. Just getting shoes on the correct feet etc. I'm hoping the latest behaviour is a phase or the start of puberty (shudder!) and will pass or improve!

OMG, I hadn't even started to consider hormones! So we need to tell the difference between hormonal screaming/tantrums and those related to her other difficulties?
(is there a 'dread' emoticon?)

I think a large part of dd's current problem is moving into the junior school. She no longer has the 'cushioning' that she had up until last year, so she feels more exposed, I think.It's harder to hide the things she is struggling with.
School is another issue altogether, though.

I feel very unsettled, cos I don't know where it is going to end. Small things, like dd being unable to untie her own scarf, make me so .

SR, I've found with my daughter that sometimes things suddenly click and then I forget she couldn't do them. I try to make things as easy as possible for her with velcro fastenings etc.

I know exactly the feelings you describe of worry and concern.