Highly Sensitive Book seeks more Sensitive Home

[lingle]

I bought the book "The Highly Sensitive Child". And whilst I like a good giggle as much as the next woman, it's becoming clear that this book and I are not meant for each other.

I would therefore like to pass it on (can anyone tell I moderate a Freecycle site?).

I would be glad to send it to the first person who sends their address to [email protected].

ha ha. You might get on better with the out of synch child The highly sensitive child never really clicked with me either, but the out of synch child did (practical exercises to help with sensory processing).

Am thinking of writing a sequel called
"I've just realised I'm nearly 40 and it's time to get over myself".

Anyway, the book has found a new home, much to its relief no doubt.

Yes- might be time to get Out of Synch - DS2 definitely has some subtle sensory issues - mainly visual but query sensitive hearing also.

I got into a big fight on here once about The Highly Sensitive Child so I know what you mean.

does it not appeal to the lawyer in you then . suspect I wouldn't like it much either...

Total has your lad got any sensory issues do you think?

I suspect he is slightly undersensitive to movement/temperature etc, nothing that causes huge issues (at the moment...)

OK I have started to read this book as having issues with DS1. Can I ask what it is about the book that doesn't appeal and also the reasons for you buying the book in the first place - of course if you don't mind answering.
tnksx

I have read both and tend to get them mixed up but does the fact that I bought the Highly sensitive Child twice because I forgot that I had already bought and read it tell you more about me or the book?

I have so many books, my shelves are groaning, I have long ago accepted that there is usually one particularly relevant chapter in each book and that is as much as I can expect!

I had a home visit from the Ed-Phsych and left DS3's birthday cards up in front of my SN book selection to camoflage it, couldn't decide if I wanted her to see them all. would she think I was weirdly obbsessive or just well-informed?

The Out of Sync Child has Fun has good ideas for home OT for sensory issues.

ha ha wiggly.

I think I'm not keen on the HSC (and I must admit I have skimmed rather than read so I may have missed a gem) is because I think whilst it explains why a child might find life difficult it doesn't really offer any help. And there's no need for a child to remain totally oversensitive. Sure you might not be able to get rid of everything but a sensory diet will help a lot. What's the point of noticing something if you don't do anything about it.

Out of synch child great for sensory ideas and Stanley Greenspan's The Challenging Child is good for understanding your child's sensory profile and then giving some help.

Is the Greenspan book any good if your child doesn't have classic autism? Keep hearing about it and I have read zero books on anything to do with special needs - never been pointed in the direction of any literature at all!

SDMT - what do you mean about the sensory diet? Any help will be really appreciated.
X

Hi Flowertop, probably the best thing to say is that I don't think either of my boys fit the criteria.

Other objections are just a question of prose style/tone - just a personal thing.

Actually, inspired by the current "most popular" thread on mumsnet, I think that HSC could be rewritten far more succinctly as:

"Shyness is nice, but
Shyness can stop you
From doing all the things in life
That you'd like to.....

....

Spending warm Summer days indoors. Writing frightening verse. To a buck-toothed girl in Luxembourg"

Only without any wit or guitar playing.

I hope this conveys a little of the flavour.

Donkey,

OK back to serious topics.

"The Child With Special Needs" describes itself as "The comprehensive approach to developmental challenges including autism, PDD, language and speech problems, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, ADD and other related disorders.

Part 1: Discovering each child's unique strengths, developmental capacities and challenges
Part 2: Encouraging Emotional and Intellectual Growth."

He's keen on "going beyond the label" and generally doesn't refer to specific conditions much. He says there are six milestones in encouraging emotional and intellectual growth. The idea is you assess your child and go back to the very first milestone where they are wobbly. So your child may be verbal but you have to go behind that and see whether there are problems with things like intimacy and work on that first whatever their age. Like trying to strengthen the foundations of a building.

Most examples given relate to the 1-5 age bracket and I think your child is older? But hopefully with your nursing background you might find it brings it all together for you?

There's relatively little on particular interventions such as speech therapy - he describes those as being the top layer of a pyriamid of things that the child with SN needs.

Sorry just realised posting about wrong Greenspan book

You'll never make that mistake again, no

;)

Flowertop I'm not good with words but I'll try- a sensory 'diet' is an individualised OT style home therapy program to help the child adapt their (over/under active/poorly integrated) sensory systems and attain more comfortable sensory experiences. Ds has a program designed by his OT. HTH

I have now posted the "Highly Sensitive child" book so it should be with the recipient (whom I only know by her real name so have no idea who she is!) quite soon.

The book irritates me more and more in retrospect. The whole "HSC" acronym thing for shy people is faintly ridiculous. I felt as though the author had visions of big conferences where important people would say things like "Now, when we are distinguishing between HSC and ASD....".

Anway, I keep thinking of Elinor's riposte to Marianne in Sense and Sensibility - you know the bit where she gets sick of Marianne insinuating that she feels everything more deeply.....