HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CHILD IS ILL? - THE TERRIFYING, DISCONCERTING ASPECT OF SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER
Our 8 year old is a very sensory little boy, which means he usually experiences things more and his senses are heightened - he gets more excited, more upset, happier than most other children, he just experiences things at a heightened level. His nervous system and the way it interprets signals from his body is just wired slightly differently.
Conversely, he also tends to feel some things less and this is the part that terrifies me.
He doesn't feel hunger, he forgets to eat and then will suddenly feel nauseated and go white as a sheet.
If he isn't experiencing or registering certain sensations how can I tell when my son is ill?
On his second day in Year 1 (his second day in his new school), C woke with a sore throat and just not feeling well. He was devastated when I kept him home from school that day but we had a snuggly, sofa day with ice lollies, treats and movies.
He woke the next morning full of beans and excited to be going to school. He was much improved so off he went.
Over the next two weeks he had the sniffles and a bit of a hoarse voice. I put it down to a cold and the fact that he was shouting at school - he doesn't really know how to talk quietly (I am still looking for his volume control) and he tends to shout and laugh excitedly a lot, especially on the playground.
He was sleeping well although he was snoring like a freight train.
One evening after school I noticed a huge lump on the back of his neck. I got him to the doctor as soon as I could and he was diagnosed with tonsillitis, which he had basically had for the two weeks since his first complaint of a sore throat and prescribed antibiotics. (The photo attached to this post is the lump six days after he started the antibiotics).
After that one day off school he didn't have any pain, didn't register a temperature, no complaints. The only symptoms were a runny nose, slightly hoarse voice and snoring!
I felt awful, my little boy had been fighting off tonsillitis for two weeks, whilst still going to school and carrying on everyday activities, and I had no clue. What kind of mother was I when I didn't even realise that my child was ill?
This is what freaks me out and terrifies me about Sensory Processing Disorder. If he is not feeling pain or registering a temperature, could he be ill and we would never know?
If course, it isn't consistent either. One day, when he was approximately 4, he was running around like crazy, having fun playing and chasing his sister. Every now and then he would stop to catch his breath, something he wouldn't normally have to do and I noticed that his shoulders were going up and down with each breath as if he was struggling.
I checked him and he felt very hot, I got the thermometer and his temperature was above 39 degrees. It transpired that he had a nasty chest infection and required antibiotics.
So I am now left with the anxiety of him being ill and me not realising. What if he is ill with something serious and not recognising pain or discomfort? How will we know?
Like every parent, I try to get the balance right between protecting my children whilst also giving them the freedom to grow and become independent. How do I stop myself becoming a “Helicopter” parent? How do I prevent myself from overreacting and rushing to the doctors for any slight symptom.
I think that all parents second guess themselves on a regular basis. Having a child with Sensory Processing Disorder takes things to a whole new level.
Poor C, every time he has a hoarse voice or snores during the night, I am checking his throat, looking for any signs of infection.
Life is certainly keeping us on our toes!
