Sensory overload

: There are several conditions that offer up this description. One of them is ADD. Some ADD kids are unable to filter out background noise and react to the sound of someone sneezing. I’ve also met ADD kids who flip if their clothese are too tight.You could consider that. But you could consider the other issues as well one of which might be sensory integration disorder. Try asking the psychologist about the possibility of either of those and see what kind of response you get.Good luck.Has anyone heard of a child having too keen senses, which causes
: learning problems? My son has problems with reading, writing and
: math. A school psycholgist said he has a lot of sensory things
: going on. He hates too much noise,hears everything and yells if
: someone sneezes. He smells too well and smells bug him. He hates
: tags, belts and tucked in clothes. He burns out quickly while
: coloring, puzzles, reading and anything visual. I always thought
: that he had really bad visual processing problems. CAN IT BE THAT
: HE IS JUST TOO SENSITIVE TO INPUT? And if so, what do we do to fix
: or help this? HELP Brenda

Find an occupational therapist who is trained to evaluate sensory integration. SID can involve hyper-sensitivity to sound and/or touch. Most schools do not provide sensory integration therapy, but often the school OT will assess it for you (in addition to a regular OT eval) if you ask. You can then seek private therapy. Or just go to a private OT for the eval.If you suspect vision problems, I would recommend taking him to a developmental optometrist also. You can find qualified developmental optometrists in your area at http://www.covd.org.Hypersensitivity to sound can also indicate an auditory processing disorder. An audiologist who specializes in CAPD can test for this. You can find CAPD audiologists in your area at http://pages.cthome.net/cbristol/capd-rf1.htmlWhat you describe is characteristic of SID. However, auditory problems are known to cause SID (and visual problems, to a lesser extent). Even if you get a diagnosis of SID, I would go ahead and get a CAPD eval from an audiologist.The therapies for these problems can be very helpful.Mary: Has anyone heard of a child having too keen senses, which causes
: learning problems? My son has problems with reading, writing and
: math. A school psycholgist said he has a lot of sensory things
: going on. He hates too much noise,hears everything and yells if
: someone sneezes. He smells too well and smells bug him. He hates
: tags, belts and tucked in clothes. He burns out quickly while
: coloring, puzzles, reading and anything visual. I always thought
: that he had really bad visual processing problems. CAN IT BE THAT
: HE IS JUST TOO SENSITIVE TO INPUT? And if so, what do we do to fix
: or help this? HELP Brenda

Brenda, It sounds to me that your son may have sensory processing disorder in that he over-registers sensory input,especially in regards to tactile(touch)and Auditory input. He appears to demonstrate sensory defensiveness. The defensiveness should be treated first! There is a great program called “The Ready Approach” by Bonnie Hanschu. She is amazing! The program consist of a “brush and Press program ” to help with sensory defensiveness. The brushing program consists of using slow firm brushing of the arms, back and legs followed by joint compressions. I would definitely advice you to seek the assistance of an Occupational Therapist in your area that is well trained in Sensory Processing Dysfunction. Check out Bonnie’s website for assistance as well. www.atready.com or phone #888-atready I hope this is helpful!

My daughter has significant sensory deficits. This has greatly affected her life in every area. It is not something that you outgrow, therapy is a must. She has been in therapy since 4 1/2 and her hearing, smell, and ability to adjust to clothing- although still sensitive is definitely close to normal. We did the brushing technique along with the therapy. Most of the therapy is kin to desensitising. But first you must understand how the child feels. Sensory defensiveness gives the child a feeling that they must keep themselves safe, no matter what. Fearfulness usually manifests in fight or flight. The sensations they get can be compared to that of being chased by a tiger 24 hrs a day. You can see the axniety in a child with significant sensory integration disorder. There are physiological things which begin to take place. It has been years since I have studied this as my child is now 9 yrs old. However, I believe the author is Jean Ayres, an OT in California that started Sensory Integration Therapy, and does a splendid job of explaining it. Best Wishes, Sharon G.