Parenting a Child with Sensory Processing Disorder: A Family Guide to Understanding and Supporting Your Sensory-Sensitive Child

In raising children with or without special needs, nothing is more important than the family unit. This book will enable you to enhance your child’s sensory development. Additionally, it will help you ensure that your child and all family members not only survive, but, indeed, THRIVE! When your whole family thrives, you can best ensure your child’s optimum development over the short and long range of life.

Auer and Blumberg have lent their insight, passion, and compassion to this workbook. In so doing they have also provided a guidebook—and a preamble of advocacy for children and their families.

It has been said that a family of five is akin to five people lying side-by-side on a waterbed: whenever one person moves, everyone feels the ripple. A child with sensory processing disorder can have a devastating impact upon the day-to-day functioning of a family. There are several books available that provide data and information on the nature of this puzzling disorder, but Auer and Blumberg have written a valuable book that finally provides parents with specific strategies and practical solutions to the daily challenges faced by these special children and their families. While other books define the problem, Auer and Blumberg offer techniques to minimize the effect of the disorder on the child's daily life. I strongly recommend this book to any adult who is parenting a child with a sensory processing problem—and to the professionals who are assisting moms and dads on this challenging journey.

Finally a book that treats SPD in the full context that it deserves: not as a co-condition or as another obstacle but as a full fledged challenge to the complete inclusion of individuals with unique learning styles. The collaborative integration of the senses accounts for your picking up this book, examining it and deciding on whether to make it part of your library. Auer and Blumberg walk you through how that process is both derailed and rekindled.

Read this with a highlighter in hand, because you will want to refer many times to the wise and wonderful ideas in this splendid how-to book. The authors are not only sensitive and resourceful parents of kids with SPD, but also articulate, honest, and sensible writers.

More Info: Sensory Processing Disorder: A Family Guide to Understanding & Supporting Your Sensory-Sensitive Child

The holidays are notorious for putting a strain on even the healthiest of families. Schedules fall out of sync, stress builds with added expectations to be available to friends and extended family members, and tens of thousands of people seem to come out of hiding - making roads and shops unbearable. This does not include the stress coming from children's unpleasant realization that in all likelihood, they are not going to get every toy they see on television.

To help you through the holidays, I'm listing five tips that are applicable to all families, not just those with special needs children.

1. Ensure that all family members have adequate respite.

Parents cannot be at their best without having a break once in a while. The same is true for children. Find some way that every member of your family can get rejuvenated. Perhaps your children would like some 1-1 time with you - playing a game, doing a sensory activity, or just taking a walk. Parents may need to call in a babysitter way in advance to get some time alone together, but use this time to build your relationship instead of holiday shopping or going to another party.

2. Eat dinner together

Eating dinner together is a healthy habit throughout the year. It's a time for your family to stay connected. Dinner doesn't need to be elaborate, the time together is most important.

3. Nurture your relationships.

While this is the focus of the holidays, nurturing relationships doesn't need to be made through elaborate parties. It may also be the reality that you can't possibly reach out on a personal level to everyone. If that's the case, prioritize the people that you want to connect with this year - and give a call, or write a personal card. Perhaps you invite some of them out to coffee instead of sending a card.

4. Live in the moment

There is much beauty to be found at this time of the year. Yet, the most beautiful aspects are also the easiest to miss when we're frantically shopping, sending cards, or trying desperately trying to make our house the best decorated on the block. Instead, try to notice the day to day development of your child and their sense of wonder.

5. Appreciate the little things in life

If you take some time off during the holidays, try to appreciate all that your family has. Appreciate too all that you have given your child. You may have given your child with special needs an opportunity to realize his or her full potential; an opportunity that was rare only thirty - forty years ago. Lastly, try to appreciate everything your child with a disability has given to your family. Maybe it's patience, empathy, an appreciation for humanity, or something else.

Look for Chris' New Book -

Parenting a Child with Sensory Processing Disorder: A Family Guide to Understanding and Supporting Your Sensory-Sensitive Child

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