Being Aimee Grace

Chapter 8: Sensory Processing Disorder

Chapter 8: Sensory Processing Disorder

A/N before we get into this chapter I'd like to explain somethings to you

SPD: Short for Sensory Processing Disorder.

Hypersensitive: The senses over work and become over sensitive to things like touch, sound, smell and noise.

Hyposensitive: The senses aren't working hard enough and are under sensitive to touch, sound, smell and noise. For example, someone who is hyposensitive may squeeze something too hard because they don't realise how hard they are squeezing.

Sensory Overload: A bit like a panic attack but it's where the senses become to sensitive to everything around them because they have taken in too much sensory information and it becomes to much for the person to take.

Sensory processing disorder is NOT the same thing as Autism. Also someone who is hypersensitive one day can be hyposensitive the next day it can vary.

Although it isn't the same thing as Autism, Autism and ADHD can go a long with Sensory Processing Disorder and it's very common for someone with ADHD or Autism to have Sensory Processing Disorder as well. (Like me and my younger brother who has Autism.) So before I make this too long I'll start with the chapter. But please read the authors note at the end of the book. It's really important and it has an idea that I need you to say if it's a good idea or a bad idea.

Demi's P.O.V

We were sat in a room with a specialist who specialized in child disorders. She was writing a few things down as me and Alex sat there in silence. She looked up at us both a minute later before she asked us another question.

"Does Aimee avoid things like swings and really fast things?" She asked us.

"She hates them. She won't go near them at the park." Alex told her a minute later.

"She hates it when we spin her around in circles as well. She says it makes her feel sick." I added. Rachel, the child specialist started writing something down again.

"What about food? Is she a picky eater?" Rachel asked us a minute later

"Yes. She hates it when food touches and she refuses to eat certain things."

"Does she refuse to hug people?" Rachel continued to ask us. Me and Alex nodded.

"Although sometimes she can be very clingy it has to be on her terms. I can't just go up and hug her I have to wait for her to come to me." I explained.

"What about clothes?" Rachel asked.

"We have to cut the labels out of her clothes otherwise she'll just take them off, even if we are in front of people and she always feels the texture of clothes before she agrees to try them on in a store." I replied

"Is she sensitive to light?" She asked us. Me and Alex nodded our heads at her.

"It sounds like Aimee has Sensory Processing Disorder." Rachel told us a minute later.

"Sensory what?" I asked her confused. "I've never heard of it."

"Some people don't consider it as a real disorder but it is. It's where the senses don't work in the way they should do so they either take in too much sensory information or they don't take in enough and it's constantly switching. Although it sounds like Aimee tends to be hypersensitive.'

"Hypersensitive?" Alex said in a confused voice.

"Over sensitive. Imagine two different cups. One massive one and one tiny one. They both have water dripping into them. The tiny one represents Aimee's Sensory processing disorder because the cup is too small to contain all that water so it over flows." Rachel explained to us

"So her brain is taking in too much information?" I asked. Rachel nodded

"Exactly. So what seems perfectly okay to you and me can be causing an overload in Aimee's brain." Rachel continued.

"So just because the light isn't too bright for you. Or just because you can stand the texture of a certain piece of fabric doesn't mean Aimee can. Aimee's brain works differently." Rachel finished a second later. I sighed in relief as I finally knew what was going on with my daughter and I knew she wasn't just misbehaving. She wasn't being awkward or wanting to be the centre of attention all the time. She had a disorder that made her more sensitive to things then someone who didn't have the disorder she had.

Authors Note:

So I know it's kind of short but still. So I had an idea about writing a book about Sensory Processing Disorder, ADHD and anxiety from my perspective. So if I did would you guys read it? Also PLEASE ask questions if you have any. You're not going to offend me by asking questions. The only thing that does annoy me is ignorant comments but I'll get into that if I write the book. So please let me know your thoughts on the idea I had because those are the issues I mainly write about in all of my books and it might help you guys understand a bit more. Plus, I'll also write poems and stuff (because I used to write poems when I was younger and I'll publish them.)

So once again, I'm sorry that this chapter is really short. But I'm also going to be doing a Q&A thing in my next authors note if you guys want to ask me some questions. (It can be about anything. Not just SPD or ADHD or anything like that.) But anyway I'm going to leave this here and I'll update soon.