I posted this on the old board...(m)

My ds is 6 and has ADHD and Sensory Integration Dysfunction. He is extremely hyper in class, and things that can set it off are lots of kids in the classroom, loud volumes, sometimes when things are too quiet it makes him nervous as well. Well, now that we've dealt with the bounces and the unable to sit still and the constant chattering that was from the ADHD, we can focus more on his sensory issues and he's learning how he does have control over these things. He's learning that if the class is too loud, he gets his earplugs and that makes it better. If there are too many kids, he asks the teacher to let him work at her desk, or in the hall while the group is going on. (IEPs are a wonderful thing (= ) A big part of sensory integration dysfunction that I've found is that these kids are way overly sensitive, but they also have interesting ways of coping with a lot of their stress. For ex. my daughter's way was to be bundled up very tight in a big blanket and held. My son's way of dealing with it is to constantly talk. If he's talking about stuff he loves, then he tends to not notice the stuff that makes him nervous. Once he quits talking, or is asked to be quiet, he will start to get nervous and it will usually cause a nervous meltdown. If you ever want to vent privately, by all means e-mail me at toryanna 24@yahoo.com

Alexis