After several months of seeing different doctors and therapists (and a couple of years before actually seeing the doctors) finally putting a name to the concerning behavior Connor was showing was a huge game changer for me.
It meant I could actually start researching one diagnosis instead picking up a random parenting book at the bookstore.
It meant I could read books about one specific disorder instead of thinking “could it really be this?” after looking at a list of childhood disorders.
It meant finally getting the specific resources Connor needed.
But more than anything, it all finally made sense.
When our doctor explained what Sensory Processing Disorder looked like, it felt like she was describing what a typical day with Connor looked like in our house.
My kid isn’t just a defiant kid like one doctor assumed.
My kid isn’t just a “bad kid” like the other moms thought.
I’m not a bad mom like I often thought.
My son has Sensory Processing Disorder, and unlike what other moms tried to tell me, it is a real disorder and a real struggle.
Please, don’t EVER tell someone that their diagnosis, or their child’s diagnosis isn’t real. It took us months, years actually, to get to this point and it’s the only thing we have out of all of this that actually makes sense.
Don’t ever tell me that SPD isn’t real. I have seen it and I know it is real.
I have seen my son live with this and struggle with this, I know it is real.
Raising child is hard.
Raising a child with special needs is really, really hard.
Please, have compassion for these mothers and their children.
