The Everything Parent's Guide To Sensory Integration Disorder: Get the Right Diagnosis, Understand Treatments, And Advocate for Your Child

by Terri Mauro, Sharon A. Cermak

For kids living with Sensory Integration Disorder, the world can be a scary place, full of potentially stressful experiences. Kids with Sensory Integration Disorder can howl in discomfort over the feel of a shirt tag or a sock seam on bare skin. They may find the sound of a whisper to be as loud and frightening as a siren, and may perceive the caring touch of a parent or jostling in the school lunch line as equivalent to an assault. The Everything Parent's Guide to Sensory Integration Disorder: Provides an in-depth definition of Sensory Integration Disorder and explains its effects Highlights occupational therapy treatments and explains techniques you can use outside of the therapist's office to calm your child Includes helpful advice for parents teaching their children how to deal with this disorder at school, home, and play, from childhood through adulthood In The Everything Parent's Guide to Sensory Integration Disorder, you'll find the answers you need as you search for ways to help your child. This reassuring handbook examines various forms of treatment and therapy, and provides professional advice for helping children with SID succeed in school, at home, and with friends.

Terri Mauro is the About.com guide to Parenting Special Needs Children and is a member of Sensory Integration International.

Sharon A. Cermak, EdD, OTR/L, FAOTA, is widely published and internationally known for her work in sensory integration, dyspraxia, and in development and sensory processing with children from orphanages in Eastern Europe.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Psychology, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Reference, Health

322 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 9, 2006

Reviews

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a godsend for me while advocating for Miss 3 and waiting for a formal diagnosis. There were lots of 'a-ha!' moments and I found it really helpful as a way of recognising some of her behaviour / reactions, the reasons why, and ways that might help her while waiting to see a Developmental Paediatrician and Occupational Therapist. I thought it was very well written, clear, concise, and well structured. It's easy to read through from start-to-finish but also to skip to appropriate chapters.

[Tania · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This is a brilliant book for anyone interested in understanding Sensory integration disorder. It tells you how to diagnose, discuss the senses per chapter, and explains how you can give your child support in different situations and at different ages. What I liked most about it, is that the explanations are so clear, so for the first time I understand why a child could be hyposensitive some days, and hypersensitive on other days.

[Stephanie Burkhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever wondered why your child covered their ears when you knew they didn't have an ear infection? Or wondered why they would spin around in circles for minutes on end? Or why they couldn't stand tags in their clothes when everything else seemed "normal?" This comprehensive book on sensory integration disorder offers explanations and ways for parents to recognize and manage SID in their children.

What I appreciated was how easy the book was to read. It broke down a tough to understand concept and made it simple to relate to. The definitions were clear and practical.

The disorder is characterized by the brain inaccurately processing information from the senses. The person afflicted then makes an inaccurate judgment regarding touch, sight, movement, taste, and sound.

The book helps readers understand how important the vestibular and proprioceptive sense are, explains hypersensitivity and hyposensitivity, along with the importance of motor planning and hypotonia (low muscle tone.)

This book also helped me understand how my son got SID. The chapter on lookalike problems such as ADD, ADHD, OCD and behavioral issues was the most informative, and will assist me to better articulate to my child's teachers what to look for and how to approach my son.

I highly recommend this book to parents and teachers who interact with children that have SID. It is a gold mine of information written in such a way that it is easy to understand.

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since Caleb has SID--this book helped me SO much understand more about him.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tons of Ah-Ha moments for me regarding our sweet Samantha. She's getting evaluated and diagnosed this summer.

[T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative

This book really helped me understand my child better. Since the book is all inclusive, and the enormity of various sensory disorders is so diverse, I feel like this book is a good starting point for those trying to understand their child’s specific needs and response. I did not read the whole book, as not all aspects applied to my child, but through skimming some of the other areas it gave me a broader view of what to expect and how to empower my family to do better with our child.

[Alyssa Peake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t recommend this book enough!! This book described my child perfectly and has helped me to step back and breathe when things get going. I now make sure to pack sensory items wherever we go and look for what may be causing behavior. I strongly encourage anyone suspecting their child of having SPD to read this book. My mother is even wanting to read it not only to understand her grandchild better, but her adult son as well!!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for grandparents to make sense of their SPD grandchildren!

This has been a great book for me as a grandmother of an SPD grandchild. I had no idea what was causing all of the issues she was having, but this book helped me to understand her so much better!

[dave Sheldon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource

I have four children with SPD and this book provided me the base knowledge I need to be able to help them all.

[Laurel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good information. Broken down so that it is easy to focus on the issues for your particular situation. Good additional resources.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-organized book that offers facts and helpful tips. I found it most useful as a reference guide that I could share with others (teachers, relatives, babysitters) that needed foundational information to help them understand and integrate the techniques and tools they were being asked to use.

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

When they say "everything"...they really mean it! This has been the best resource I have found on this subject so far! Will be buying my own personal copy of this one to reference often!

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great week and empathy ha ha that was even if it's special mission for parents. I found to be a very knowledgeable and helpful to understand.

[Amber DiTullio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last spring, my youngest was diagnosed (unofficially, since the APA doesn't recognize it as a separate ailment) with Sensory Processing Disorder. Since then, I've read book after book regarding the subject, trying to find ways to help my son as he got ready to start, then entered, kindergarten. Most of them were kind of helpful, but a lot had too much technicality and they didn't always fit what my son was going through.

Then I picked up "The Everything Parent's Guide to Sensory Processing Disorder" and found the book for me. It makes it easy to understand some of what is going on with my son, and it gives me great strategies for how to advocate for him. It helps me thinking of new ways to work with his sensory issues. And when I showed it to his OT, she was impressed with the information that it showed as well.

If you are dealing with SPD, or know someone that is, I highly recommend starting off with this book.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, EXCELLENT resource. This has already changed our daily routines and family dynamics for the better. This book did seem to focus more on school-age children; however, it still provided an invaluable amount of information for our family. It is also easy to get overwhelmed by all of the modifications suggested. Likewise, the only thing I thought it left out was a section on caring for the caregivers of children with sensory processing disorder.

[Coleen Cloete · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you have no background or information regarding the disorder, this is a great book to start with. If you have already read up on the disorer, have a child suffering with the disorder and does not stay in America the book looses some of the impact it is meant to have.

Granted it was written with the american market in mind, I miss having more specific / local reference to it.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent guide to this disorder for parents and all who are involved in dealing with children with this disorder. I was pleased with this book as it shows the importance of learning about this disorder in a positive way. I have a better understanding of what is happening. Individuals need to be recognized as individuals, not as cookie cutter people which society prefers to treat people as.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good first read for getting a bigger picture about Sensory Integration/Sensory Processing Disorder. The particular concerns I have about my son were not addressed or mentioned, which fuels my need to keep researching.

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely Loved this book! It gave me insight into my son in a way that no other book has been able to. A great book for all parents to read, but especially those that have a more "difficult" child. Highly Recommend!

[Wendy Friess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great first book to get started understanding sensory integration disorders. This type of book gives info that's a mile wide but only an inch deep. Once you understand SID a bit I'm guessing you'd want to move on to a more specific book. Great little overview though.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clearly written and concise. A welcome tool when dealing with SPD or other challenging and/or mysterious behaviours.

As a grandma, my generation had good or bad children and methods of 'correcting' behaviours was limited. This book has helped me reframe my understanding.

[Sherri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good introduction to Sensory Disorder. Easy to read and not too technical. Also good to keep on hand for reference as your child grows.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful in some ways but confusing in others. Worth reading if you think your child might have sensory issues.

[Jessica Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative! Highly recommend for anyone with a child with sensory needs