As a dad of a child with Sensory Processing Disorder, it has been a rollercoaster. Things are constantly changing; moving forward and backwards. It is a magical time for parents and I mean that in the most literal way. Behaviors appear and disappear at a fast pace. Just when you think one behavior is gone or has morphed into a new one, it reappears again in a couple of weeks.

As a Dad who works full time, it is easier to see the changes in my son than it is for my wife, who sees him constantly every day. In some ways that makes it even more difficult because just when I think we have turned a corner, something new pops up or an old behavior comes back. My wife has an easier time making adjustments and interventions because of all the work she does talking with therapists, school staff and OT’s. But as a Dad I go at a much slower pace. I usually say, “You mean we are not doing that anymore?” And sometimes the response is, “No, we are doing this now, don’t you remember?” Honestly, usually I don’t remember. However, I am trying to keep up the best that I can.

My son has improved dramatically through many of the interventions we have done. He is a different child than he was a few years ago. I mostly owe that to my wife. She does the research, talks to the professionals, worries about the future, and advocates for him. She can get quite frustrated from all the craziness of figuring out the needs of my son. I am glad I am there to remind her of the changes I see in him everyday. She is the perfect Mom for the needs of my son. I am lucky to have her with me on this SPD journey with our son.

PAUL MANK is a 4^th grade teacher and the father of a child with Sensory Processing Disorder. He lives with his wife and 2 children in Northern California.

This entry was posted on Friday, July 23rd, 2010 at 11:45 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.