in my opinion a sensory integration disorder diagnosis is one of the best, most hopeful diagnosis's to get. Sensory issues can be HUGE. My life is limited because my sensory issues. BUT the therapy for sensory issues never stops amazing me.
Go for a private evaluation if at all possible. they just etnd to be more complete than school evaluations because they look at all parts of his life, not just what causes problems at school.
During thank you's evaluation, I watched my 4yo try to use scissors. Not only was he not succeeding at cutting paper well, he said he was stupid, useless, and other awful things. The Occupational Therapist (OT) didn't say a word, but she started doing gentle joint compressions on his shoulders, neck, while he was working. Suddenly, with NO instruction - verbal or nonverbal - he was cutting on the line, said he was doing a good job, and his entire demeanor and performance changed. Less than 60 seconds of joint compressions changed every facet of what he was doing.
It seemed like MAGIC. But it was DO-ABLE magic, magic we could create in his life.
thank you was a wild child. He could not handle smells, noises, tastes, textures, so many many things. Up to 2nd grade he missed at least 1/4 of every school year. We didn't get into attendance trouble because it was in his 504 that he would be kept home if he was on overload. Poor little guy would come home vibrating. His entire body would shake like he was sitting on top of a dryer because he was in such sensory overload. If I sent him to school he just shut down completely. Those days at home we did NOTHING. He read, watched tv, did whatever he wanted with very very minimal expectations. Some days he ran around with-no clothes on because he couldn't tolerate them touching him. Thank GOD I have sensory issues and have felt that way a few times, so I was able to understand. I have friends with-o sensory problems of their own who have kids with them, and they have so little understanding of how awful the overload can be.
I remember being really shocked when I looked at thank you's 2nd gr report card and realized he missed an entire 9 week period during that year. He missed so much school that it was 47 or 48 days. He is blessed with being super smart because he was still the top student in his class, but it was a lot of school to miss.
If I sent him to school on overload, not only did he shut down emotionally, he often just crawled under something and hid - it was very distressing for his teachers to see. Other students would crawl under to him, put something near him, and back out. The kids were so sweet about it for the most part, but it was better to keep him home those days.
Brushing therapy, letting him do what he needed to do to provide the sensory input he needed, and time has resulted in a happy kid who is amazingly able to cope now. He is in 6th grade, misses little school, doesn't have to hide from the world, and understands his sensory problems. But it took a lot of work to get there.
Sensory issues is a hopeful diagnosis because the brushing/joint compression therapy actually rewires the brain. It creates new pathways for the brain to handle sensory input, which, as it involves NO medications, is a gigantic MIRACLE in my mind.
There are 2 books I recommend. If you cannot afford both, buy the second and borrow the first. the first is The Out of Sync Child and it explains sensory integration disorder and what is going on in the brain wth this diagnosis and the therapy. The second is The Out of Sync Child Has Fun and it is jammed with sensory activities and ways to make them inexpensive. They truly are fun, we are on our second copy because we wore the first copy out. Even though the activities are fun, they are helping retrain the brain and in my opinion are awesome.