Question for those in the know about sensory issues

[tiredmommy]

Duckie has been in sensory overload for at least three weeks now (probably more) and may have either a strep B or mono infection. Could there be a link between the sensory issues and either of these infections?

I've only been able to find a few scholarly articles and, frankly, Duckie is being such a non-stop handful that I can't wrap my head around the text. Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[HaoZi]

In my experience, being totally miserable either makes everything else bother you a LOT more or else the sheer misery of it blocks out most stuff that would bother you. Kind of like when you have a migraine and even the smallest sounds, smells, lighting change, etc., just makes everything so much worse.

 

[Marguerite]

That's right. When you're not well, little things bother you more. For someone with Sensory Integration Disorder (SID) issues, they probably normally cope moderately well because they are in balance, the status quo is what they know they can handle. But when the boat is rocked and they have a lot more to cope with, then it suddenly becomes a lot more unpredictable and uncontrollable.

There is also the possibility that the infections are actually directly increasing sensitivity, such as via a middle lear infection.

I remember at times when I have been seriously ill, that certain smells were a problem for me. When I was 20 and was in hospital for several weeks for major surgery, I was very aware that the smell of the antibiotics I was taking, was coming out in my dressings and drainage bags. I took to spraying the dressings with perfume. Ever after, I could not stand that perfume again. I had developed a conditioned response to it, it reminded me of my time in hospital. Also at that time, I could not cope with people being too close to me. Even husband (we were not yet married) could only sit beside the bed and hold my hand. I could not stand anyone too close because they smelt so strong. Part of that could have been due to the sanitised nature of the hospital, eliminating all smells to such an extent that the merest trace of a normal smell was intense. I think it was a lot worse because I was so very ill at the time. I've been in hospital since, on long stays, and not had the same phenomenon.

Marg

 

[Star*]

I have sound and smell issues. My family will tell you that at times (AND NOT ALL THE TIME) no really.....lol. But at times they swear to you I have theauditory and scent-ability of a K-9. When I don't feel well? I don't think that they are heightened, but on the rare occasion that I'm getting sick? Look out. Everything is magnified. Especially sounds.

If I'm getting a migraine? I'm intollerable, or rather everything else is intollerable - and that includes vision - lights are ridiculously bright. I've often thought it would be interesting (science wise) to be hooked up to some machines - MRI, EEG, PET scan the second I noticed a hint of migraine.

I can tell you this (and it's gross) when I tell you I can smell extra ordinarily well - it's a curse. About two weeks ago I caught a whiff of something dead in the den. Just a faint hint. I told DF and he dismissed it. He jokingly said "What do you think it is 'oh sniffer of sniffs'?" and I said "I think it's a dead mouse." Well far be it for me to get the rodent wrong, but three days later I came out and said "Whatever is in the trash? Needs to go out, NOW!" and he got up and took both cans outside. Didn't help. Came back through and said "It's still here." I left the room, he moved a table, and a rolled up rug, and a cooler and behind that? Found where the cat had brought in a mole. - Had to be yesterday, and he was amazed. I told him - death has a smell.

So to answer your question - Yes, I believe her when she tells you things smell and she can smell them and when she's sick - it's worse. Unless of course her nose is plugged. Then I think it's just being irritable all over. But before that? I would bet anything she's not faking at all. The sound of a potato chip bag can send me right over the edge, DF holds receipts in his hand and fiddles with them - and that noise alone makes me absolutely nuts. Just folding paper makes me want to ----take it from him and put it down. Scuffing slippers, popping gum, squeeky wheels, out of place sounds - all - I think it has something to do with possible adhd - not sure. It's also not all the time on irritating sounds too. But smells? ALL the time.

Hugs -
Star

 

[HaoZi]

death has a smell.

No joke, that. And dead possum smells different from everything else. And so do maggots (bye-bye criminal justice degree in the making, I can't handle you). So does impending death, on people and animals.
20 years of smoking and it's still true. That time I did quit? Third day I walked outside, took one whiff, and was forcibly reminded why I started - because everything stinks!

If you don't get Sensory Integration Disorder (SID) in general but you've ever had a hangover where every sound/light/smell made you sick, you've had a taste of it.

 

[smallworld]

Do you mean strep A or strep B?

Strep A is associated with PANDAs. Here's a link that explains the condition:
http://intramural.nimh.nih.gov/pdn/web.htm

 

[tiredmommy]

Thanks everyone. SW- she doesn't carry an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) diagnosis (though I have wondered in the past ) but she meets the all but one of the other symptoms (hasn't bed wet or had incontinence issues). She does have a very strong hand washing habit but she is only doing it when appropriate (before meals, after playing outside, after using the bathroom, etc). She washes a lot more than a typical 10 year old and has since the doctor told her at age 7 that good hand washing habits is the best way to keep from getting sick and aggravating her asthma. I've been carefully concerned and kept an eye on it but there's nothing ritualistic about it... she just doesn't want to get sick. She also keeps hand sanitizer on her desk & her teacher says she only uses after group activities and when she can't leave the class to wash her hands. Her teacher said it's done appropriately and she wishes more kids would follow suit. But I worry....

 

[smallworld]

With PANDAs, it has to be episodic. In other words, the symptoms have to get a lot worse at the onset of a strep infection. I don't know if that's what you're seeing ...

 

[smallworld]

by the way, if the doctor suspects PANDS, blood work testing the strep titers (explained in the link above) need to be administered.

 

[tiredmommy]

I dunno. The quick test (in office) came back negative so he sent out another swab. This is because 3 of her close friends at school have had strep over the last few weeks. Her neck glands are swollen and she has a very fine, lacy red rash on her face. Her throat is red, her tongue has a few red dots (like pin pricks), but there were no white dots or pus. Her temp hasn't risen out of "elevated" to fever stage. But she didn't have a fever or white spots the first time she strep so he started her on amoxi with the understanding that we will discontinue if the test comes back negative. I can tell you that she has been extremely difficult for the last few weeks (been grounded twice for stuff at home AND had a meltdown/crying jag at school that got the school counselor involved).

The other possibility the doctor is considering is mono. If the strep test comes back negative and she's still not bouncing back by Monday then he'll send her for blood work.

 

[HaoZi]

Not sure about where you live, but Kiddo's school really pushes the hand washing and sanitizing thing (they don't have to have hand sanitizer at their desks but are allowed to bring it if they wish). Posters all over the place, more so since bird flu scare a few years ago. These posters are all over town here in the bathrooms, if your town is the same it might be her responding to that and not an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) thing. Like the old PSA's we grew up with, Know what I mean??

 

[tiredmommy]

So now I'm frustrated. Either the doctor's office or courier service/lab lost the send-out sample so we won't know now for sure if it's strep. The doctor decided to keep her on the amoxi as a precaution. The bad thing is that now we don't know whether she should get the blood test for mono if she's not bouncing back by Monday.