“A story of being overwhelmed in a sensory world.”
As parents we are all too familiar with our children’s fussy behaviors: that little tag in the shirt chafes their skin; the seams in their socks make it impossible for them to walk; the texture and smell of certain foods make them gag; nothing annoys them like a room full of people and sounds. And truth be told, even adults sometimes are oversensitive to certain things in their environment, but when your child is consistently troubled by some information that comes through her five senses and shows discomfort, up to the point of being unable to function and respond adequately to such stimuli, you may be dealing with a case of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD).
SPD is a condition in which the brain is overly or under responsive to a spectrum of sensory experiences. It is commonly, but not necessarily, linked to some major developmental disorders, such as autism and ADHD. The good news is that therapy (often in the form of play time) can dramatically improve the lives of those children who have troubles processing sensory inputs.
Ben's School Daze is the story of a lively and active boy, who finds the sensory experiences within his day to be overwhelming. Loud noises vibrate through his body and “shoes and sock bother him.. they never feel just right”. This can make it hard for Ben to be a good student. Gladly, his teacher and his mom find ways to calm him to his core and help him cope with his heightened senses: a quiet place, some work for his restless muscles, special jobs to focus his attention, an afternoon treat, little things that soothe his overwhelmed senses and help both child and adults restore balance and harmony within their environment. I would certainly recommend Ben's School Daze to readers who have a direct experience with sensory issues, but not only: the tips, activities, useful websites, classroom and school concepts that enrich the final pages of this rhyming and colorful book provide valuable information to all parents/caregivers who would like to help their little ones master relating and communicating skills. ****4.5 stars
Disclaimer: A copy of the book was graciously offered by the authors in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.
About the Authors
Robyn Sims is a pediatric occupational therapist who works in private practice with many children with sensory processing challenges. She is co-director of Magnetic Moves and co-presents workshops on SPD. Joanne Larcom is a mother to four beautiful children, one of whom has sensory processing challenges. She is co-director of Magnetic Moves and presents workshops on SPD with Robyn. Their latest book is the children’s picture book, Ben’s School Daze (Peence and Rogue Designs Pty Ltd, 28 pages)
For More Information
- Contact the authors.
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