All About Me

Aaron had the assignment of doing an All About Me poster at school. He wanted to include a picture of him with his therapist. I have always been very open with other people about his SPD. I've never wanted him to think that it was something he needed to hide or be ashamed of. But this was his first chance to be open and share with his friends. I sat him down and said, "If we put a picture of Miss Rachel, do you think we should tell people what therapy is?"  He excitedly agreed.  So, we came up with a good explanation of what he does at therapy. 

Then I said, "Do you think we should tell them why you do therapy?"  Again, he agreed.  So for the first time, I used the term "Sensory Processing Disorder" with Aaron, and I explained to him what it was.  I've talked with him before about why he goes to therapy, but never in such detail.  I'd always explained it before as his brain really likes when his body moves, so he goes to therapy to learn how to control that.  This time, I explained to him that it was like when Sara had her eye that wouldn't work.  Her eye was so bad, that her brain had turned off getting signals from it.  We spent a summer patching her good eye, to make her brain start "listening" to her bad eye.  I told him his SPD was the same.  His brain has a hard time listening to his body, so therapy trains his brain and body to communicate better.  

The day I sent the poster in for him to share, I was nervous and proud.  I hoped it would open doors of understanding, but at the same time worried that it would open doors for teasing.  But, he came home that day very excited about sharing his poster.  And just this week, while we were walking out from therapy with a new boy (also named Aaron) who had just started therapy, I heard my Aaron say to him, "I have Sensory Processing Disorder!"  He said it with such pride, I just wanted to turn around and hug him.  SPD is so much a part of who Aaron is, and I don't ever want him to think that he needs to be ashamed of it.  Love that kid!