How Can I Tell If My Child Needs Help?

Physical Address - 440 Central Avenue, Lexington, NC 27292
Mailing Address - P.O. Box 587, Lexington, NC 27293
Phone: 336.236.6546 · Fax: 336.236.9546
contact@ot4kidsinc.com · www.ot4kidsinc.com

Every parent wants the best for their children, and the possibility of them having a developmental delay may seem overwhelming, alarming and confusing.

Each child is different and no single factor can perfectly determine if a child needs help with sensory issues. Review the following signs and milestones, and if you are still unsure, contact us for more information.

More advanced symptoms include:

Around half of parents notice unusual behaviors indicative of advanced sensory integration dysfunction by 18 months, and about four-fifths notice by 24 months. Postponing treatment may affect long-term outcome, any of the following signs is reason to have a child evaluated without delay:

- No babbling by 12 months.

- No gesturing (pointing, waving goodbye, etc.) by 12 months.

- No single words by 16 months.

- No two-word spontaneous phrases by 24 months.

- Any loss of any language or social skills, at any age.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children be screened at 18- and 24-months of age, for signs of sensory issues.

Children with Sensory Integration issues often:

-- Love to spin, swing and jump--this will seem to calm them down after several minutes, or, a strong avoidance of such activities.
-- Complain of how clothing feels, does not like tags left in their clothing and have to have their socks on just so, or a certain kind of sock.
-- Picky eaters--get stuck on one certain food and it is near impossible to get them to eat anything else.
-- Over-sensitivity to smells. Or under-sensitivity (may sniff people, objects, food.)
-- Over-sensitivity to sounds--will frequently cover ears. Or under-sensitivity.
-- May have an exceptionally high pain tolerance.
-- May tire easily.
-- Unusually high or low activity level.
-- Resists new situations.
-- Problems with muscle tone, coordination, or motor planning.
-- Can be very impulsive or distractible.
-- Persistently walks on toes to avoid sensory input from the bottom of the feet. This can also be a sign of cerebral palsy if the child is unable to bring their feet down flat when asked or trying.

These are just a few of the symptoms that children with sensory issues exhibit.