Hi, Tied2knots and welcome. I'm sure you will find your son here. This forum is great and everyone has great ideas, suggestions, and recommendations for reading/research.
My DS6 adamently refuses to read. We have found ways around this. I have started bowling for words. We recycled bowling pins (empty bottles of water, milk, G2, etc) and taped words with a point value on them. He then has to add up all the pins he knocks down and says correctly. Surprisingly he has not missed one word yet. He is a visual spatial learner to a T and loves to learn through games. We discovered that his sensory defenses were actually causing so much distraction while sitting that he prefers to be in constant motion. This would cause reading very difficult as reading is a "sitting" activity which he avoids at all costs. I have also found the more tactile activities I can incorporate into learning, the less resisting he is (i.e. form letters with whip cream, sand, clay, legos, etc). My son learned his letters this way.
I wonder if your son's imaginary nemesis is actually his conscience battling his guilt. I was told that my son has no control over certain behaviors that are triggered by his sensory overload, yet he knows these behaviors are unacceptable so he feels horrible about them yet cannot do anything to stop his body from reacting certain ways (flight/fright/fight).
Good luck and welcome....
