Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Organizationally Challenged

Absolutely. A lot of it. He used to cry inconsolably when I laughed, because it "hurt his ears". Also, like your DS, ours eats pretty much everything, and eats a lot of it. And messily. While walking.

BB

DS4 is also very sound sensitive. He's touch sensitive, too, and in weird ways sometimes. He's the kid who complained that his sweats were "too soft." (What does that even mean?!?) But he also doesn't like wrinkled socks or tags or that sort of thing. He is emotionally sensitive, too.

He's not a very messy eater though. At least, not abnormally so for a 4yo. He eats with his fingers less than his big brother does. <eye roll>

Does all this go together in some way? Or is this just coincidence?

I feel like I am late to the party, but this thread is interesting. My child is too young to really fit into this conversation but she does have sensory issues. At least I think she does. We still have issues getting her to eat certain foods and yes we could chalk it up to the toddler stage but there is a pattern there. One day while at a restaurant I ordered a chocolate shake which came with sprinkles and shared it with her. The sprinkles are so minor I don't even notice them and she loves milk shakes but every step of the way she spit out the sprinkles. I swear she didn't miss a single one as she drank and I hardly noticed them as I drank my part of the shake even when trying to see how much texture was in each swallow. She will eat beans so long as they are refried but will not eat a whole bean b/c of the texture. She is also the kid that can not stand to have her hands dirty and was afraid to walk in the grass when she was younger. If she felt the blade on her leg she would stop and have to be picked up. She is over this now but it took a lot of patience from me. And she will now play in the dirt to some extent but always to have to wash her hands immediately after. I say it is baby steps with the kiddo. So I guess I am asking is the above sensory or just typical toddlerhood?

eating + walking/jumping = mess.

Last 4th of July DS was almost 4yo and we decided to see fireworks (from a distance at a relatives lakehouse). We put earplugs in his ears and thought that would help. He seemed to be enjoying it some and we were proud that he was willing to try it. A really pretty firework display went up and DS exclaimed "WOW!!! (pause) These ear plugs REALLY don't work" It was hilarious. He totally seemed excited about the fireworks in the way he said it. I am hopeful that he will grow out of some of the sound stuff. He has already gotten better in many ways.

LOL, I have no idea what that means...but it sounds like something my DS would say.

DS was sound sensitive as an infant. He would cry when my best friend came over and laughed because she laughed too loud. DS is sometimes texture sensitive, but not too much. I have tried doing more sensory diet things with him to get him used to it more. I would think if you were texture sensitive you wouldn't eat with your hands much.

I have read all about Dabrowski's overexcitabilities in gifted children and I totally think that fits with my son. I do see a correlation.

It's hard to tell, because I see sensory stuff already in my DD18mo, I don't think it is too early to tell in some areas, but I would guess/hope they will grow out of a lot of these things. DD18 mo. has major texture things, I can tell already. First of all she never eats barely anything, and if she gets something on her finger she shakes it in the air and freaks out. She has to eat yogurt with not one little chunk it it or she spits it out. She will get a hair in her mouth and will spit and spit until she can get it out. But she loves the water and doesn't even care if it gets in her face. She is unaffected by sounds as well. So only time will tell, I know some pickiness is part of being a toddler, but for me I think because of the pattern it is somewhat sensory. And she tries to get her clothes off sometimes. She pulls on her sleeves as if they are annoying her, and she loves to take off or put on her socks and shoes...depending on her mood I guess.

The yogurt problem put a smile on my face. That is my DD. She loves yogurt but if it has any chunks in it she won't eat it. And we have had problems with clothes if there is a tag in the back. It doesn't happen all the time but sometimes she is distressed if there is a tag on the back of her shirt. At least she doesn't seem to be bothered by seams on the socks. (See I can find a silver lining in the cloud.) But I have to admit that as she ages her textural issues seem to get better. She can now play in the grass and play with leaves. She can not, however, go down the slide if there is a bug on it. Not really textural but more girly. I just wish she could get over the food texture issue. She has no problem eating fresh boiled okra which is suppose to be odd for kids to like but is so picky when it comes to things such as beans. I just keep trying and hoping one day she will get over it.

Ah, your "drama queen" gives me hope, Dottie! I figure if you've survived, then maybe I can, too.

At least until he's 11...

DS7 has the organizational problems I mentioned, and also has sensory issues as well as difficulty sitting still and/or paying attention -- when he's not interested.

I've been really proud of him with dealing with sensory issues. He wears a uniform to school and as of a certain date of the school year must wear uniform pants instead of shorts. It is SOOOOOO hard for him to wear pants, but he is now able to talk himself through it to a certain extent -- he can make it through the school day in pants. He's a hoot when he gets home. He literally rips off his pants as soon as he's through the door, and races to put shorts on instead. Nobody had better get in the way, or they'll be run over. lol