Dr. J loves Sensitive Sam, a children’s book by Marla Roth-Fisch that won the 2009 Book of the Year Award from Creative Child Magazine. He will bring it to me and ask me to read it to him. I think he likes it because Sam has SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder), and Dr. J can relate to Sam’s sensitivities.

You see, for Dr. J, Sam, and thousands of other children, their brains receive sensory messages differently than most people. They are either more or less intense. In Sam’s case, most of his senses are hyper-sensitive, meaning he feels and hears things more strongly. Bright lights bother him more. Certain textures in his mouth drive him crazy.

Because of those things, I think Dr. J feels like he found a friend in Sensitive Sam. But Marla doesn’t stop at “I’m like that, too!” She helps children see what can help them–trying new things, often with the help of an occupational therapist.  Sensory-sensitive children will see that if they, like Sam, are willing to try some activities one step at a time, their bodies will feel better. Continue reading →