The Out-Of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping With Sensory Integration Dysfunction

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding Reference
Review: Carol has done an excellent job of helping educators understand sensory integration. She has given a "birds eye view" of what it is like for children to have sensory challenges in the classroom. I highly recommend this book be used in conjunction with Sensory Secrets: How to jump-start learning in children.

Rating:
Summary: One contradiction after another / lacking scientific basis
Review: It seems as if every child who is not completely "average" can be said to have a disability of sensory integration. For example, as stated in the back cover, if a child seems "unusally overactive OR underactive",they may have the same disorder. If a child wants especially hot baths, they may have the problem, but the same applies to children who want especially cold baths. The book is loaded with these types of contradictions and lacking in scientific proof. But who needs proof when you cover so much with contrdictions? Clearly SI dysfunction must be real even though the book states the theory has been around for decades but doctors do not study it in school and teachers usually are not aware of it. It is also filled with comparisons of children with "normal" sensory integration and those with SI dysfunction. The "normal" children are portrayed as perfect, compliantly completing projects just as teachers want them to, and playing every game just right. Children who are clumsy, quiet, who are akward with crayons or scissors, etc. have SI dysfunction. A heavy emphasis is placed on the value of compliance vs. individuality. It seems children can no longer have quirks, or strengths and weaknesses. They have to be labeled. Especially disturbing is the book's statement that between 12 and 30 percent of children are thought to have SI dysfunction, and 80 percent of them are boys! That is alot of little boys! Maybe our society needs to start looking at how we treat our little boys and the labels we are so quick to place on their normal behavior.

Rating:
Summary: Incredible insight!!! Fantastic!!!
Review: Does this describe your family? A beautiful, seemingly normal (maybe his speech is a little delayed) 2 or 3 year old who suddenly, without warning, and for no apparent reason will sit down in the middle of the floor, cross his arms, and throw megafits? The same child suddenly becoming aggressive and violent and throwing anything he can get his hands on at you? The same child seemingly impervious to pain (He falls off the couch, hits his head on the floor and gets up like nothing happened)? Or maybe hypersensitive to pain (the slightest touch causes them to scream in pain.)? This beautiful, calm child absolutely going berzerk within five minutes of entering a fairly calm restraunt or movie theatre and picking up silverware, glasses, and plates and hurling them at anyone unfortunate enough to be in range? If this is you and your family (It was me and mine.), get this book and read it. It gives you insight into what is going on with the child's systems and reactions. Knowledge truly is power. This book gives you back the power to deal with these behaviors. From there a course can be determined to help the child deal with his problems. Thank you Carol Kranowitz. You have made our lives much easier and our child much happier.

Rating:
Summary: A great starting point to learn more about sensory issues
Review: This book is an excellent place to start if you think your child's challenging behavior results from more than just a difficult temperament. It will help you isolate aspects of your child's behavior that might indicate that there is an underlying sensory dysfunction. Then you can use that information to get help from a qualified practitioner.

Rating:
Summary: Great book for Parents
Review: This book has been an great resource for me as a mom of a child with sensory integration problems. This book really helped me understand how problems with neurological development are effecting my child. This book also helped me understand all of the terms that are used in dealing with this disorder. It has given me hope!

Rating:
Summary: Helpul to Parents & Easy to Understand
Review: This book was right on key w/my 8 yr old son. It explains the condition, and behaviors I didnt understand. Very helful for parents, as well as information you can share w/teachers to promote success in school. Also gives helpful exercises you can do at home.

Rating:
Summary: Relief at last
Review: It's nice to see that not every body thinks an active child is ADD/ADHD. I see alot of my son in this book and after a diffucult year of school, I am planning on looking deeper into this. I have dicussed it with my pediatrician and she said she has seen great results. Thank you very much I this is a very slow and lonely process but well worth every minute.

Rating:
Summary: your child may not have ADD or ADHD-but rather SID
Review: If your child is explained to be over sensitive by touch, out of control in a classroom setting (even pre-school), will only eat certain textures of foods, difficulties with fine/gross motor skills...then you need to read this book. The illustrations are simple and easy to understand. This book suggestes physical treatment (by parents and/or OT) rather than medications. Read this book, your child will benefit greatly, as mine has. When I started reading, it was like a great novel, I couldn't put it down. Every page turned a light switch on in my head. After reading from cover to cover-I spoke to my Pediatrician and my child was given a short series of exams-done in the Dr office. And it was confirmed that he had SID...

Rating:
Summary: based on a hardly discussed assumption
Review: I found this book very disappointing for two reasons. First, it is addressed only to young children. My nearly-15-year old is NOT going to play patty-cake with me to help his sensory integration problem (if that exists, about which more below). There was nothing to help parents of older kids other than in "understanding" the nature of their problem, if its exists, which leads me to my 2d problem with the book--Any parent with children like this has heard a universe of labels for the identical problems, ADD, pervasive developmental delay, explosive child, oppositional defiant, etc. Sure, it sounds immediately soothing to hear it is simply a matter of "sensory integration dysfunction" but then you think, WHAT? I had heard this discussed before, but this book does zilch in convincing me it is real and distinct from other labels and conditions. Sure, be patient with your child's obsession over certain clothing, but you can learn this from reading about any of these other disorders/labels. This set forth virtually no scientific basis for the hypothetical SDI as a distinct syndrome, no cause (other than it might be genetic or environmental!), and certainly no cure or hope for one. (There is an appendix on scientific "terms," none of which verify that this syndrome really exists as a matter separate from the ADD/PDD constellation of symptoms). In short, the book might have something to offer parents of young kids with ADD/PDD by supplying another way of understanding their problems (and, of helping, if you buy the unestablished assumption), but nothing more. Very disappointing!!

Rating:
Summary: "A Must Read for parents and teachers
Review: This is a must read for anyone who knows and loves a child diagnosed with Sensory Integration dysfunction. This book is written in an organized, reader friendly and direct manner. It contains insiteful characteristic checklists and demonstrates how a child with SI issues react to various everyday situations. It gives you the confidence and knowledge needed to cope with your childs difficulties. It gives the information you need to get the help your child so desperately needs. This book was a Godsend to me and my family!