Making a scene and freaking out over a scrape.

My son has low pain tolerance. By low I mean non existent. If he sees blood, and I mean 1-2 drops he freaks right out. Yesterday we had an appointment at the center where he gets OT and speech therapy. It's a rehabilitation center. There are patients with dysphasia etc but also patients who have had suffered strokes, lost of limbs, cerebral accidents etc.

Basically 80% of the patients are either on crutches or wheel chairs. We were walking to the front door and Jason was running. I kept telling him to please walk but he's 7 and was excited to go. Next thing I know he (of course) tripped in his own feet and fell on the concrete right at the entrance. He scraped his elbow and both his knees.

That's where the low tolerance comes in. He sits looks at the blood on his knees and starts to scream bloody murder. I mean High pitched loud scream. He starts to drool and gets pale and sweat. So I make him lie down, try to get him to calm down because it's just a scrape. He has passed out from seeing blood before. A nurse comes running out in a panic. "What did he trip on?!" I guess she was freaking out because it happened to one of their patients on their property where it NEEDS to be accessible and safe to patients with mobility difficulties.

She was freaking out, so then Jason started to freak out more. I kept saying, he is fine, I just need a cold cloth. He is fine. She wouldn't stop freaking out! "what did he trip on, what if he broke something, he looks in too much pain, we should call the ambulance and have him transported to the hospital across the street" By then there is a crowd gathered with 3 more nurses trying to ask Jason where it hurts. He just kept crying and screaming. Well I lost patience. I stood up looked straight at the nurses and said "He tripped in his own feet, it's JUST A SCRAPE, stop freaking out! When YOU freak out HE freaks out. Will you PLEASE BACK OFF FOR A MINUTE!!!!!!!"

I understand that they were doing their job and expected it to be bad. She went to get one of the doctors on duty to come and check him out. He was calm, asked me what I thought of his reaction (thank you! someone is willing to listen). I said it was a typical reaction Jason has when he gets hurt. Specially if he sees blood. He said ok. Moved Jason's legs, seemed fine. Asked for a blood pressure machine, checked it, it seemed normal. Made him stand up and he was ok. Still crying uncontrollably but willing to do it.

He asked why we were here, I said for his OT/speech therapy and that he has dysphasia and dyspraxia. He said to take Jason to his appointment, that if in 30 minutes he is still in as much pain as he appears to be that he would rather refer for an X-ray and make sure. So he cleaned his knees and elbow. Made him choose his bandaids. They had a cool toy story/spiderman/cars selection lol. Sent him to therapy and he was fine. We came back out and the doctor was so nice he had gone upstairs and found lollipops. He was waiting for us to come out and give one to Jason for being brave. That Doctor was a sweet heart. I appreciated his calm and attentive presence for sure!

I just hate it. Every time he gets hurt it's a scene. He's vomited from scratching a mosquito bite before. He is so damn petrified of blood and has such a low tolerance with pain. I just don't know what to do about it anymore. He has tricks for his SPD but when it comes to pain...urgh. Even his OT said he has never seen it this bad. There is no answer for it. To think we are probably going to see a podiatrist for surgery on his knees...how the heck will we do this??!!

Sorry it was long but are there any other special needs mom's with kids who have low pain tolerance? My daughter has extremely high pain tolerance and self-harming behavior and I find it easier to manage then the low pain tolerance.

help? lol

have you checked out this fairly new thread. (Support for SPD) http://forum.baby-gaga.com/about2187279.html

Quoting KristaAnne:" have you checked out this fairly new thread. (Support for SPD) http://forum.baby-gaga.com/about2187279.html"

I did lmao. I guess I should have posted it in there. Argh my zombie brain today is slow hahaha.

Quoting myr-a-myr:" I did lmao. I guess I should have posted it in there. Argh my zombie brain today is slow hahaha. "

my brain is on vacation   I just thought maybe J might have some insight for you and I don't think she's on during the day as she and her DD have lots of appointments

Quoting KristaAnne:" my brain is on vacation   I just thought maybe J might have some insight for you and I don't think she's on during the day as she and her DD have lots of appointments"

I'll ask her. I know that her LO is more like my daughter though. High pain tolerance.

It just gets so aggravating. I may sound like I'm winning but it's a huge scene every time. I can tell it's not for attention too. He gets pale, starts sweating and dizzy. Sometimes vomits. He has to lie down with his feet up and a cold cloth on his face to stop him from passing out. At home it's one thing. While doing groceries is another lol.

Quoting myr-a-myr:" I'll ask her. I know that her LO is more like my daughter though. High pain tolerance. It just gets ... [snip!] ... up and a cold cloth on his face to stop him from passing out. At home it's one thing. While doing groceries is another lol. "

I hear you 100%
my son has not been diagnosed with anything SO is in complete denial about the possibility of it. I tried to ask the doctor about it this week but since he was sick she wouldn't have been able to notice anything anyway.

Quoting KristaAnne:" I hear you 100% my son has not been diagnosed with anything SO is in complete denial about the possibility ... [snip!] ... it. I tried to ask the doctor about it this week but since he was sick she wouldn't have been able to notice anything anyway."

How old is he? Have you tried to fill out a questionnaire online? I did that and brought it to my son 's pediatrician when he was younger. It really helped her see what we meant and she forwarded it to OT.

Quoting myr-a-myr:" How old is he? Have you tried to fill out a questionnaire online? I did that and brought it to my son ... [snip!] ... brought it to my son 's pediatrician when he was younger. It really helped her see what we meant and she forwarded it to OT."

no where do I find this questionnaire? He turns 4 the 29th

Quoting KristaAnne:" no where do I find this questionnaire? He turns 4 the 29th"

I'll try to find an English one. The one I have is French. Once I find it I'll post the link.

It really really helped have a bigger perspective. It was much easier then just trying to explain to the pediatrician.  

Quoting myr-a-myr:" I'll try to find an English one. The one I have is French. Once I find it I'll post the link. It really ... [snip!] ... It really really helped have a bigger perspective. It was much easier then just trying to explain to the pediatrician.  "

I hate having to go with 2 kids to the pedi every time, alone. I hate rushing and I always seem to have to because my younger son loves to throw giant fits

Quoting KristaAnne:" I hate having to go with 2 kids to the pedi every time, alone. I hate rushing and I always seem to have to because my younger son loves to throw giant fits"

Oye. I know how that can be difficult! It can get overwhelming.

I found those 2 checklists. I found others but you have to pay for them and I don't personally see the point. If there are clear indications from those checklists, your pediatrician can then refer an Occupational Therapist to have them do their own evaluation and tests.

Here are the 2 links:
http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/sensory-processing-disorder-checklist.html

http://www.spdparentzone.org/resources/Sensory%20Processing%20Disorder%20Checklist.pdf

I had written A for Always, O for often, OC for occasional, R for rarely and N for never. How often can be a huge clue also. I would also write next to the lines things specific to the question if I thought it was required to specify something.

Ex: Your child covers his ears at loud sounds. I would right A for always but would specify that it is always for a sound like a deeper voice, or a cart being pushed on the parking lot. Sometimes the tv can be loud and he would not be affected by it at all. But certain pitches even if not too loud will send him over the edge. Or many sounds at a time, like a room filled with people talking at the same time and music in the background.

I hope this helps.

Jonas covers his ears all the time- people ask him "do your ears hurt honey" wtf?

One pic

Yep, both my oldest kids do it all the time. I bought them aviator headphones. They are not plugged in anything but helps muffle sound and really helps them feel safer with their ears covered.

Jason even wears them at school sometimes.

oh..this is interesting. SO was wondering why he describes everything by texture. like there's a case on my ipad, and it has a weird texture. Jonas calls it "the wrinkly book"

Quoting KristaAnne:" oh..this is interesting. SO was wondering why he describes everything by texture. like there's a case on my ipad, and it has a weird texture. Jonas calls it "the wrinkly book""

Is he always seeking textures or avoiding some? Like my daughter cannot touch velvet. It freaks her out. She had a christmas dress my MIL bought her one year and she had a melt down. She was walking around with her arms elevated so her skin wouldn't touch it and freaked, hit her head, bit herself after we took it off. If it's gooey though...she will get naked and break eggs and roll in it or cover herself with tooth paste, peanut butter etc. Urgh.

If he has a hypersensitivity to textures it is normal that they become the main characteristic of an object. That would explain why he refers to things by describing textures.