Description

In a book likely to transform how parents manage many of their child's daily struggles, Drs. Smith and Gouze explain the central and frequently unrecognized role that sensory processing problems play in a child's emotional and behavioral difficulties. Practicing child psychologists, and themselves parents of children with sensory integration problems, their message is innovative, practical, and, above all, full of hope.

A child with sensory processing problems overreacts or underreacts to sensory experiences most of us take in stride. A busy classroom, new clothes, food smells, sports activities, even hugs can send such a child spinning out of control. The result can be heartbreaking: battles over dressing, bathing, schoolwork, social functions, holidays, and countless other events. In addition, the authors say, many childhood psychiatric disorders may have an unidentified sensory component.

Readers Will Learn:

• The latest scientific knowledge about sensory integration
• How to recognize sensory processing problems in children and evaluate the options for treatment
• How to prevent conflicts by viewing the child's world through a "sensory lens"
• Strategies for handling sensory integration challenges at home, at school, and in twenty-first century kid culture

The result: a happier childhood, a more harmonious family, and a more cooperative classroom. This thoroughly researched, useful, and compassionate guide will help families start on a new path of empowerment and success.

About the Author

Karen A. Smith, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist, has worked exclusively with children and their families for the past sixteen years. A school counselor in Athens, Georgia, she has consulted to Head Start and Early Intervention programs for young children and is an adjunct professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Georgia. She and her family live in Athens, Georgia.

Karen R. Gouze, Ph.D., has been director of Clinical Psychology Training in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago for the past nineteen years. She also holds an appointment as assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. She and her family live in River Forest, Illinois.

Praise For…

“Wise and well-written.” — Carol Kranowitz, M.A., author of The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder

“A wonderful resource. . .helpful because of the combination of professional expertise and personal experiences--a unique contribution.” — Lucy Jane Miller, Ph.D., O.T.R., Director, Sensory Processing Treatment and Research (STAR) Center, The Children's Hospital, Denver, CO

“A ‘must-read’ for parents and professionals. I highly recommend this book.” — Sharon A. Cermak, Ed.D., O.T.R./L., F.A.O.T.A., Professor of Occupational Therapy, Boston University