Book Reviews on Special Needs
and Disability Topics

As many as one in six children have sensory issues significant enough to impact daily life. If your child does, or if you are a teacher or caregiver of a child with sensory issues, you may sometimes find their responses to things in their environment to be baffling and frustrating. You know the child is uncomfortable, yet you don’t know how to relieve her discomfort. You know the child is not having a meltdown for the purpose of annoying you, but you don’t know how to diffuse the situation and just make it stop.

Sensory processing issues can lead to misunderstandings, confusion and hurt feelings. You may hear from others that the child is spoiled or picky. People may imply or even say that the child is the way she is because you are a lousy parent. Almost every parent of a child with sensory processing disorder has heard from a friend or relative (or even stranger) that there is “nothing wrong with that child that a good spanking wouldn’t fix.” One hopes these people would not respond to a child’s seizures or other medical issues with such ignorance and lack of compassion.

You have already experienced the blame and judgment from others. Swirling with these emotions are your feelings of frustration at not being able to make things better for your child, and your feelings of isolation as you look around at other parents who do not have to deal with these issues. You need to know that you are not alone, and that things can and will get better. It is extremely important, however, that you realize that sensory processing disorder does not get better or go away on its own. Children do not just “grow out” of it. Left untreated, it can even worsen. You must take action to help your child.

In Sensational Journeys: 48 Personal Stories of Sensory Processing Disorder, Hartley Steiner provides the factual information you need, and the stories of 48 families who have walked your path. You will realize you are not alone. You will have a better understanding of Sensory Processing Disorder. And, best of all, you will have the tools to help make your child’s life better. There is hope, and it is found in this excellent book.

Foreword: Lucy Jane Miller, Ph.D., OTR

Chapter 1: Sensory Seekers, Avoiders, and Underresponders

Chapter 2: Stand-Alone SPD

Chapter 3: SPD with a Diagnosis of Autism

Chapter 4: Siblings

Chapter 5: Domestic Adoption

Chapter 6: International Adoption

Chapter 7: Preemies

Chapter 8: Infertility

Chapter 9: Early Intervention

Chapter 10: It Will Get Better

The book also contains highly useful:

• Introduction
• Resources (online resources for SPD)
• Additional Resources (books about SPD)

Hartley Steiner is the author of the award-winning book, This is Gabriel Making Sense of School. She has three sons, about whom she writes in her blog, Hartley’s Life with 3 Boys. She is the founder of the SPD Blogger Network and is a contributing writer for the Autism Spectrum Quarterly and the S.I. Focus magazine.

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