By Abby Bertrand
Our daughter has struggled with sensory processing since she was little and we had provided a sensory-rich environment at our home from the start. Our home is practically an OT center. But that only goes so far if your child isn’t able to fully receive the input you are giving.
We initially used the Soundsory program to help with sensory processing, specifically a rather extreme sound sensitivity. We were amazed by the numerous things it helped with sensory-wise – she will now wear some clothing with seams and buttons, does better about being bumped/in crowds, etc. We certainly were very impressed by the way Soundsory helped her emotionally and in attachment. We remain very grateful for that.
Meeting her sensory needs (through Soundsory) for the first time in a way that she could really experience its benefits had a massive trickle-down effect in so many other areas. Our motivation was definitely sensory needs. But the fact it impacted these other areas is exactly in line with what we learned at our first adoption conference 8 years ago (using TBRI as a parenting method, also based on the brain’s plasticity and ability to change). For us, it is two pieces of our puzzle coming together.
Our daughter speaks now, all the time, in random moments. It’s not that she didn’t speak before. She did. But she was also content to simply be silent. In fact, it is only recently that we are realizing just how silent she was, as her voice suddenly interjects into our conversation. She is tuned in and has opinions. They can, at times, be rather blunt. But we are OK with that. We can work on how to communicate, now that she is communicating. We love getting to see the little girl tucked inside, that had been hidden for so long, now full of life and opinions!
