Sensory Processing Solutions

Preface to the New Edition

Introduction: Alex

1 When Something’s Not Quite Right with Your Child
2 Making Sense of Your Child’s Senses
3 Your Child’s Sensory Motor Development
4 How to Be Your Child’s Advocate
5 Therapies to Help Build Better Bodies, Minds, and Lives
6 What Comes Next?
7 Alex Out in the World

Afterword

Questions Parents Often Ask

Glossary

Acknowledgments

Index

About the Author

Sally Fryer Dietz, PT, DPT, CLC, CST-D, is a doctor of physical therapy, developmental specialist, sensory integration expert, lactation counselor, and Upledger CranioSacral Therapy Diplomate therapist and presenter. As a leading authority in therapeutic pediatrics—and the mother of two boys who learned in entirely different ways—she has helped thousands of children reach their fullest potential. She has taught her innovative therapy methods nationally and internationally. She currently lives in Dallas, Texas.

“Addresses sensory processing disorders in an interesting and easy-to-read format and provides sage advice and alternative solutions for both parents and professionals alike. A ‘must-read’ for anyone who has a child or cares for a child who is struggling with complex symptoms that have been given many diagnoses but no effective treatments.” Susan Istre, PH.D., LPC-S, director of the Center for Social Success

“The sensory solutions outlined throughout the work of Sally Fryer Dietz truly make a difference! My husband and I have seen firsthand the impact her therapies have had on our 6-year-old son and would recommend these treatment modalities with our highest esteem to ANY and ALL parents. Easy-to-understand practical solutions are what you can expect with Sally Fryer Dietz, along with seeing growth in every measurable way possible!” Elizabeth Wade Craft, LPC-A, CSC, licensed professional counselor associate and certified school counselor

“Sally Fryer Dietz is a proven, beloved, integral healer for these disruptive times, working for y(our) precious children developing in y(our) super-mechanized culture—on behalf of growing human well-being in our transforming commonwealth. Sally’s integrative approach in working with children—combining sensory integration, craniosacral, and other therapies—is the magic bullet parents are looking for to help their children go beyond the limitations imposed by sensory processing disorders and other developmental glitches. My family and I have all benefited tremendously from the gift of Sally Fryer Dietz being in our lives.” Woody Buckner, global leadership artist, scientist, public policy leader, and CEO of Buckner & Company

“As a pediatric nurse practitioner of 26 years, I often refer patients to hospitals and therapy facilities that offer alternatives for treatment of patient issues. It’s great to have a facility such as Sally Fryer Dietz’s Integrative Pediatric Therapy (IPT) that offers developmental, craniosacral, and occupational therapy. In particular I saw remarkable improvements in my grandson’s speech and physical development from visits to the IPT facility.” Kim Erickson, MS, APRN, CPNP, pediatric nurse practitioner and president of Pediatrics After Hours

PSYCHOLOGY / PARENTING

“Addresses sensory processing disorders in an interesting and easy-to-read format and provides sage advice and alternative solutions for both parents and professionals alike. A ‘must-read’ for anyone who has a child or cares for a child who is struggling with complex symptoms that have been given many diagnoses but no effective treatments.”
–SUSAN ISTRE, PH.D., LPC-S, director of the Center for Social Success

Every person—whether baby, child, teenager, or adult—interacts with the world in their own unique way. Yet some have a harder time than others due to a variety of sensory processing issues, which can lead to motor delays, learning differences, frustration, anxiety, and emotional, behavioral, and social challenges as well as diagnoses like ADHD and “autism spectrum.” As sensory integration expert Sally Fryer Dietz reveals, these children are not “broken.”

Speaking from both her decades of professional experience as well as her own journey to help her oldest son, Dietz shares in-depth guidance to help you find the right therapeutic support for your child. Detailing common red flags at each developmental stage, from infancy to grade school, she explains how children with sensory processing “glitches” are often misunderstood and put on medication rather than in therapies that can help them succeed naturally. Sharing how difficult it was to hear from her son’s teachers that he was having more challenges in school than his peers, she presents success stories from her family and from her sensory integration therapy clinic. She outlines therapies and treatments for body and mind that can help improve your child’s sensory motor development and function, such as sensory integration-based occupational, physical, and CranioSacral therapy.

No matter where your child is on the spectrum of sensory motor integration, this guide showcases effective solutions beyond medication and can help you figure out what options are available to help children grow into happy and productive adults.

SALLY FRYER DIETZ, PT, DPT, CLC, CST-D, is a doctor of physical therapy, developmental specialist, sensory integration expert, lactation counselor, and Upledger CranioSacral Therapy Diplomate therapist and presenter. As a leading authority in therapeutic pediatrics—and the mother of two boys who learned in entirely different ways—she has helped thousands of children reach their fullest potential. She has taught her innovative therapy methods nationally and internationally. She currently lives in Dallas, Texas.