There is nothing easy about raising a child, especially a sensational one. If you’re seeking a handbook on how to support a child with special needs – especially a child impacted by sensory processing disorder (SPD) or other nervous-system dysfunctions – look no further. This award-winning memoir is a one-stop-shop of insights, and a survival guide for parents and caregivers. Filled with tried-and-true prevention and treatment strategies for SPD, Sensational Kids, Sensational Families is a valuable resource for all special-needs families, including those who cope with or suspect SPD, autism spectrum disorder, Asperger syndrome and ADD/ADHD. Are you:

A parent desperately wanting to understand why your child is distracted or struggling? An educator yearning to nurture ALL your students academically, behaviorally or socially? A medical professional seeking to build upon your current knowledge to help families who are looking for guidance?

Meet the Scott family. Open Rebecca Duvall Scott’s brilliantly crafted book to discover a unique opportunity – an invitation to join her family on their SPD journey. Meet neurotypical Annabelle and her younger brother, Jacob, whose SPD diagnosis prompted Rebecca and her husband, Eric, to quickly assemble a team of professionals and support members to help them navigate the unknown of Jacob’s sensory differences. As Rebecca rallied others to fight for her son, she became an expert on several interventions that worked for them, including an allergy-free diet, the Wilbarger Protocol, biomedical interventions, interactive listening therapies and Astronaut Training. She credits her son’s triumphs to a collaborative treatment approach and positive mindset shifts that saved her son’s self-esteem … and relationships throughout the family. Insights from Occupational Therapist Hannah Ragan As if a mother’s perspective isn’t enough, this one-of-a-kind book includes perspectives from Hannah Ragan MS, OTR/L, the occupational therapist who supported Jacob through his SPD journey. Mrs. Hannah (as Jacob calls her) helped the Scott family reframe how they saw Jacob’s diagnosis through occupational therapy and empowered them with hope.

It’s like putting together a puzzle. It looks neat in the box, but to see the cohesive picture you have to dump out all the pieces, sort and organize them, and then put them together. When you first dump them out, it’s overwhelming chaos. But, as it comes back together, you can see the picture emerge and when it’s finished, it is marvelous.

Proven Interventions The Scott family’s success story will inspire and empower parents, educators, therapists and doctors to leave no stone unturned in the quest to maximize the strengths and minimize the challenges faced by those with special needs. Rebecca shares candid details about the intervention strategies that helped her son learn how to self-regulate, become more mindful and manage his sensory needs appropriately. From food adjustments to visual aids … environmental adaptations to medications … this book provides both preventative and reactive considerations to help improve the quality of life for a person diagnosed with SPD.

A must read for:

Parents, relatives, spouses, caretakers and friends of a sensational someone Therapists, teachers, psychologists and professionals with sensational clients and students Doctors, nurses and medical professionals with sensational patients Those who personally have been diagnosed with SPD

The most important message in this remarkable book? You are not alone. And hope is never lost.