So what does a SID child "look" like?

And is there a "normal" SID child?
These questions was posed by a mom who is wondering what her and her child's futures hold.
neither is easy to answer.

SID kids are as individual as every other child. They all have different issues. We parents tend to get together and the conversation goes like this: "Does your son do XYZ? Mine does too! What about ABC? No, But a friend of mine's daughter does and she does EFG also. What can you do to help her with that?"

We're all pretty clueless. Grasping out for any little shred of information. The doctors and the therapists are in that same fog with us. No one can say for sure how our children will grow up. We all just hope that they will be "normal" some day. But there are no guarantees.

So what does my SID son "look" like?
My son A is almost 4. He is hypo-sensitive and gets distracted by his need for input. It's hard for him to focus for more that a few minutes at the time. He acts a bit scatter brained. Often forgetting what was asked of him the second you stop speaking because he has problems with auditory processing.
He *seems* like a very hyperactive child. He is always moving. He wallows on everything. He touches everything with his hands, face, or feet. You can often find him face down, sprawled out on the floor, and moving like he is making a snow angel. He hates sleeping on a regular mattress. The softness doesn't give him enough sensory input. He does better on the floor or on a sturdy couch cushion. He can sleep in a bed with other people but he moves all night and creeps almost under you.
He has fine motor problems and some low muscle tone and well as global dyspraxia and apraxia of speech. That means that he can't make his muscles do the things he wants them to do. He knows what he wants to do, but can't figure out how to make it happen. He gets so frustrated at times.

He learns best by touching things.
We have wooden letters and textured numbers. We count jumps instead of pictures. I try to incorporate music into things he needs to memorize and say back. For some reason, he seems to sing better than he can speak.
He stuffs food in his mouth because he can't tell how full it is. He eats with his hands because he likes to touch the food and lacks the fine motor skills needed for utensils.
He bumps into things and people when we are out. He has trouble filtering out all the extra information in public places and gets distracted. You have to hold his hand and keep track of him or he will wander off. He speaks very loudly and has a lot of trouble modulating his volume.

He goes, and goes, and goes until he just falls asleep. And he eats all. day. long. That boy can put away some food.

But he's also loving and so affectionate. He's funny and smart. Even when we can't quite understand his speech, he never gets angry. He just looks at us like *we* are the silliest people in the world and starts gesturing to help our feeble minds put it all together. He is confident and happy and strong. Have I mentioned how smart he is? I am sometimes amazed at the ideas he puts out. Then I'm embarrassed at being amazed that he is so intelligent because I realize that I assumed he wasn't.

I wonder if I could be as strong and patient and determined as he is if I were him.

How will I teach him to read? How will I teach him math? Will he have problems spelling? Will he have problems writing? Will he be successful? Will he be "normal" one day?

I don't know. I don't know what "magic curriculum" will be the answer to his needs. But whatever he needs, we'll do our very best to provide.

Of course, I'm always thankful he is who and what he is. I don't know what pattern his string forms in God's tapestry. But I do know he adds something beautiful.