The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Differences
By Sensory Integration Education, 19 April 2022
A Review of The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Differences
Author: Carol Stock Kranowitz
Reviewer: Lelanie Brewer
‘The Out-of Sync Child’ written by Carol Stock Kranowitz, a teacher with over 25-years' of experience, has been an informative and helpful resource for many parents, therapists and educators since the first edition was published in 1998.
This third edition, as with previous editions, includes useful suggestions and practical help to parents who have never heard of sensory processing difficulties and who are aware that their children don’t quite fit in but are not sure how to help them. This book is not only relevant for parents; it is also for teachers, parents, grandparents, therapists, doctors and anyone else involved in the care of children with sensory processing difficulties.
The book is divided into two parts: Part One discusses the characteristics of sensory processing difficulties and includes case study scenarios which helps to explain how difficulties with sensory processing can impact on everyday life. In Part Two, intervention options are discussed and this section also includes ideas for a sensory-enriched life and suggestions for home and the classroom.
For this third edition the title has been updated from ‘Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder’ to ‘Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Differences’ to align closer to updated terminology in this scientific field as new knowledge evolves. For example in an upcoming assessment, the Sensory Processing 3-Dimensions Scale (SP3D) the presence of sensory differences will be measured along a continuum, ranging from mild to severe. Differences also refer to the fact that individuals process sensations in their own unique way, which does not necessarily mean ill health.
Whilst Chapter 2 in Part One provides useful information on how sensory processing differences can impact on participation of daily activities, Chapter 3, (which is a new addition to this book), helpfully considers other diagnoses that frequently co-occur with sensory processing differences. This new chapter also discusses how to determine if behaviours are related to sensory processing differences or to another health condition. As with previous editions, this book also makes reference to specific senses and interoception is newly included as a sense.
Another welcome update in this new edition is the change from a ‘sensory diet’, to a ‘sensory-enriched life’ which moves the emphasis from finding extra things to do to adjusting every-day activities to make them more sensory-friendly for individuals.
Overall, it is great to see this old favourite book updated with new terminology and I cannot recommend it enough to anyone who has an involvement with an individual with Sensory Processing differences.
The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Differences by Carol Stock Kranowitz is available for UK shipping from here and here, and for US readers here.
