In “Bash and Lucy Fetch Team Vera & the Dream Beasts,” we describe sensory sensitivities in kids–and have received both criticism and applause for how we handled this topic.
Our goal was to paint a picture of what it feels like for the main character, Bash, to be sensory sensitive, This is sometimes called sensory processing disorder, although sensory sensitivities can be mild or severe, In addition, they can improve with certain types of therapy.
As we explain in our book description, sensitive Bash gets grumpy and disruptive when his life is too bright, too loud, too smelly, or too busy. To help stay calm, he counts on his librarian sister, Ally, his friends, and especially his dog, Lucy. In the kidlit book, Bash’s family members and friends support him by listening when he’s upset, hugging him when he’s overwhelmed and bringing him protein-packed food to help keep his blood sugar up.
In “Bash and Lucy Fetch Team Vera & the Dream Beasts,” we didn’t give Bash’s sensitivities a label because we were hoping that parents and kids might recognize their own sensitivities and become curious about what these sensitivities are all about. Some reviewers, like Cat Michaels, applauded us for addressing this issue: Mother-Son Writing Team Show What Life is Like for Kids with Sensory Sensitivities
However, other readers jumped to conclusions, in part because we chose not to put a label on Bash’s sensitivities. They assumed that Bash is autistic, and that Lucy is his service dog, and that Bash’s cousin wants to steal his service dog from him.
None of these assumptions are true; however, we learned we failed some of our readers by being vague.
Sensory sensitivities come in many forms. They often make everyday life hard for both kids and adults. Kids (and adults) can quickly get overwhelmed by loud noises, bright lights and crowded places.
On the other hand, these sensitive kids and adults tend to be bright. In fact, a pilot study by the STAR Institute found that 35 percent of the kids in one large sample of gifted children showed symptoms of sensory processing disorder (SPD). The link between SPD and giftedness is due in part to the fact that gifted kids’ brains are wired differently.
These kids’ sensitivities can serve as super strengths. When sensory-challenged kids aren’t feeling overwhelmed, they tend to be very sensitive to others’ feelings. They can smell and taste things that others can’t.
In our family, Lisa (who is super sensitive to noise and smells), was always called the “canary in a coal mine” when she was young. Recently, her super-strong sense of smell kept the house from burning down when she caught a whiff of something smokey coming from the clothes dryer–a scent no one else could register.
Michael (who is especially sensitive to taste, sounds and certain types of touch) can taste when food isn’t fresh, or when a new ingredient has been added to a recipe. His ears can identify songs after listening for just a second or two, and he quickly identifies when a friend’s singing is off-key.
We also know a dance teacher who can actually hear the sound of ants moving in the dirt. While researchers have asked to study her amazing ears, she prefers to use them to help teach kids music and dance.
In our next book, we’re going to explore these sensory strengths. If you’ve got some examples for us, please send them along! BashAndLucy@gmail.com
In the meantime, watch Moira and Michael talk about their sensory challenges and strengths:
Again, we’d love to get ideas from you about sensory super strengths for our next book!