About Meghan

I first noticed something was different about Meghan when she was one year old.  I can remember telling
the pediatrician that her socks had to be just so.  He felt there was nothing wrong.  She was a happy child.
Meghan spoke early.  She never really crawled and walked at ten months.  You could have a conversation
with Meghan at two years old.  She wrote like a kindergartener by age three.  Meghan was a smart child.   

After leaving my job as an administrative assistant in NYC to become a stay-at-home mom, I decided to make
the day go faster by “playing nursery school teacher” with Meghan.  I always wanted to be a teacher, so we
spent the day reading, coloring, drawing, painting - doing anything and everything creative.  We went to the
park and for walks around the neighborhood.  We had play dates with my friends and their children.  

When I became pregnant with my son, Michael, my sister, Nancy, suggested putting Meghan in a summer
preschool program where she worked.  My sister is a Speech Pathologist and had worked for an integrated
preschool at the time.  There were no kids in our neighborhood to play with, so I thought this was a
great idea.  Meghan was two and a half years old.

On Meghan's first day at preschool, she bolted from the classroom in search of my sister.  She was
hysterical.  The second day, Meghan was hysterical again and was told to stay on a blue mat.  When I picked
her up, she was curled up in the fetal position on the blue mat.  Needless to say, there was no third day.  I
felt maybe she was too young.  I did not like the idea of the blue mat and the fact that they did not hold the
children when they got upset.

Soon after, I sent Meghan to a preschool where a childhood friend was sending her son.  The teachers
were loving and affectionate with the children.  I was able to stay in the classroom, and then later,
the hallway until Meghan felt comfortable with me leaving.  She liked going to this preschool.  She was
almost three.  Meghan was shy, but she seemed to be having fun at school.  She loved to learn and do
creative activities.  However, at the school's spring concert, Meghan could not handle the whole
situation.  The lights, the noise, the people, walking close in line.   She acted-out during the show.
She hit herself, pulled at her dress, covered her ears, stood up and yelled “Stop!.”
It was very upsetting to watch.  I remember another mom in the audience saying, “It looks like she
hates herself.”  People were laughing.  This experience was not what we had envisioned earlier
that day – none of us.

At home, Meghan could not sit still.  She was always on the go.  She did not interact with the TV.  She only
ate cold broccoli and pasta and she ate it on the go.  She drank milk all day long (later we found out she was
allergic to milk).  She had some issues with her clothes, but not too bad.  I thought some of her fits were
due to having a new brother around.  Meghan also had problems understanding emotions and body language.

At this time, my sister gave me a book about behavior, and in this book, was a small paragraph about Sensory
Integration Dysfunction.  I thought, “I think Meghan has this”.  I told my sister, and then called the local
school district and made arrangements for an evaluation.  I did not think she would qualify for services, but wanted  
some direction.  It turned out that the evaluating occupational therapist did not specialize in
Sensory Integration Dysfunction (now labeled Sensory Processing Disorder - SPD).  In fact, later I
learned that she did not believe in SPD.  Needless to say, she was denied services and
I did not get much help.  The evaluating psychologist understood SPD and gave me some information.  

Time past and Meghan got worse.  She continued in the same loving preschool.  However at the next spring
concert, she sat in the back row with tears in her eyes, holding everything in.  I did not know what to do.
The summer went by and in the fall, she started the same preschool again.  She was four years old.   Her
birthday is in December, so she just missed the Kindergarten cut-off.  Intellectually she was ready for  
Kindergarten, but socially she was not.

Meghan's sensory issues started affecting her every-day life.  Meghan could not tolerate many clothes
and it took hours to get dressed.  She bumped into things and would not feel it or she would scream in pain.
At this time, we moved into a new home in a nice development with tons of kids.  She was sick often.
She had many earaches, had skin rashes, and eventually wound up with asthma and food allergies and
intolerances.  One winter day, I went outside and Meghan was playing in the sandbox with sunglasses on,
a short sleeved shirt, and no jacket.  When I went over to her and felt her arm,  it was hot.  We did not
go out to eat because Meghan could not handle the noises of the restaurant – she would hide under the
table and cry.  Life was becoming unbearable.  She could not handle birthday parties, family parties,
and school.  The teacher started noticing things as well.  She told me that Meghan was not enjoying
the activities that she used to.  At free time, Meghan would sit at a table in the back of the room and only
interact when a child came up to her.  She was constantly clearing her throat.

At this point, my sister, Nancy, gave me a report written by an occupational therapist (OT), Jeanne Ganz,
about Sensory Integration Dysfunction (SPD).  The more I read, the more it described Meghan.  I realized
she had problems with sensory modulation, sensory processing, visual processing, auditory processing, and
that she was tactile defensive and auditory defensive.  I felt she had Sensory Integration Dysfunction (SPD)
and bad.   I contacted the Special Education Director in our new school district and made an appointment
with her.  I told the Special Education Director my concerns, showed her the video of Meghan's spring
concert, gave her a copy of Jeanne Ganz’s report, and requested that Jeanne evaluate Meghan.  Jeanne
specialized in SPD.  It was then that Meghan started receiving help for her SPD.

Eventually, Meghan started a new integrated preschool.  Her school OT told me about therapies that would
help Meghan.  Meghan also saw Jeanne Ganz as a consulting OT along with her brother, Michael, because
he started presenting sensory issues as well.  Michael was a sensory seeker; Meghan was a sensory avoider,
but seeked the things that comforted her.  I went to a seminar given by Diana Henry MS, OTR/L and
learned how to setup an OT Room at home and learned helpful strategies.  I joined an on-line support
group.  I read many reports and many books.  I learned all I could.  My sister called me an “OT Wannabe.”
It was a lot of work, but soon Meghan started feeling better and we were able to have a normal life.

I need to mention that we had rented a house for two years (when Meghan was 2-4 years old) and we did not realize  
it was infested with black mold.  I believe this gave Meghan (Michael and myself) a leaky gut, which
leads to food allergies and intolerances and made Meghan's sensory issues worse.  When you take antibiotics
often, you can get an overgrowth of yeast or bad bacteria in your digestive system and this causes food  
allergies/intolerances and can make some kids hyper and/or aggressive.  Karen DeFelice's website and book
(http://www.enzymestuff.com) explains about this in detail.  Karen actually e-mailed me when I joined the
on-line support group and explained this to me.  The information in her book was very helpful.  Another Mom
from the on-line group, Mary W, was helpful as well.  I learned a lot from other moms and their support was
great.  Meghan also had a reaction to the DTP shot.  We went to a nutritionist to heal our guts, detox, and to balance
the vitamins and minerals in our system.  

However in 2006, we went to an acupuncturist and did the NAET allergy elimination technique
(http://www.naet.com), since we still had issues with foods and allergies.  I highly recommend the NAET.  
It balanced our systems and changed our reactions to foods and outside allergens.  

Children and adults with sensory issues often have food allergies/intolerances, which present themselves
in behavior, earaches, sinus problems, eczema, headaches, and/or asthma.  As an infant, Meghan was lactose  
intolerant.  Presently, my son, Gavin, is allergic to milk.  He is on soy formula.  Some people are just more
sensitive to foods and additives in them.  Kids with sensory issues need diets with wholesome/organic
foods because their systems are sensitive and can not breakdown the additives and hormones.  Many
children with sensory issues, autism, PDD, ADHD, etc. have sensitivities to casein, gluten, wheat, food
additives and dyes.  A lot of their behavior is due to these allergies/intolerances.  We still take the
digestive enzymes and they have been a great help.  In the future we hope to take the enzymes only once
or twice a day, like a vitamin, instead of with every meal.  We eat organic foods as often as possible.  

Meghan transformed little-by-little, like a butterfly coming out of her chrysalis .  You would never know she
had any issues.  We look back in amazement at how far she has come.  This is why I decided to write
Meghan’s World.  Meghan has seen great success and is very happy and healthy.  We wanted to share her
story so that others can become healed as well.

Meghan’s World describes the therapies Meghan did to help her and has a “Therapies and Helpful Information”  
section where you can learn more about these therapies.  SPD is often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and hard
for people to understand.  Many family members are not supportive or in denial that there is a problem.
My father wanted me to mention how he was in denial and how he gave me a hard time.  It took a while for him
to come around.  It wasn't until he saw some improvement that he realized how bad Meghan really was.

Children can learn to manage their sensory issues.  They can learn what they need to do to self-regulate themselves.   
They can learn to advocate for themselves.  They can have a normal life; a life that makes
them proud, confident, and happy.  They are special and will make a better future for themselves and the
world around.  They know it is time to change old systems and create new systems that work for everyone.


                                About the Author  

Diane M. Renna resides in Long Island, New York, with her husband Lorenzo, and their children, Meghan,
Michael, and Gavin.  She left working as an administrative assistant in New York City to become a
stay-at-home mom in 1998.  Diane, Meghan, and Michael are all affected in some way with sensory integration  
dysfunction.  However, Meghan’s sensory issues were more severe and affected her daily life tremendously.  Diane  
read and learned all she could about SPD to help her children.  She never complained or gave up hope.
She investigated and tried alternative therapies with the vision of helping her children.  She understood and wanted  
to make their world a safe and comfortable place.

Diane has dedicated her time to helping children with SPD and feels passionately about the subject.  She
wants to reach and help as many families as possible.  Presently, the Renna family is happy, healthy, and
enjoys doing the things they were not able to in the past.  SPD is no longer a jail-keeper to their lives.
Diane and her family hope Meghan’s story will inspire and heal other families dealing with SPD.



                                About the Illustrator  

Meghan’s World was beautifully illustrated by Regina Stark.  Regina is a multi-media artist who specializes in  
murals, faux finishes, and paintings.  She has been painting since she could sit-up.  Her parents were very  
inspirational to her.  They both were creative and surrounded Regina with many opportunities to express her
artistic gifts.  

Regina is a firm believer in the power to heal through creativity, and this creativity is expressed throughout
her many works of art.  Regina is a spiritual teacher and her artwork is channeled after meditation and
connecting with her higher self through Spirit.

Regina works in watercolor, acrylics, printmaking, and collage.  She is also a successful hypnotherapist and
Reiki Master/Teacher.  To learn more about her artwork and her creative classes, please visit
www.centerforartandhealing.com.



                     
©2007 Diane M. Renna * Indigo Impressions * All rights reserved *
Meghan's World
The Story of One Girl's Triumph over Sensory Processing Disorder
Giving inspiration & hope to children living in an overstimulating world.
About Us
Written by Diane M. Renna
Illustrated by Regina Stark
With Illustrations by Meghan Renna