Sensory Processing and Fallen Trees
Friday evening our very large, very dead, tree fell on top of our house. This very large, very dead, tree has been dead for years. The park we live in is responsible for taking care of the tree. In fact, they removed another dead tree 3 or 4 years ago, but claimed they couldn’t get to the other one.
We got lucky!
`My mother was the only one home at the time, so my girls weren’t harmed or even frightened. But, my mother has anxiety issues and apparently several neighbors heard her scream. I don’t know if that’s funny or not, I’m still trying to decide.
The sensory elements to this are tremendous.
- First there was the sound of the tree falling – I can imagine a loud creaking and cracking.
- Then, there would have bee a loud BOOM as it hit the top of my house. It hit hard enough to cause my ceiling to crack!
- There was also the sound of things being knocked off the walls and ceramic mugs falling off their hooks.
- The dogs were outside, so I bet they were screeching like the little chihuahua that they are. The tree fell right on top of their fenced in area.
- I’m sure the sound was crazy loud. I’m sure the hundreds of small limbs and debris rained a while.
For years, I’ve worried about the whole thing falling on top of my house and actually crushing part of it. The vision in my head was of my daughters being in the bathroom or of us sleeping in the bedroom as the tree fell through the roof crushing or skewering us while we slept.
Yes, nightmare inducing, right?
We got very lucky and so did our neighbors. The people who live right behind us could easily have been in as much trouble as we were if the tree had fallen the other way. You can see more photos and read the whole story at AlexShares.com
But, back to the sensory issues this can cause. We lived through a tornado when my daughter was 3. She had such big fears of storms for years. She still has weather-man-anxiety-syndrome. That’s when the weather man interrupts a tv show to show red on the radar. My daughter, who doesn’t hear me call her for dinner, can somehow hear the weatherman announcing storms approaching 12 years later.
I can imagine what my mother will go through in the coming years. She is already on sensory overload with sensory integration problems. She hears things like no-one I’ve ever met. She smells things that give her headaches that I barely notice. She might well be afraid of high ceilings during wind storms now too!
She was walking through the dining room area which is exactly where the tree fell.
With my girls both being afraid of the sound of storms, now I might have to contend with my mother’s fears too.
Any suggestions for coping with this?
Please share in the comments below.
Stephanie @ From the Burbs to the Boonies
10/08/2013 @ 9:20 AM
Wow, that’s tough. One technique for overcoming anxiety is engaging the senses – scented candle or essential oil, warm cup of spice tea, visual stimulation like say a patterned light, tasting something strong, soothing music – but if her sense are already heightened, I don’t know if it would work! For me, prayer is absolutely critical. What about a “safe” area to go to during an anxious time. Some place with nice textures and pictures with a little border around it. Good luck!
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Missy Bell
10/07/2013 @ 11:55 PM
I don’t have any suggestions on how to help unless focusing on the fact that everyone is ok will help. That’s the best way to look at it. It is a trauma that will take some time to get through I’m sure. It didn’t hurt anyone but there has been a devastation to your home that now needs repair. The hassle of going through all of that will be unsettling and could possibly uproot you so to speak until repairs are done. We had a bad ice storm in 2008 that k=knocked the power out for 12 days and caused our pipes to burst causing $30,000 in damage. For about 2 years after that, any time we lost power in this town, most of us panicked. PTSD, I guess. I would suggest seeking a professional who can help with that if she feels it getting out of control or affecting her every day living. My best wishes for the clean up. Again, glad everyone was ok.
Missy Bell
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Jenn
10/07/2013 @ 10:59 PM
Yep, we know about sensory diets here! Glad it helped your kiddo and I trust that the park and our insurance company will work it out.
Heather
10/07/2013 @ 10:05 PM
Jenn,
Sensory issues are so tough. My son had auditory sensory issues when he was a toddler and still deals with some tactile issues. For a time we put him on a sensory diet which sound like something food related but the truth is, it has to do with giving nervous-system-receptors the feedback they seems to be reaching for incessantly. This really did help him to begin to normalize his responses to things. He used to literally gag at foods of the “wrong” consistency or cup his hands over his ears at the flushing of a toilet or when car windows were opened. Here is a link that has some sensory diet suggestions: Sensory Smarts, Sensory Diet Activities.
I hope that you are able to get your roof fixed soon (and that the park pays for it plus a little restitution for your inconvenience and present discomfort).
Heather @ ExaltedPeacock.com
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