A child with processing problems often has difficulty understanding all the sensory information that is coming at them. The world inundates us with billions of information bits that require processing on a second by second basis. There is information that comes in through our senses about function and structure of everything that one experiences. Qualities, movements, quantities, objects are all processed at the same time by the senses. When a child has a difficult time processing this information quickly, that is when they start to withdraw from the world and retreat into a world of their own thoughts.

Pretend for a moment that you are sitting in a calculus class, and this is the very first time you have been exposed to math. How long will you sit there before you understand what is being taught? It’s a safe bet to say for many that it would be a long time. At first you would be so overwhelmed that you try to pay attention… then slowly you would stop, you might start looking around the room, doodle on some paper, start humming your favorite song in your head. The point being that very little of your attention would be directed at what was being taught. You would retreat into the sanctuary of your own mind, where things are familiar and understandable.

Continue reading “Consistency versus Chaos”