SPD Parent Connections

Jump down to: About SPD Parent Connections Get Involved! Help Support Our Work

About SPD Parent Connections

SPD Parent Connections (SPD PC) is a grassroots network that provides support, information, and understanding to anyone who lives with a child who has a Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) or wants to learn more about these developmental disorders.

SPD PC is sponsored by the KID Foundation and run by parents. The members support each other though regular meetings that feature group discussions, education, and guest speakers. They give each other hope and encouragement, helping everyone to understand that Sensory Processing Disorder is a physical condition, not something that was caused by a parent, and that treatment options are available.

There are now SPD PC groups in more than 35 communities across the United States and a few in other countries. Each group is hosted by a parent of a child with SPD. Most meet once a month. The meetings are free, but special events may have a small fee associated with them. Meetings are for adults only.

Get Involved!

If you’d like to meet with other parents or help us reach out to parents, there are many ways to get involved.

• Find a local SPD PC group. Look at SPD Parent Connections Resources for the lists of current groups. If you find one near you, contact the host to confirm the meeting time and place. All parents are welcome!
• Become a host and start a local group. If there is no group in your area yet, you might want to start one.
  
  BENEFITS OF BEING A HOST:
  • You have the support of all the other hosts around the world.
  • Your group will be under the umbrella of the KID Foundation
  • You will receive regular packets from the KID Foundation
  • You will receive advanced notice of KID Foundation events and seminars and receive a reduced rate to attend these events.
  • You will be informed about the newest research being done by The KID Foundation
  • You will have personal contact with The KID Foundation.
  • We have a listserv in place for all of our hosts to share ideas, stories and ask questions. You may be as active as you would like.
  
  For more information, e-mail the KID Foundation at programs@KIDFoundation.org
• Be a guest speaker. If you are a health care professional, teacher, or someone else who has experience with SPD, our parents would love to hear from you. Please look through the SPD Parent Connections groups lists for a group near you and contact the host.
• Be a volunteer. SPD Parent Connections became a reality from one dream. Now, with many dreams working together, we are expanding fast. We need volunteers to help keep us going, and to help us reach as many parents as possible. Most tasks are done by email, so your location is not important. See our list of volunteer positions or contact SPDNational@KIDFoundation.org
• Tell other parents about us. Help us spread the word about Sensory Processing Disorder. You can drop off some brochures at your pediatrician’s office, your schools, or anywhere else parents might see it. See SPD Parent Connections Resources.

Help Support Our Work

If you’d like to help raise awareness of Sensory Processing Disorder and help us to continue our SPD Parent Connections efforts, please consider making an online tax-deductible donation. You may also write a check, making it payable to the KID Foundation and sending it to:

The KID Foundation
5655 S. Yosemite St., Suite 305
Greenwood Village, CO 80111

There are also lots of other ways to help support our work. Please take a moment to read about other options for giving. You can make a direct donation, or you can make a "no-cost-to-you" donation every time you make an online purchase at Amazon.com, Best Buy, Travelocity, Expedia and more! You can also donate your used goods. Tell me more…

Note to parents:

SPD Parent Connections is run by parents, not medical professionals. Any medical comments or advice that you encounter in SPD Parent Connections meetings or listserves are the opinion of that parent and not a recommendation for treatment. Please seek the advice of a medical professional for diagnosis and treatment information. (See the SPD Resource Directory for professionals in your area.)

Note to vendors:

Resources are needed to help educate our support group members and the world about Sensory Processing Disorder. If you or your company are interested in providing resources, such as product samples, books, videos, or brochures, to SPD Parent Connections, please contact SPDNational@KIDFoundation.org. We will be happy to distribute your newsletters or catalogs at our meetings, but no sales presentations are allowed at local meetings.