What is sensory processing disorder? Imagine a world where everyday sights, sounds, and textures feel intensified, overwhelming, and even painful. This is the reality for many children with sensory processing disorder (SPD), a neurological condition that makes it hard for the brain to process and respond to sensory input.

SPD was initially considered part of autism spectrum disorder. While no longer under the autism umbrella, SPD is still not an official medical diagnosis. SPD exists on a spectrum, meaning its presentation varies from child to child.

Understanding Sensory Processing Disorder

To understand SPD, it’s helpful to think about sensory information as a continuous flow. Like intricate computers, our brains constantly receive, organize, and respond to signals from our senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste, movement (vestibular), body awareness (proprioception), and internal sensations (interoception).

However, this complex processing system faces a “traffic jam” in children with SPD. Instead of directing sensory traffic, the brain gets overwhelmed. It might misinterpret signals or react unpredictably. These processing problems can cause a variety of challenges, ranging from sensory over-responsivity to sensory seeking.

Sensory Over-Responsivity

For a child with sensory over-responsivity, typical sensory experiences can be uncomfortable and trigger anxiety or meltdowns. Here are some examples:

• Auditory Sensitivity: Becoming overwhelmed by loud noises, like hand dryers, sirens, or school bells. The child might cover their ears, become distressed, or have a meltdown.
• Tactile Sensitivity: Finding certain textures unbearable, like clothing tags, grass, or finger paints. This child might avoid these textures, have meltdowns when touching them, or be picky about clothing.
• Visual Sensitivity: Experiencing distress from bright lights, flickering, or busy patterns. This child may squint, turn away from brightness, or get overwhelmed in stimulating environments, such as grocery stores or playgrounds.

Sensory Seeking

Some children with SPD crave intense sensory input. These children, unlike those with over-responsivity, are constantly seeking ways to fulfill their sensory needs. Here are some common examples of sensory seeking:

• Movement Seeking: This child may have boundless energy, always running, jumping, or spinning, and may love activities that would make others dizzy. Clumsiness and risk-taking behaviors might also indicate a need to feel certain sensations.
• Touch Seeking: This child may enjoy firm pressure, squeezing, or being tightly wrapped in blankets. They might love deep pressure hugs or squeezing between furniture or people and prefer tight clothing or weighted blankets.
• Oral Seeking: This child might put non-food items in their mouth, chew on clothes, or excessively lick or taste things. They might have strong preferences for crunchy foods or constantly seek oral stimulation through objects or habits like thumb-sucking.

Understanding the Difference: Sensory Processing Sensitivity vs. Disorder

It’s important to realize that sensory processing sensitivity (the trait that highly sensitive people have) and sensory processing disorder are two different things. Sensory Processing Sensitivity is a temperament trait, while Sensory Processing Disorder is a neurological condition. Some children have more sensitive sensory systems, similar to how some people have naturally higher anxiety levels.

Children with sensory processing sensitivity and children with SPD both experience stronger responses to sensory input. However, there’s a key difference: the impact on daily living.

While highly sensitive children experience heightened awareness of their senses, they can typically adapt and learn to manage their sensitivities. Children with Sensory Processing Disorder, however, often find that their sensitivities disrupt their daily routines, relationships, and ability to participate in age-appropriate activities. The intense responses of a child with SPD often lead to meltdowns, anxiety, and functional difficulties.

How Understanding SPD Helps Parents

Knowing about SPD helps parents understand their child better. It allows them to become a sensory detective for their child. Knowing that atypical reactions to sounds, touch, or other sensations aren’t “bad behavior” can drastically change your parenting. When you start seeing the world through your child’s sensory lens, you can respond with understanding, not frustration.

For example, imagine a child who has meltdowns at the grocery store. Instead of viewing this as defiance, a parent aware of sensory sensitivities will start looking for possible triggers. Maybe it’s the fluorescent lighting, crowded aisles, or the incessant beeping of cash registers.

When you understand these challenges, you are better equipped to help your child. For example, you might bring noise-canceling headphones, plan trips during less crowded hours, or break the experience into smaller, more manageable chunks. You can also incorporate calming sensory experiences before or after outings, such as a warm bath or deep pressure massage.

The Importance of Early Intervention

Early identification and intervention are crucial in helping children with SPD thrive. There’s no one right way to treat sensory issues; treatment plans must be tailored to each child. A trained occupational therapist can develop an individualized sensory diet. A sensory diet is a personalized plan of activities aimed at helping regulate sensory input. Sensory therapies often include things like:

• Swinging
• Deep pressure massage
• Playing with textured materials
• Using weighted blankets
• Engaging in specific exercises to improve body awareness and coordination

Many parents find relief in discovering their child’s difficulties stem from atypical sensory processing. Sensory processing disorder is not a life sentence; it’s a call for different tools, strategies, and a lot of compassionate support.

For instance, you may need to collaborate with educators to make school environments more sensory-friendly or connect with other families who understand SPD. Parents can also advocate for their child’s sensory needs in social settings and teach them coping mechanisms like deep breathing exercises.

FAQs about What is sensory processing disorder?

How do I know if my child has sensory processing disorder?

It can be tempting to self-diagnose based on things you read online. However, if you have concerns, schedule an appointment with your child’s doctor. They can assess your child for other conditions, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. If ADHD is ruled out, a trained occupational therapist can use specialized tools and observations to thoroughly assess a child’s sensory responses across various areas.

What is the best treatment for sensory processing disorder?

Treatment for SPD depends on the child’s sensory issues and how much those issues affect the child’s daily life. A professional may use several therapies, like occupational therapy and speech therapy, to help a child manage their sensory issues.

What are the 4 types of sensory processing disorder?

The four most common types of SPD are:

1. Sensory over-responsivity
2. Sensory under-responsivity
3. Sensory seeking/craving
4. Sensory-based motor disorder, which impacts coordination and motor planning

What does it feel like to have sensory processing disorder?

For someone with SPD, everyday sensations may be turned up or down. For example, a scratchy sweater feels like sandpaper, loud noises cause pain, or there’s an urge to constantly touch everything. It’s important to remember that SPD is a neurological condition, not a behavioral issue.

Conclusion

Parenting a child with SPD requires empathy, knowledge, and a toolbox of effective strategies. SPD is a neurological difference in how the brain processes sensory stimuli.

When you, as parents, understand what sensory processing disorder is, recognize the signs, and advocate for appropriate interventions, you empower your child. It is important to create sensory-supportive environments where your child can flourish. Every child with SPD is different and their journey will look different. However, with compassion and support, you can equip your child with the tools to confidently navigate the world around them.