What is Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)
Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) can be very confusing to parents. What exactly does it mean when a professional tells you that your child has ‘sensory issues’? It is a topic wherein parents can often feel lost and confused when faced with such a prognosis.
To put it simply, sensory processing has to do with how we take in our world through the senses. It is a condition that exists when sensory signals do not get organized into appropriate responses. A person with SPD finds it difficult to process and act upon information received through the senses, which creates challenges in performing countless everyday tasks. Motor clumsiness, behavioral problems, anxiety, depression, school failure, and other impacts may result if the disorder is not treated effectively.
SPD is most commonly diagnosed in children, but people who reach adulthood without treatment also experience symptoms and continue to be affected. One study shows that at least 1 in 20 children’s daily life is affected by SPD (Ahn, 2004). Another study suggests that 1 in every 6 children experiences sensory symptoms that may be significant enough to affect aspects of everyday life functions (Ben-Sasson, 2009). Children on the autism spectrum or those that have anxiety are more prone to having sensory processing issues.
What SPD Looks Like
Here are the six areas that can be affected by sensory processing issues:
Touch (tactile defensiveness)
Some children feel more than others, be it the seams in their socks, the coarseness of their shirt, or the tightness of their shoes. Children with touch sensory issues often can’t wear certain clothes and tend not to like jeans. They are more sensitive to the temperature in their body, their food and their bath water. They are more sensitive about combing, washing and styling their hair.
Mouth (oral)
Certain children are overly sensitive to the taste, texture and pressure of foods in their mouth. They might gag when having mixed textures (yogurt with fruit) or only want to eat bland foods. They might not even like the feel of food in their mouth. This can be a debilitating and scary issue. On the other end of the spectrum, some children are compelled to keep their mouths constantly stimulated and like to chew on everything and anything around them. They might drool and stuff their food into their cheeks when they eat, and they might chew on their shirts and toys.
Smell (olfactory)
Children with olfactory-based sensory processing issues can smell everything more intensely. This can be challenging when such smells become overwhelming and certain children might attempt to avoid environments where smells are too pronounced.
Hearing (auditory processing)
Some children have supersonic hearing and hear sounds louder than the rest of us. These children will often cover their ears when others are just fine. They often get startled by noises and will often try to avoid loud places. Even mundane noises like the vacuum can cause distress for these children.
Movement (proprioceptive dysfunction)
Sensory difficulties in this category refer to children who have a hard time planning where they are going (motor planning). They can appear clumsy, accident prone and uncoordinated. They might display poor posture and could often bump into things, play too hard with toys, and want to wear tight clothing.
Balance and Movement (vestibular)
These children may not like to be hung upside down or be spun around. Sitting backwards in car or train and going on rollercoasters can be a source of distress. Children with this sensory issue might have weak stomachs and suffer from motion sickness more often. Alternatively, this category also includes children who are always on the move and need constant movement.
It is important to understand that children with sensory processing issues truly feel these sensations more intensely than the rest of us. Children with SPD are just as intelligent as their peers and many are actually intellectually gifted; their brains are simply wired differently. Currently there are many effective therapies for SPD once a child is appropriately diagnosed. Although this is by far not a comprehensive or detailed explanation of SPD, the hope is that it will provide a quick explanation to a very common issue, with the ultimate goal of increasing patience and understanding to children with this issue.