🧠 What is Sensory Processing Disorder? understanding the condition

Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is a condition where the brain has difficulty receiving, organizing, and responding to sensory information from the environment and the body. It affects how children process and respond to touch, sound, movement, taste, smell, and visual information.

Key facts:

• Affects approximately 5-16% of school-aged children.
• Often co-occurs with other conditions such as autism, ADHD, and anxiety disorders.
• SPD is not a diagnosis in the DSM-5, but it is widely recognized by occupational therapists and clinicians.
• It is a lifelong condition, but with appropriate intervention, children can learn to manage their sensory differences.
• SPD is not a behavioral problem — it is a neurological difference in how the brain processes sensory information.

👁️ The Sensory Systems 8 senses explained

We are often taught about 5 senses, but there are actually 8 sensory systems that affect how we experience the world:

• Visual (Sight): Processing light, color, shape, and movement.
• Auditory (Hearing): Processing sound, volume, pitch, and rhythm.
• Tactile (Touch): Processing touch, pressure, temperature, and texture.
• Gustatory (Taste): Processing sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami.
• Olfactory (Smell): Processing odors and scents.
• Vestibular (Balance & Movement): Processing movement, balance, and spatial orientation.
• Proprioception (Body Awareness): Processing information about body position, muscle tension, and joint position.
• Interoception (Internal Sensations): Processing internal body signals like hunger, thirst, temperature, and needing to use the bathroom.

In SPD, one or more of these systems may be under-responsive (hypersensitive) or over-responsive (hyposensitive).

📋 Types of SPD three main patterns

Sensory Processing Disorder is categorized into three main patterns, with multiple subtypes:

• Type 1: Sensory Modulation Disorder — Difficulty regulating responses to sensory input.
• Sensory Over-Responsivity (SOR): Responds too intensely to sensory input (e.g., distressed by loud noises, avoids touch).
• Sensory Under-Responsivity (SUR): Doesn't respond enough to sensory input (e.g., doesn't notice pain, seeks intense sensory experiences).
• Sensory Seeking (SS): Craves intense sensory input (e.g., spinning, jumping, crashing into things).
• Type 2: Sensory-Based Motor Disorder — Difficulty with motor skills and coordination.
• Dyspraxia: Difficulty planning and executing new motor movements.
• Postural Disorder: Difficulty with posture, balance, and muscle tone.
• Type 3: Sensory Discrimination Disorder — Difficulty distinguishing between different sensory stimuli.
• Difficulty telling the difference between similar textures, sounds, or visual information.

⚕️ Symptoms & Causes what we know

Causes: The exact cause of SPD is not fully understood, but research suggests a combination of genetic and environmental factors:

• Genetic factors: SPD often runs in families, suggesting a genetic component.
• Prenatal factors: Premature birth, low birth weight, or maternal stress during pregnancy.
• Brain development: Differences in how the brain develops and processes sensory information.
• Environmental factors: Lack of sensory experiences in early childhood, or traumatic experiences that affect sensory processing.

Common signs and symptoms:

• Over-Responsive (Hypersensitive): Easily overwhelmed by loud noises, avoids touch or certain textures, picky eater, distressed by bright lights, avoids crowds, and has difficulty with transitions.
• Under-Responsive (Hyposensitive): Doesn't notice pain, has high pain tolerance, doesn't notice when hands or face are messy, doesn't respond to loud sounds, and has poor awareness of body position.
• Sensory Seeking: Craves movement (spinning, jumping), touches everything, crashes into things, enjoys loud environments, and seeks intense sensory experiences.
• Motor difficulties: Poor balance, clumsy, difficulty with fine motor skills, and trouble learning new motor tasks.

🔍 Early Signs & Red Flags when to seek evaluation

If you notice several of these signs, it may be worth seeking an occupational therapy evaluation:

• Infants (0-2 years): Difficulty feeding, excessive crying, difficulty sleeping, avoids touch, delayed motor milestones, or unusually high or low activity level.
• Preschool (2-5 years): Avoids messy play, picky eater, overreacts to loud noises, difficulty with transitions, clumsy, or constantly seeks movement.
• School-age (5-12 years): Difficulty focusing in class, avoids PE, poor handwriting, sensitive to clothing textures, trouble with homework due to sensory distractions, and social challenges.
• Adolescents (12+ years): Difficulty with organization, time management, sensory overload in social situations, anxiety about sensory experiences, and challenges with daily routines.

Early identification and intervention can make a significant difference in a child's ability to regulate their sensory needs and participate fully in daily life.

🩺 Diagnosis & Assessment how SPD is identified

Sensory Processing Disorder is typically diagnosed by an occupational therapist with specialized training in sensory integration. The assessment process includes:

• Clinical interview: Gathering information from parents, caregivers, and teachers about the child's sensory behaviours and daily challenges.
• Standardized assessments: Tools like the Sensory Processing Measure (SPM), Sensory Profile, or the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT).
• Observation: Observing the child in different settings (home, school, clinic) to assess their sensory responses and motor skills.
• Functional assessment: Evaluating how sensory difficulties impact daily life, learning, and social participation.

Important note: While SPD is not currently recognized as a standalone diagnosis in the DSM-5, it is widely recognized by occupational therapists and is often included as a feature of other diagnoses such as autism, ADHD, and anxiety disorders.

🛠️ Support & Intervention building sensory regulation

Our centre offers comprehensive, family-centered support for children with Sensory Processing Disorder:

• Occupational Therapy with Ayres Sensory Integration®: Evidence-based approach that uses specially designed sensory experiences to help the brain process and respond to sensory input more effectively.
• Individualized Sensory Diets: A personalized plan of sensory activities designed to meet the child's specific sensory needs throughout the day.
• Environmental Modifications: Creating sensory-friendly environments at home and school to reduce sensory overload and support regulation.
• Motor Skills Development: Activities to improve balance, coordination, fine motor skills, and body awareness.
• Self-Regulation Strategies: Teaching children to recognize their sensory needs and develop coping strategies (e.g., deep breathing, movement breaks, using sensory tools).
• Parent & Caregiver Education: Empowering families with knowledge and strategies to support their child's sensory needs at home and in the community.
• School Consultation: Working with teachers to implement sensory supports in the classroom (e.g., fidget tools, movement breaks, quiet spaces).
• Social Skills Support: Helping children navigate social situations that may be challenging due to sensory differences.

Our approach: We celebrate each child's unique sensory profile and work collaboratively with families to build skills, confidence, and independence. We believe that understanding sensory differences is the first step toward meaningful support.