Sensory processing disorder is a neurological condition where the brain misinterprets sensory input, causing atypical responses to touch, sound, sight, taste, or movement in children and adults.

Here at New Horizons Wellness Services, we offer treatments for a variety of different health disorders. Some of them, like ADHD and autism spectrum disorder, may be household names, but others are not. But while certain disorders may seem more obscure, they’re still common enough to affect a large number of people.

Today we’ll be exploring sensory processing disorder. Once you read this article, you’ll have a better understanding of sensory processing disorder, including what it is, how to recognize its symptoms, and how occupational therapy can help children as well as adults who have it. Keep reading to find out more.

Sensory Processing Disorder: What Is It?

Sensory processing disorder is a neurological disorder that has to do with, not surprisingly, how you process sensory input. Sensory input refers to any information your senses send to your brain. Think of this like the traditional five senses – things you touch, hear, see, taste, and smell – though modern science has discovered there are actually eight senses. Someone with sensory processing disorder isn’t able to organize the information that comes to them in the same way as a neurotypical person.

The information they sense is accurate, but they may poorly detect, modulate, or interpret the information, leading to an “atypical” behavioral response.

Is Sensory Processing Disorder The Same As A Sensory Impairment?

No, not necessarily. It’s possible for someone to have both sensory processing disorder and a sensory impairment. For example, someone with nearsightedness (a visual impairment) may also have an inability to process the information when watching a pedestrian crossing the street in a busy intersection (sensory impairment).

However, they’re not necessarily correlated. If you have sensory processing disorder, the problem isn’t rooted in your sensory receptors, but how your brain processes the information your senses send to it. When your brain receives the information, it has a difficult time organizing it, which can lead to inappropriate responses to the input.

Sensory Processing Disorder: What Are The Symptoms?

The symptoms of sensory processing disorder may be different due to a number of different factors. These can include age, past experiences or trauma, and environment as well as the type of sensory processing disorder that you have. Let’s take a look at how SPD may present in some of the following age groups.

Sensory Processing Disorder Symptoms In Babies

If your baby has sensory processing disorder, they may display the following symptoms:

1. Preference to remain unclothed
2. Insomnia
3. Slow to respond to pain
4. Reluctance to play with toys
5. Seems to dislike human contact/cuddling
6. Easily startled
7. Overactive, always moving
8. Little or no vocalizations
9. Is late or very early in learning to crawl, talk stand, or walk

Sensory Processing Disorder Symptoms In Preschool-Age Children

If your preschool-age child has sensory processing disorder, they may display the following symptoms:

1. Difficulty with potty training
2. Is an overly picky eater
3. Overly sensitive to stimuli (noises such as toilets or hair dryers, or types of fabric)
4. Difficulty learning new motor skills
5. Clumsy or frequently loses balance
6. Constantly moving such as running, climbing or jumping
7. Feels the need to touch everything
8. Sudden mood changes
9. Frequent temper tantrums
10. Difficulty understanding instructions
11. Difficulty making friends

Sensory Processing Disorder Symptoms In School-Age Children

If your school-age child has sensory processing disorder, they may display the following symptoms:

1. Being easily distracted in the classroom
2. Lacks awareness of personal space
3. Doesn’t like staying in their seat
4. Slow to perform tasks or is overly fast
5. Likes playing rough or is overly sensitive to touch
6. Overreacts to stimulation (easily car sick, get upset when there are bright lights)
7. Has difficulty changing focus from one task to another
8. Confuses words that sound similar
9. Difficulty reading
10. Has difficulty learning new motor skills (handwriting, playing on playground equipment)
11. Has difficulty making new friends

Sensory Processing Disorder Symptoms In Adults

Sensory processing disorder is not the type of condition you “grow out of”. As a result, adults can be affected by this disorder as well. If you’ve dealt with the following symptoms in your life, and never understood why, it may be rooted in sensory processing disorder.

1. Being overly sensitive to stimuli
2. Disliking physical contact
3. Waking up feeling tired/lethargic
4. Beginning several tasks at once and not completing any of them
5. Being clumsy
6. Difficulty sitting still
7. Difficulty focusing on a task
8. Difficulty absorbing what you read
9. Being absent minded when needing to focus for a long time in classes or  meetings
10. Difficulty dealing with stress or becoming overstimulated

What Causes Sensory Processing Disorder?

At this point, we don’t know exactly what causes sensory processing disorder. However, it may be related to either issues stemming from your time in utero, or a genetic predisposition.

Occupational Therapy For Sensory Processing Disorder

If, having read the above symptoms, you recognize either yourself or your child in them, there is hope. Your occupational therapist can work directly with you or your child to explore your different roles in life. For children, that’s often simpler – friend, student, child, and maybe sibling are the roles they most commonly hold. Adults, though, lead more complex lives.

Your roles in life may include any of the above, plus parent, family member, professional, caregiver, business owner, coworker, and more. By getting a better understanding of these roles, your occupational therapist will be able to understand your or your child’s responsibilities. From there, your occupational therapist will help you with coping techniques – a combination of practical skills and mental health practices – to improve your quality of life.

Occupational Therapy For Children With Sensory Processing Disorder

If your child has sensory processing disorder, their occupational therapist will treat them in a sensory-rich environment sometimes called an “OT gym.” During sessions, your occupational therapist will guide your child through fun activities that are very subtle, but challenging. The goal of occupational therapy is to foster appropriate responses to sensations in an active, meaningful, and fun way so your child can gain functional skills.

Over time, your child will incorporate these appropriate responses into their environments beyond the clinic to include school, home, and the larger community.

Occupational Therapy For Adults With Sensory Processing Disorder

If you’re an adult with sensory processing disorder, your occupational therapist will help you through:

1. Providing education
2. Intervention through specific sensory techniques
3. Identifying environmental or task modifications
4. Positive coping techniques

Once you receive treatment for your sensory issues, your understanding of how to cope with your condition grows.

With direct treatment, changes in the way sensation is perceived take place. You and your therapist will work together to identify triggers for avoiding or decreasing the intensity of those relationships and situations that cause failure and lead to anxiety and depression.

Improve Sensory Processing Skills With Occupational Therapy at New Horizons Wellness Services

Sensory processing disorder can affect how children and adults interpret and respond to everyday sensory experiences, making daily activities, learning, communication, and independence more challenging. While there is currently no known cure for sensory processing disorder, occupational therapy can provide effective strategies to help individuals manage sensory challenges and improve their overall quality of life.

At New Horizons Wellness Services, our occupational therapy team provides personalized support to help individuals develop coping strategies, improve functional skills, and better navigate daily environments. Our services include:

● Pediatric Occupational Therapy Services: Our pediatric occupational therapists work with children with sensory processing disorder through sensory-based activities and individualized treatment plans. Therapy focuses on improving sensory regulation, motor skills, self-care abilities, attention, and participation in activities at home, school, and in the community.

● Adult Occupational Therapy Services: Our occupational therapists support adults with sensory processing challenges by helping them identify triggers, develop coping techniques, modify environments, and build strategies to improve daily functioning and independence.

If you or your child is experiencing challenges related to sensory processing disorder, New Horizons Wellness Services can help. Through personalized occupational therapy treatments, we work to support individuals in managing sensory difficulties and developing the skills needed for a more comfortable and independent daily life. Contact us today to learn more about our occupational therapy services and schedule an appointment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is sensory processing disorder different from other sensory issues?

Sensory processing disorder (SPD) is not caused by problems with the senses themselves, but by how the brain interprets and responds to sensory input. Unlike sensory impairments, SPD affects processing and integration of information, leading to atypical behavioral responses.

Can adults be diagnosed with sensory processing disorder?

Yes. SPD is not limited to children. Adults may experience symptoms such as overstimulation, difficulty focusing, clumsiness, or trouble handling multiple tasks, and can benefit from occupational therapy interventions.

What are common signs of sensory processing disorder in children?

Children with SPD may show signs such as overreacting to sounds or textures, difficulty learning motor skills, clumsiness, trouble making friends, frequent mood changes, or constant movement and fidgeting.

How does occupational therapy help manage sensory processing disorder?

Occupational therapy provides targeted activities and strategies to help individuals respond appropriately to sensory input. Therapists focus on developing coping skills, improving daily functioning, and fostering sensory integration in both children and adults.

Are there specific environments that benefit children with sensory processing disorder during therapy?

Yes. Many occupational therapists use sensory-rich environments, often called “OT gyms,” where children engage in fun, challenging activities. These environments help children learn appropriate responses to sensory stimuli in a safe, controlled setting.

EDITORIAL REVIEW BY MELODIE ETHEL-KING, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST

Melodie Ethel-King, OTR/L is a licensed Occupational Therapist at New Horizons Wellness Services with more than 30 years of clinical experience serving children, teens, and adults in community, medical, school, and home-based settings. She specializes in ADHD, autism, sensory processing, executive functioning, handwriting, and self regulation. She has extensive experience helping individuals develop practical strategies that improve participation at home, school, work, and in the community.

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