Sensory disorder what is it

This is a regimen of activities that are designed to satiate the craving for sensory input. This can include doing jumping jacks or running in place.

This approach is supposed to help children learn ways to respond to their senses appropriately. Some children may experience fewer with age, while others may just learn to cope with the experiences. If you believe your child has problems processing what they sense and has no other underlying medical condition, validated treatment options may be limited.

If your child has a hard time gathering and interpreting those sensory inputs, they may show signs of sensory issues.

These may include difficulty with balance and coordination, screaming, or being aggressive when wanting attention, and jumping up and down frequently. But treatments, including occupational therapy, may help children and adults who have sensory issues learn to cope with the world around them. The goal of treatment is to reduce overreactions and find healthier outlets for these sensory experiences.

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Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Understanding Sensory Issues in Children. Medically reviewed by Karen Gill, M. What is sensory processing? Sensory processing disorder, however, should not be confused for sensory processing sensitivity SPS , a biologically-based trait characterized by increased awareness and sensitivity to the environment. SPS is not associated with dysregulation, but with awareness, depth of processing, and needing time to process information and stimuli.

Sensory modulation disorder is the most common form of SPD. It indicates trouble regulating responses to stimulation. People with it are under or over responsive, since the nervous system does not know when to pay attention to or ignore stimuli. It leads to abnormal sensory seeking, or hiding from stimulation.

People with sensory discrimination disorder feel confusion about the sources of sensations. This can lead to trouble knowing where you are in space, clumsiness, trouble noticing hunger, or difficulty discriminating between letters and the sources of sounds.

Sensory-based motor disorder leads to trouble with tasks that require motor control like holding utensils, sitting up straight, and balancing. People with sensory processing disorder may have trouble with one or all of the categories in differing severity. Inconsistent severity of symptoms can make SPD difficult to diagnose. Left untreated, SPD can lead sufferers to feel so overwhelmed that they isolate themselves to avoid over-stimulation.

It can also lead to anxiety, secondary depression, social isolation, or trouble succeeding at school or work. Lucy Jane Miller, Ph. The big difference: If you take away the sensory overload of an itchy tag or a humming florescent bulb, a person with SPD will change her behavior appropriately. The person with ADHD does not. These include maternal deprivation, premature birth, prenatal malnutrition, and early institutional care.

Frequently bundling a child, infrequent handling and interaction, and propping up bottles for feeding all deprive the infant of the stimulation that promotes sensory integration. This may explain why the incidence of SPD is higher among children who were adopted from orphanages. Repeated ear infections before age 2 may also increase the risk factor. Once you recognize the signs of SPD in you or your child, locate a knowledgeable professional — usually a trained occupational therapist — to perform an evaluation.

And the earlier the better. Many people with SPD never receive an accurate diagnosis. Since its symptoms can resemble so many other neurological conditions, SPD is often misdiagnosed as ADHD, a learning disability, or even pervasive developmental disorder. Protocols exist for diagnosing SPD, including parent surveys and other clinical assessments that look for red flags and developmental delays.

An evaluation may include a physical exam, speech and language evaluation, and psychological questioning. Some doctors are skeptical about SPD because symptoms are not quantified and vary from individual to individual. The sensory domain is where the brain and body connect and thrive. It is through robust sensory processing that we develop resilience, and establish a tolerance for stressful situations, learn to be calm under pressure, and process experiences that are challenging or upsetting.

With well-integrated sensory processing comes a wealth of daily sensory-affective and sensory-motor experiences that cultivates the development of autonomy, competence, interest in learning, goal orientation, sense of purpose, resilience, social engagement, and agency.

Sensory processing is a critical aspect of well-being through the life-span and the bridge between physical and mental health. Most people are surprised to find out that we actually have eight sensory systems rather than five. Learn more about these eight systems in detail. Each of the eight sensory systems contributes to our sense of safety, to mastery of our own body, and the resultant sensory-affective combination. Pioneering occupational therapist, psychologist, and neuroscientist A.

Jean Ayres, Ph. The exact cause of Sensory Processing Disorder has not yet been identified. Preliminary studies and research suggest that SPD is often inherited. Prenatal and birth complications have also been implicated as causal in SPD, as well as certain environmental factors. When extended family, teachers, neighbors, other parents, and service providers ask you what Sensory Processing Disorder is, the following are research-supported statements you can make.

Understanding Sensory Processing Disorder. For questions or additional information contact our Treatment Center at treatment sensoryhealth. We call this sensory processing. The Eight Sensory Systems Most people are surprised to find out that we actually have eight sensory systems rather than five. Sensory Processing Disorder is a complex disorder of the brain that affects developing children and adults.