Sensory Processing Disorder
Sensory processing disorder (SPD) is a general term that is more commonly used to describe individuals who show a hyper or hypo responsivity to every day stimulation. Stimulation can be better understood when thinking about our 8 sensory systems (visual, auditory, gustatory, olfactory, vestibular, proprioception and introception). Within a typical day all of our 8 sensory systems are used. However, when our body is unable to properly interpret this information we tend to see behaviors increase in children, which can result in the diagnosis of “sensory processing disorder”.
The three most common ways to misinterpret sensory information are; over responsivity (hyper arousal), under responsivity (hypo arousal) and discrimination difficulty.
Some things you may notice if your child struggles with SPD may include
- sensitivities to lights, sounds, touch or taste
- Behavioral outbursts that seem to come out of nowhere
- Inability to maintain attention to simple tasks
- Unaware of physical necessities (hunger, thirst, when to go to the bathroom, being hot/cold, ear infections, stomach aches)
If your child has been diagnosed with SPD or struggles with any of the above please contact me for more information