SPD Info

Does your child have sensory needs?

All children benefit from play and activities that target each of their senses: Sight, hearing, feeling, tasting, smelling, balance, pain, joint motion, time, temperature, and direction. When all of the senses work together, children can develop and function normally. Now imagine a child whose body cannot process one or more of the senses properly--the child is overwhelmed and confused by his or her body’s response to normal activities and experiences in daily life.

Children that have problems integrating their senses are increasingly being diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder or SPD. These children do not have any way to tell us what is wrong, so they exhibit behaviors as signals to those around them that something is not right. Often, children have sensory issues together with other neurological disorders such as:

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or one of its sub-diagnoses

Children that are suspected to have SPD or any sensory issues should be referred to a qualified occupational therapist that specializes in SPD for evaluation. The occupational therapist will work with the child and parents to develop a sensory diet that will help the child function properly in daily life. SPD does not go away and there is no cure except to make the sensory diet part of normal life for the child. Over time, the child will need to learn to manage their sensory diet and their own sensory needs as they grow and become independent.

Sensory Processing Disorder presents itself differently in each child. Some children may be over reactive or under reactive to different sensory input such as pain, sound, light, movement, and touch; these responses may be subtle or they may be extreme. SPD is broken down into subcategories and each of these subcategories broken down further, with each having its own set of symptoms. Because of this, we will list several parent-friendly resources that you can find on the web or in your local bookstore to help you pinpoint your child’s area of concern:

Sensory Processing Disorder

On The Web:

The Sensory Processing Disorder Resource Center - www.sensory-processing-disorder.com
The Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation - www.spdfoundation.net

Books

Sensory Integration and the Child: Understanding Hidden Sensory Challenges by A. Jean Ayres, Ph. D.
The Out of Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder by Carol Stock Kranowitz, M. A.
Sensory Perceptual Issues in Autism and Asperger Syndrome by Olga Bogdashina
Asperger Syndrome and Sensory Issues by Brenda Smith Myles, Katherine Tapscott Cook, Penny Chiles, and Lisa A Robbins
Raising a Sensory Smart Child: The Definitive Handbook for Helping Your Child with Sensory Integration Issues by Lindsey Biel and Nancy Peske
Unlocking the Mysteries of Sensory Dysfunction by Elazabeth Anderson and Pauline Emmons

Autism

On The Web:

Autism Society of America - www.autism-society.org
Autism Speaks - www.autismspeaks.org
Autism Research Institute - www.autism.com
The Autism Collaboration’s "Parents as Partners" Research Initiative - www.autism.org
Author and Living with Autsim - www.templegrandin.com

Books:

The Way I See It: A Personal Look at Autism and Asperger’s by Temple Grandin
Emergence: Labeled Autistic by Temple Grandin
Thinking In Pictures by Temple Grandin
Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships: Decoding Social Mysteries Through the Unique Perspectives of Autism by Dr. Temple Grandin and Sean Barron
Born on a Blue Day: A Memoir of Asperger’s and an Extraordinary Mind by Daniel Tammet

ADHD:

On The Web:

National Resource Center on AD/HD - www.help4adhd.org
Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder - www.chadd.org
ADHD Information Resources by State - www.adhdnews.com/states.htm
Attention Deficit Disorder Association - www.add.org

Books: