Sensory Processing Disorder refers to the way that the nervous system receives messages, decodes them, and turns them into a response. Sensory Processing Disorder refers to the inability to use the information received through the nervous system in a manner that allows them to function smoothly in their daily life.
Some people with Sensory Processing Disorder are overly sensitive to things in their environment. For example, common sounds may be painful or overwhelming to them causing them to cover their ears or run out of the room. Maybe smells bother the person and they are uncomfortable walking down the laundry detergent aisle at the grocery store or smelling gasoline or perfumes. Someone with Sensory Processing Disorder may not easily tolerate some fabrics like wool, polyesters, jean fabric, or even clothes made from GMO cotton.
Do you know someone who is considered picky, fidgety, clumsy, out of sync, uncomfortable with their surroundings, and in general, overly sensitive? The response to stimuli with someone who has SPD may not seem appropriate.
For the person with SPD everyday tasks in life may be overwhelming.
SPD can be explained in three main categories.
1. Sensory Modulation Problems
~ problems with touch, movement, and body position are revealing signs of SPD
a. Under-responsive:doesn’t notice messy face, or how things feel, may need a nudge to get out of bed and get going, seeks more stimulation
b. Over-responsive: does not like to touch or be touched, may be stiff and rigid, uncoordinated, likes less stimulation
c. Sensory-Craver: craves constant stimulation, may be a risk taker, likes to spin and move fast, likes the pressure from hugs
2. Sensory Discrimination Problems
a. Difficulty distinguishing one sensation from another-like temperature or pain
b. Confuses likenesses and differences in pictures
c. Can’t taste the differences between foods
3. Sensory-Based Motor Problems
a. May include problems with coordination and bilateral movement and may include dyspraxia (problems performing fine and gross motor skills)
Many symptoms of SPD look like symptoms of other common disabilities.
Sensory Processing Disorder Checklist
The five main senses are:
Sight - visual
Touch - tactile
Sound - auditory
Smell - olfactory
Taste - gustatory
There is also the vestibular system (sense of balance and movement) which provides information about the head and body in relationship to the earth’s surface.
Then there are the proprioceptors (joint and muscle sense) which provide information about where individual body parts are and what they are doing. Proprioceptors give information about body position, movement, pressure, weight, stretch, and changes in position in space.
Touch-Hypersensitive Checklist
Girl With Sensory Processing Disorder
Fearful or anxious about unexpectedly being touched
As an infant may have disliked being cuddled or hugged, may have pulled back or arched up and pulled away
Becomes frightened when someone comes up from behind or where they cannot be seen
Uncomfortable standing in lines or crowds, especially in close proximity
Bothered by bed sheets saying they are rough, itchy or bumpy
Complains about hair being brushed, says it hurts
Overreacts to minor scrapes, cuts and bug bites
May wipe off kisses
Dislikes wearing clothes with tags or socks with seams
Avoids messy play (finger painting, slime, sand)
Refuses to wear stiff clothes, clothes with rough textures, or turtlenecks, belts,
flip flops or hats
Avoids being dirty and washes hands frequently
Picky eater about texture, color, taste-does not like foods mixed-may resist
trying new foods
Excessively ticklish
May walk on toes predominantly
Touch-Hyposensitive Checklist
Has intense desire to be touched and needs to touch others and everything
Unaware of being touched unless there is intense pressure
May be self-abusive, bites self, scratches self, pinches self, or bangs head
Frequently likes to touch smooth or soft objects like a blanket
Looks for objects that provide intense tactile feedback
Not aware that hands or face are dirty or that their nose is running
Prefers food with strong tastes-spicy, tangy, salty, sweet, sour
Not bothered by injuries/pain
Environmental Factors Which May Contribute to a Rise in Sensory Processing Disorder
Poor Tactile Discrimination Checklist
May not be able to identify which body part was touched
May be afraid of the dark
Has difficulty with fine motor skills such as buttoning, hooking, zipping, fastening and tying
Has difficulty with scissors, crayons, or silverware
Has difficulty figuring out shapes, textures, sizes, weight, temperature, etc.
May not be able to identify objects when reaching into a pocket, desk or backpack and needs vision to help
May be a messy dresser-may not notice one pant leg up and one down-may not notice part of shirt is tucked in and the rest is out, etc.
Vestibular Hypersensitivity Checklist
Dislikes risk taking, prefers sedentary play
May be clingy with adults they trust
May be afraid of falling even when there is no risk present
Avoids or dislikes elevators, merry-go-rounds, roller coasters and sometimes driving in a car-may actually get motion sickness from them
Afraid of heights, sometimes even curbs or high steps
Afraid of feet leaving the ground
Startled if someone moves them
Avoids or dislikes rapid or rotating movements
May dislike activities requiring balance-bicycling
Could spin for hours and hours and never gets dizzy
Always in motion, can't hold still
Loves being tossed up in the air
Is a risk taker and seeks thrills like amusement park rides
Always running, skipping, jumping, hopping
Jumping on furniture, swivel chairs, trampolines
Loves being upside down
Craves fast, intense, spinning motion
When sitting, is shaking leg, rocking body or moving head
Poor Muscle Tone and/or Coordination Checklist
Frequently slumps or slides down in chair or over desk
Often sits with legs in “w” position to stabilize body when sitting on floor
Has a limp or floppy body
If falling, has difficulty stopping the fall
Compensates for “looseness” by grabbing objects tightly
Difficulty with turning knobs, handles-opening and closing items
May never have crawled as a baby
Difficulty getting dressed with zippers, hooks, buttons, fasteners and shoe laces
Tires easily
Poor fine motor skills (writing, using scissors, drawing)
Poor gross motors skills (jumping, catching a ball)
Looks unsure of body movements
Has difficulty learning dance steps
Proprioception
Proprioceptors are located in our muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons, and connective tissues. Proprioceptors have a lot to do with sensing position in relation to ourselves and to the objects around us. If the proprioceptors are not properly receiving or interpreting sensory information correctly, then we refer to it is Proprioceptive Dysfunction.
It is especially difficult for children. They may not understand how much a muscle is stretching, or if a joint is bending or stretching, or how much or to what degree this may be happening.
Proprioceptive Dysfunction Checklist
If they are under responsive to proprioceptive input (i.e. sensory seeking) they will...
(too hard) walk to hard, push too hard, bang too hard, write too hard, play with objects too hard, etc.
be the loud ones, rough ones, crashers, movers, shakers, runners, jumpers, and bouncers (i.e. an insatiable bundle of energy!)
shake his legs or constantly bang the back of his foot on the floor/chair while sitting in class
play too rough (often hurting himself or others), jump off of or crash into anything he can
crack his knuckles, chew on his fingers, bite his nails until they bleed, chew on pens, gum, pencils, clothing collars, sleeves, or strings, or inedible objects (i.e. paper clips, pieces of toys etc.)
enjoys tight clothes (i.e. turtlenecks, tight belts, hoods, hats, jackets zipped all the way up, tight pajamas etc.)
Sensory Seeking Behavior Checklist
May grind teeth
Loves wrestling and roughhousing
Stomps feet when walking
Bites or sucks on fingers-or cracks knuckles
Chews on things
Frequently hits, bumps or pushes other children
If they have poor motor planning, body awareness, or motor control, they will...
have difficulty climbing, running, riding a bike, doing jumping jacks, hitting a ball, roller skating, etc.
have difficulty tying shoes (this is a great resource... Tie Your Shoes: Rocket Style/Bunny Ears) or knowing how to move his body when you help him get dressed/undressed
frequently bump into objects and people
accidentally trip and fall often
have difficulty learning to go up and down stairs, and may be frightened by them (escalators too)
Difficulty with Grading of Movement Checklist
Always seems to be breaking objects
Has difficulty regulating pressure when drawing or writing-too light or too hard
Messy paper work and often rips paper when erasing
Seems to do things with too much pressure-slamming doors, slamming
down objects
Misjudges weight of an object (picking something up with too much force)
Plays too rough with animals
Signs of postural instability will include...
slumping at desk, dinner table etc.
appear to be "limp" and lethargic all the time
needing to rest his head on his hands or lay his head down on his arm on the desk/table while working
having poor posture during motor tasks
being unable to stand on one foot and have difficulty with any balancing tasks
Auditory Dysfunction Checklists
(With No Diagnosed Hearing Problem)
Hypersensitive to Sounds Checklist (Over-Registers)
Distracted easily by sounds not noticed by others-humming of a light or ticking of a clock
Startled by loud or unexpected sounds
Often asks people to be quiet
Fearful of the sound of a toilet flushing, a hair dryer, a vacuum, dog barking
May decide if they like someone based on the sound of their voice
Refuses to go places that are loud-parades, movie theaters, concerts
Hyposensitivity to Sounds Checklist (Under- Registers)
Likes to listen to loud music or TV
Does not notice certain sounds
Seems to like to make noise just to make noise
Talks out loud to self when doing a task
Has difficulty telling where a sound comes from
Often needs directions repeated
Did not babble or vocalize a lot as an infant
Auditory Language Processing Dysfunction Checklist
Unable to locate the source of a sound
Bothered by sudden, loud, high-pitched or metallic sounds
Looks to others for reassurance before answering
Difficulty identifying people’s voices
Often talks out of turn or off the topic
Difficulty putting ideas into words (verbally or written)
Difficulty filtering out other sounds when someone is talking to them
Difficulty discriminating similar sounds-like fear and fair
Ability to speak may improve after intense movement
If not understood, has difficulty re-phrasing and gets angry or upset
Difficulty reading, especially out loud (may be dyslexic)
Difficulty enunciating and speaking clearly
Hypersensitivity to Tastes Checklist (Over-Registers)
May gag with certain foods
Picky eater, limited amount of foods eaten, may not like to eat at other people’s homes
Fearful of dental work
Does not like to lick stamps or envelopes
May have difficulty swallowing pills
Prefers bland foods, avoids seasoned and spiced foods
May eat only hot or cold foods
Hyposensitive to Taste Checklist (Under-Registers)
Frequently chews on hair, shirt or nails
Prefers food with intense flavor
Piles on condiments or seasoning on food
Acts like all food tastes the same
Likes vibrating tooth brush
Smells
Hypersensitive to Smells Checklist (Over-Registers)
Refuses to eat certain foods because of their smell
Bothered or irritated by smells of colognes or perfumes
Irritated by smells of gasoline, smoke, or laundry detergent
Tells other people that they smell funny
May dislike going to other people’s homes because of the way it smells
Bothered by cooking smells
Reacts negatively to smells other people do not notice
Hyposensitive to Smells (Under-Registers)
May eat or drink things that are poisonous because they do not recognize the smell as being “bad”
Has difficulty discriminating unpleasant odors
Uses smell to interact with objects
Does not notice smells that most people find offensive
Visual Input Disorder Checklists
(No Visual Problem Diagnosed)
Hypersensitivity to Visual Input Checklist (Over-Registers)
Sensitive to bright lights, may squint or get headaches
Easily distracted by other visual stimuli in the room, such movement, toys, decorations, doorways, windows
Rubs eyes or has watery eyes when watching TV or reading
Has difficulty focusing and staying on task for an appropriate amount of time
Enjoys playing in the dark
Avoids eye contact
Hyposensitivity to Visual Input Checklist (Under-Responsive, Or Difficulty With Tracking, Discrimination or Perception)
Focuses on the details and patterns and has difficulty seeing the big picture
Often loses their place when copying from a chalkboard or a book
Difficulty with eye movement needed to track an object that is moving
Has difficulty telling the difference between color, shapes and sizes
Has difficulty locating items in a drawer, desk, pocket or box
Has difficulty telling the difference between p, q, d, b
Complains about seeing double
Has difficulty with lining up numbers in a math problem
Confuses left and right
Has difficulty finding differences in pictures, symbols, words or objects
Tires easily at schoolwork
Has difficulty putting puzzles together
Has difficulty judging spatial relationships and may bump into people and furniture often or missteps from curbs or stairs
Has difficulty when writing to keep size of letters and spacing consistent
Tends to write on a slant on a page
Visio-Spatial Awareness Disorder Checklist (Reduced ability to make sense of information taken in through the eyes)
Also see Dyslexia (click here ) Learn More
Difficulty with right and left
May have difficulty of where self is in relationship to objects
May have difficulty navigating
Difficulty seeing the foreground from the background
May have difficulty discriminating sizes, forms and position in space
Problems with orientation of objects, letters, etc., including letter reversal
Words that move or appear strange on the page
Issues with color, light or glare
Risks and Complications
Other related problems:
Lacks self-esteem Lacks confidence
At Home
Has trouble getting to the point-may get stuck
Often loses things in plain sight
Difficulty estimating or budgeting time
May appear awkward or clumsy, bumping or knocking things over
Does not understand strategies or goals to be able to win at a game
Tries to get out of going to school
At School
Messy papers (papers are crumpled, smudged or have tears)
Dislikes or avoids writing or drawing
Disorganized backpack, locker and/or desk
Often, along with SPD, there is a problem with motor skills and other abilities. People with SPD are also at risk for emotional, educational and social problems. They may experience difficulty making friends and fitting in, then frustration causing disruptive “out–of-control” behavior, awkwardness and clumsiness, academic failure, and aggression, which in turn may lead to poor self image and lack of confidence. Parents are sometimes blamed for children’s behavior due to this “hidden handicap.”
Because adults with Sensory Processing Disorder have struggled for most of their lives, they may also experience depression, underachievement, anxiety, social isolation, aggression, and other secondary effects.