OT Tip - Guest Post on SPD

Today I would like to welcome a special guest, my mother in law Debra! She is also an Occupational Therapy Assistant who works for the same company I do in the schools and also works at a hand clinic as needed. She enjoys working with younger age children. When she saw I was sharing OT Tips on my blog, she asked if she could help write some posts, and of course I said YES! So please welcome her to my blog today! 

Sensory Processing Disorders

Do you know of a child that has trouble sitting still,  always on their knees or standing when they should be sitting to do classwork.  Maybe you know of a child that is distracted by sounds no one else notices.  Or the child that likes to slam into walls or fall on the floor.  The list can go on, this can all be a part of Sensory Processing Disorder, SPD.

“One study shows that 1 in 20 childrens’ daily lives is affected by SPD.  Another population-based study suggest that 1 in 6 children experience sensory challenges sufficient to disrupt their academic, social, and/or emotional development.”  Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation at http://www.sinetwork.org/research.html

Dysfunctions of SPD:

·         Hypersensitivity-fight or flight

·         Hyposensitivity-needs extra input

Areas involved:

·         Tactile

·         Auditory

·         Visual

·         Taste/oral

·         Olfactory

·         Proprioceptive

·         Vestibular

Sensory defensiveness will vary in different degrees of stress and anxiety with each individual.  However, it is important to remember that a child with SPD may misperceive the world as dangerous, alarming or just irritating.

There are 3 levels of SPD

 The first level  is mild, they will appear “normal”, but picky or over sensitive, or even resistive to change and slightly controlling.

 Level 2 is moderate.  A moderate sensory defensiveness will affect 2 or more aspects of a child’s life.  They may often have difficulties with social relations, either overly aggressive or isolating themselves from peers.  They may be resistive to dressing, bathing and eating.  In school they may have difficulty with attention or behavior. 

The 3^rd level is severe.  With the severe level, every aspect of a child’s life is disrupted.  They usually will have other diagnostic labels such as developmental delay, autism, etc.  These children may have a strong avoidance of some kinds of sensations or the reverse, intense sensory seeking.  “Treating sensory defensiveness first reduces sensory problems and increases the effectiveness of other forms of intervention.” Sensory Defensiveness in Children Aged 2-12. Patricia Wilbarger, Med, OTR, FAOTA and Julia Leigh Walbarger, MS, OTR

Future postings will address the various areas of SPD, symptons and solutions for parents and teachers.

~ Debra

Disclaimer: I am a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant. The advise in these tips is not a replacement for medical advise from a physician or your pediatrician. Please consult their advice if you suspect any medical or developmental issues with your child.