SPD is a condition that entails the inability of the brain to receive and respond to sensory information being perceived by the senses. Another name used to refer to this condition is sensory integration dysfunction. For the proper functioning of a person, the senses provide the brain with information from different modalities, which include taste, vestibular system, tactile, olfactory, audition, and vision.
The condition is characterized by certain major problems. Patients with sensory processing disorder will normally experience trouble in organizing sensations that come from their bodies and the surroundings. These problems manifest in the individual through difficulty in functioning in various areas of life. Some of the areas of life where subjects find it difficult to function are daily activities, leisure and play, and productivity.
SPD exist in different types, and there are other subtypes below each type. Different body senses are effected by the various types of the disorder. As such, which symptoms one experiences are determined by the subtype and type of the condition they are suffering from. Oversensitive people often experience motion sickness, dislike certain textures, become picky eaters, refuse normal skin contact, and avoid noisy and overcrowded areas.
Experiencing sleep disorder is also a common characteristic of oversensitivity. Oversensitive people are woken by minor sounds due to sensory overload. Patients feel seriously discomforted, threatened, or sickened by normal stimuli like lights, odors, tastes, and sounds. Others will even feel discomforted by their own heartbeats. As a result of these experiences, functioning and coexistence in social and other settings is made difficult.
Other subtypes of this condition include under-responsivity, sensory craving, sensory motor based problems, and sensory discrimination problems. People suffering from sensory discrimination will often have poor handwriting, drop things constantly, have hardship eating and dressing, and use inappropriate force when handling objects. Those suffering from sensory craving will often fidget a lot, appear impulsive, seek extreme sensations, bite pencils, clothing, or fingers, and make loud noises.
The ICD-10 and similar medical manuals do not classify SPD under medical disorders. Tests are the main basis for diagnosis. Some common diagnostic procedures and tests are free play observations, standardized questionnaires, standardized tests, and expert observational scales. Occupational therapy gym is where free play observation is done. Observation is done in different settings, including home and school.
The kind of practitioners that perform diagnosis are usually dependent on the country under consideration. Some of the practitioner who diagnose this condition include physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, learning specialists, psychologists, and occupational therapists. If the symptoms are too severe, it may be necessary to perform full neurological and psychological evaluation. Examples of standardized tests are SIPT, TSI, and TSFI while examples of standardized questionnaires are SPM, SPM-P, SP, and adolescent/adult sensory profile among others.
Various therapies for the treatment of SPD have been formulated by researchers. Some common therapies are sensory processing therapy and the sensory integration therapy. Four key principles are based upon in the latter therapy. These principles are child directed, active engagement, just right challenge, and adaptive response. Objectives differ among the principles and they are usually met during a therapy session.
The condition is characterized by certain major problems. Patients with sensory processing disorder will normally experience trouble in organizing sensations that come from their bodies and the surroundings. These problems manifest in the individual through difficulty in functioning in various areas of life. Some of the areas of life where subjects find it difficult to function are daily activities, leisure and play, and productivity.
SPD exist in different types, and there are other subtypes below each type. Different body senses are effected by the various types of the disorder. As such, which symptoms one experiences are determined by the subtype and type of the condition they are suffering from. Oversensitive people often experience motion sickness, dislike certain textures, become picky eaters, refuse normal skin contact, and avoid noisy and overcrowded areas.
Experiencing sleep disorder is also a common characteristic of oversensitivity. Oversensitive people are woken by minor sounds due to sensory overload. Patients feel seriously discomforted, threatened, or sickened by normal stimuli like lights, odors, tastes, and sounds. Others will even feel discomforted by their own heartbeats. As a result of these experiences, functioning and coexistence in social and other settings is made difficult.
Other subtypes of this condition include under-responsivity, sensory craving, sensory motor based problems, and sensory discrimination problems. People suffering from sensory discrimination will often have poor handwriting, drop things constantly, have hardship eating and dressing, and use inappropriate force when handling objects. Those suffering from sensory craving will often fidget a lot, appear impulsive, seek extreme sensations, bite pencils, clothing, or fingers, and make loud noises.
The ICD-10 and similar medical manuals do not classify SPD under medical disorders. Tests are the main basis for diagnosis. Some common diagnostic procedures and tests are free play observations, standardized questionnaires, standardized tests, and expert observational scales. Occupational therapy gym is where free play observation is done. Observation is done in different settings, including home and school.
The kind of practitioners that perform diagnosis are usually dependent on the country under consideration. Some of the practitioner who diagnose this condition include physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, learning specialists, psychologists, and occupational therapists. If the symptoms are too severe, it may be necessary to perform full neurological and psychological evaluation. Examples of standardized tests are SIPT, TSI, and TSFI while examples of standardized questionnaires are SPM, SPM-P, SP, and adolescent/adult sensory profile among others.
Various therapies for the treatment of SPD have been formulated by researchers. Some common therapies are sensory processing therapy and the sensory integration therapy. Four key principles are based upon in the latter therapy. These principles are child directed, active engagement, just right challenge, and adaptive response. Objectives differ among the principles and they are usually met during a therapy session.
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