Sensory Process Disorder (SPD)
Sensory processing disorder (SPD) is a condition where the brain struggles to process multisensory input effectively, leading to inappropriate responses to environmental demands. It commonly occurs in individuals with dyspraxia, autism spectrum disorder, and ADHD.
October is Sensory Process Disorder Awareness Month
October is National Sensory Processing Awareness Month. During the entire month of October, many parents, educators, therapists and caregivers rally together to spread awareness of Sensory Processing and how it affects children and adults every single day.
What is Sensory Process Disorder?
Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), or Sensory Integration Disorder, is when the brain has difficulty receiving and responding to information that comes in through the senses. People with SPD may be overly sensitive to certain stimuli (hypersensitivity) or not sensitive enough (hyposensitivity). This can affect one or more senses, such as touch, sight, sound, taste, or smell.
Educational Tips
Communication
- Speech and language delays: Children with SPD may experience speech and language delays or difficulties. This is because SPD can make it difficult to integrate auditory and visual stimuli, which are foundational processes for speech and language development.
- Difficulty following directions: Children with SPD may have difficulty following directions or instructions.
- Difficulty pronouncing words: Children with SPD may have difficulty pronouncing words or rearranging syllables.
- Difficulty learning rhymes and songs: Children with SPD may have difficulty learning rhymes and songs.
- Voice changes: Children with SPD may change their voice or pitch in different places, such as talking loudly in public.
- Difficulty making friends: Children with SPD may have difficulty making friends or relating to others because communication is disrupted.
- Overreaction or underreaction to stimuli: Children with SPD may overreact or underreact to stimuli.
Tasks and Assignments
- Tactile activities: Activities that enhance the sense of touch, such as playing with clay or play dough, sand, soap, or finger painting.
- Taste tests: Have students cover their eyes and guess the taste of different foods.
- Gardening: Experience nature through touch, smell, and sight.
- Musical instruments: Explore sound and rhythm through making instruments.
- Water play: Engage tactile and proprioceptive senses through different water temperatures and textures.
- Sensory bins: Create bins with objects of different textures, shapes, and sizes.
- .Jump rope: Challenge endurance with jumping games
- Scratch-and-sniff painting: Appeal to visual, tactile, and olfactory senses.
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Classroom accommodations: Provide speech-to-text software, colored overlays, pencil grips, and more.
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