Too Much Input, Not Enough Info: The Problem with Sensory Processing Disorder

     Imagine, for a moment, that you're in a brightly colored room, and the walls are painted so brightly as to seem neon. Multi-colored strobe lights flash, and conflicting TV shows are projected on the walls. Aside from the TV audio, dueling radios play at high volume. Your skin tingles, a discordant mix of smells wafts through the noise, and the air feels wrong.Your senses are completely overloaded and you can't function.
      Welcome to the world of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). A wide-ranging condition that can make participating in regular activities difficult or impossible, it affects nearly 5% of all children to the degree that it hampers their ability to do normal daily activities. Both of my young children struggle daily with how they process sensory input, and without instruction on how to calm them and help them create coping skills, we'd have been lost. We were lucky to find occupational therapists who understood SPD, and they were able to give us some suggestion about what to do at home.
      For example, we were taught how to provide sensory deprivation for my daughter by wrapping her tightly in blankets in a dark room, which lets her calm down and feel less panicky. We were told that a weighted blanket might help as well. Our son's constant need to spin anything that will go around in a circle was explained as a form of self-stimulation, and we were also given instructions on how to create a sensory tub for him. He wasn't eating solid food at nearly two years of age, but once we realized he had sensory processing issues, we were able to hit upon foods, like granola, that provided him with enough feedback that eating was enjoyable. The diagnosis of Sensory Processing Disorder, and the accompanying treatments, have made our lives much more livable.
     The problem? It isn't technically a recognized disorder. It isn't in the Diagnosic and Statistical Manual. However, those who create, edit and publish the DSM are considering adding it to the book. The Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation has a link to some forms you can download if you are the parent of a kid with SPD, or a professional who treats kids with SPD. If you know someone who could fill out one of these surveys and would be willing to send it in, please pass them along. It will help other professionals correctly diagnose these kids, and will allow for correct coding on insurance forms. It also helps parents explain their child's limitations to family and educators, as, for many people, a diagnosis lends validity to a child's struggle.
      If your kids exhibit any of the symptoms of SPD, there's a great search function that allows you to look up therapists who understand the disorder. If you're in the Portland area, however, I recommend visiting Therapy Solutions for Kids, over on SW Macadam (they also have an office in Eugene/Springfield). Eleisha and Tim have been wonderful, and I can't recommend them highly enough.

Carissa Martos is the mother of two children with special needs that include Sensory Processing Disorder, among other complications, here in Portland, Oregon.  She also works to help introduce families to American Sign Language at PDX Loves Signing, LLC and with the nonprofit Signing Time Foundation.