Parenting is one of life’s toughest jobs but it can be even more challenging if your little superstars are finding the world a bewildering place.
You’re raising and loving a child with autism but do they have Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) too? Let’s explore what SPD is, how to understand your child’s challenges and, most importantly, how you can support their growth and happiness.
This blog covers:
- What is SPD and how does it relate to autism?
- How sensory processing disorder presents itself when referring to the five outward senses and the three inward senses.
- Top tips for helping your child to thrive.
- Building emotional resilience.
- Resources and support
What is SPD and how does it relate to autism?
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a developmental condition that affects how a person communicates and interacts with others. Not all children with autism experience SPD, but there’s a strong link between the two.
If a child is diagnosed with autism, it’s highly likely that they have trouble processing their senses. According to NHS England, “Lifelong and persistent sensory sensitivities are a diagnostic characteristic of autism. Recent studies suggest prevalence in between 69% to 90% of autistic people”.
So how can you tell if it’s SPD and not a symptom of autism?
SPD affects how the brain processes sensory information, like touch, sound, or taste. The difference between children with autism sensory disorders and those with SPD is their experiences are so extreme and debilitating.
How sensory processing disorder presents itself
When a child struggles to make sense of the sights, smells, and sounds around them, it can feel like they’re under attack. The stimuli feels so overwhelming that it leaves them powerless to do day-to-day activities.
Here’s how a child with a sensory processing disorder experiences the world through their senses:
Vision
With autism, children process the whole of an image. That’s why you might find they hold their hands up to their face when looking at something, so they can make sense of it. But a child with SPD might really struggle with too much visual stimulation or not enough.
If they struggle with too much visual stimulation, they might react badly to bright light and overreact about going outside on a sunny day. They might prefer to sit in the dark. And they might frequently rub or squint their eyes.
If they need a lot of visual stimulation, they might like watching spinning or shiny toys. They might enjoy flicking light switches on and off. Or, they might bump into people and objects because they’re too distracted looking at other things.
Sound
Children with autism can have an aversion to sound. That’s why you’ll see them wearing ear defenders or ear pods that help to take the edge off the noisy world around them. But there’s an extreme version of this – hyperacusis.
People and children that have hyperacusis find many noises unbearable and sometimes painful.
Taste
Children with SPD often enjoy food…but in their own way. Some will only eat beige diets; some can’t stand different food types touching each other and some seek out really strong flavours. If they’re presented with food that doesn’t reflect their needs, they may react in an extreme way.
Touch
SPD sufferers can often feel touch as painful – even a brush past can send their senses into meltdown.
Smell
Smell has a powerful way of helping us recall a memory. But for children with SPD, they might link a smell to a bad experience. They might gag if they find smells particularly unpleasant.
That’s the outward senses covered. But there are three more that don’t get mentioned as much. For those experiencing autism and SPD, the lesser-known inward senses can also affect them.
Interoception
Interoception is our brain’s perception of how our body is doing. It’s basically the signals that get sent from our internal organs to our brains.
According to The Guardian, “Scientists have shown that our sensitivity to interoceptive signals can determine our capacity to regulate our emotions, and our subsequent susceptibility to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.”
But how does a child with autism and SPD experience interoception? You might find that they struggle to stop eating because they don’t realise how full they are – the signal from their tummy isn’t getting through to their brain. Or, they might regularly wet themselves because they don’t recognise their bladder is full.
Proprioception
Proprioception is all about body awareness and it tells us our body’s position in space. It helps us to process where our joints are positioned and how much muscle force we need to use.
For children with autism or SPD, they might play too rough. They might use so much force when colouring that they often break their crayons. They might frequently kick their feet when sitting or stomp really hard when walking. They like being wrapped tightly in blankets or squished in a bear hug.
Vestibular
This sense is related to balance. It’s controlled by the vestibular system which sits in the ear. It sends information to our brain when our head moves which lets us know where we are in space and how fast or slow, we’re going.
But how can this sense be affected if your child is suffering from autism or SPD? They might feel a strong need to rock or spin. This helps them to regulate their nervous system. They might pursue movement to the point that it interferes with their lives.
All of the points above can also relate to autism but the difference is that sensory processing disorder will cause a child to have extreme reactions to the world around them, regularly.
Recognising these signs can help you differentiate between the effects of autism and SPD, leading to more targeted and effective treatment and support.
