INCLUSIVE FAMILY
The MISUNDERSTOOD
Child Sensory Processing Disorder 101
A typical morning in my home begins with my 4-year-old
daughter complaining: “My clothes hurt me! They are too
loose! I need new clothes!” After much time, many tears, lots of
tight hugs and a good dose of frustration, she’s finally content
to wear the same dress she wore the day before and many days
before that. The process of getting dressed, which seems simple
to most, is the biggest challenge my child faces on a daily basis.

T BY SARAH LYONS
his situation is one example of what living with
a child with sensory processing disorder is like.

“Imagine being in an environment where the
noise around you is amplified to the highest level, the
temperature is the coldest or hottest you have ever felt,
you are wearing the most uncomfortable clothing that
has ever touched your skin and you are nauseated by
a repulsive smell. All at the same time. What would be
your response? Most would quickly escape the situation,”
says Dana Lyons, an occupational therapist. “These
are examples of what a child with sensory processing
disorder feels, but they cannot escape the symptoms.

As a result, these children may respond with anger,
frustration, or ultimately avoid situations which may
cause a breakdown.”
Sensory processing is a term that refers to the way
the nervous system receives messages from the senses
and turns them into appropriate motor and behavioral
responses. “Everyone processes sensory input, but some
people process it differently than others,” says occupational
therapist Carrie Grosdidier. “When the processing of this
information interferes with our ability to function on a day
to day basis is when we have a problem.”
Sensory processing disorder (SPD) can be hard to
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diagnose because it affects each person differently. “Any
of the five senses can be affected by being hypersensitive
(overstimulated) or by being hyposensitive (under
simulated),” says Lyons.

A child who is hypersensitive,
or sensory avoiding, may:
• Feel overwhelmed by loud, crowded environments
• Dislike being touched or hugged
• React strongly to certain smells
• Find buttons, tags or certain fabrics unbearable
A child who is hyposensitive,
or sensory seeking, may:
• Constantly need to touch people or textures
• Have a high tolerance for pain
• Fidget and seem unable to sit still
• Be clumsy or fall often
Children can have one or many of these characteristics as
well as some from each category and in varying degrees
of severity.

“Unfortunately, these responses are viewed by others
as children behaving badly when in fact they are not,”



SOPHIE WALSTER / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS
Lyons says. “The most important thing to
understand is that children with SPD are not
‘bad’ children. They are simply trying to survive
in their own skin, in a world with heightened
or lowered sensations. Typical punishment
for ‘bad’ behavior is not optimal and can cause
regression rather than progression.”
Stephanie Beaudry, a mom of two children
with SPD, says, “When trying to explain my
son’s hyperactivity or clumsiness is due to
SPD, we get told, ‘Oh it’s just his age.’ But
it’s actually because his nervous system
doesn’t respond as it should in certain
situations.” Sensory seekers may fall a lot
or crash into things because they need that
physical contact, or proprioceptive input.

SPD can create challenges for families,
but there is treatment available for kids
who struggle with it. “We had a fabulous
occupational therapist who helped my son.

She gave us tools and gave him permission
to figure out what worked for him and what
didn’t,” says Joy Alsup, a mom of four. “He
has a high need for tight, long hugs and we
understand that this is what helps him. It’s a
huge priority for us.”
With the help of an occupational therapist,
kids with SPD can find ways to balance their
sensory input, such as swinging, wearing a
weighted vest, pushing or pulling heavy objects
across the room or jumping on a trampoline.

Many of these activities are fun for the child
and can be integrated into playtime at home.

“The therapy helps more than just their
physical strengths but also their emotional
strengths,” says Beaudry. “When my daughter
first started therapy, she was extremely shy.

She wouldn’t even talk to children her own age
when they approached her. Now, four months
later, she is a social butterfly.”
An occupational therapist’s main goal
is to educate parents about SPD and give
families tools they can use to help the
child progress at home. Although families
dealing with SPD may have struggles
with things other people see as “normal”
activities, many parents find hope in their
child’s progress and support from other
parents dealing with these issues.

“One thing I have learned after experiencing
our journey is that I am not alone. There are so
many others that understand what I am going
through and we are there to support each
other in many ways,” says Beaudry.

As a mother of a child with SPD, I would
encourage others to educate themselves
about sensory processing and begin to
approach the situation from the child’s
perspective. Parents can then begin to use
the tools needed to adjust their environment
and celebrate as their child meets their goals
and overcome challenges.

“When my son was diagnosed, I felt like he
would be limited in his future. He has worked
through many of his issues and I see his SPD
as part of what makes him unique. I wouldn’t
have him any other way,” Alsup says.

It takes a lot of patience, persistence, and
love to parent a child with SPD, but when
that child feels acceptance and supported,
they can work through their struggles, and
thrive in school and at home. n
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