What Is Sensory Processing Disorder?
During the day, you experience sensory aspects of life. For example, you may find that walking your dog helps you feel more relaxed during the day. Also, you may also find that listening to music can help you feel more energized. Everything you do has a sensory aspect, even if you don’t think about it. And, children with sensory processing disorder are more susceptible to be overstimulated and upset. How the process works and the impact your senses have on you is something you may never think about. The team at Wisdom Within Counseling help youth with sensory processing disorder in child therapy in East Lyme, CT.
To learn more, book a phone consultation for sensory processing disorder therapy below.
How do your senses work?
Your body has systems that register sensory information. If it is cold, you get goosebumps. Then, you can process it and feel the sensation. But, some sensations are more irritating than others. Some people are sensitive to wool clothing. And, they can’t wear wool at all. Maybe, you hate nails on a chalkboard and the sound annoys you. That is a sensory trigger. Ultimately your sensory processing impacts your feelings.
How do senses work?
Well, some children are more sensitive to sounds, lights, textures, and smells. When your child experiences the world, their senses get overloaded. All of your senses come together to build your world around you. For a child, they may not have the verbal tools to communicate that they are feeling when triggered. So, an uncomfortable sensation causes a child to feel upset, or annoyed. A child has an emotional reaction due to too much sensory stimulation. How you experience your five senses helps you work, play, and enjoy life.
What is sensory processing disorder in child therapy in East Lyme, CT?
All of this is called sensory processing. Ultimately, sensory processing disorder (SPD) prevents areas of the brain from receiving the signals needed to interpret sensory information or stimuli. Sensory information includes any information your brain receives from your five senses. As a result, individuals with SPD are overly sensitive to certain stimuli.
What does it mean to be overly stimulated or have sensory overload?
For example, individuals might not respond well to a weight loss coach who yells at them. A person may be sensitive to the criticism or to the sound of the yelling, which is too loud. On the other hand, it can also do the opposite to a person, which means that it takes more for a certain stimulus to impact someone. For people with autism, they require more stimulus at times. For example, someone might not be affected by a dog barking loudly next to them while everyone else thinks it’s too loud. A child with autism may not realize they are hugging or holding their dog too tightly.
The team at Wisdom Within Counseling specialize in helping youth and adults with sensory processing disorder through holistic therapies.
Who needs sensory processing disorder child therapy in East Lyme, CT?
Both adults and children can have symptoms of SPD, although it’s more common in children. However, adults with SPD typically develop ways to deal with it so it doesn’t impact their everyday lives. For example, those who are sensitive to sound may avoid loud noises or areas. A child who find the cafeteria too loud may skip lunch and begin having grades drop.
What Causes SPD?
The cause of SPD hasn’t been identified as of yet, but research suggests it’s an inherited disorder that can be linked to prenatal and birth complications.
Symptoms of SPD
Children with SPD may exhibit a mixture of being oversensitive and undersensitive.
SPD can affect any of the senses or all of them. Children with SPD may get upset from sounds, the feeling of clothing, and the texture of certain foods. However, they can also under react to it. For example, they may not feel how hot their hot cocoa is before drinking it and burning their tongues. This can result in many individuals craving more stimuli. Examples include swinging too high on the playground or enjoying very salty or steaming hot foods.
To begin, click the button below for a phone consult to work with the team at Wisdom Within Counseling who specialize in sensory processing disorders.
For example, they may feel like their clothes are scratchy and uncomfortable, but loud sounds don’t upset them.
Examples of oversensitive includes:
- Clothes feeling itchy
- Lights being too bright
- Soft things feel hard
- Sounds are too loud
- Food textures make them sick
- Tantrums
- Being unable to spend time with others
- React poorly to sudden movements
The symptoms of SPD may be linked to poor motor skills. For example, they might have a difficult time holding a pencil because it feels too hard in their hands. They might also have difficulty running or walking upstairs.
Older children may have low confidence, which can lead to social isolation and depression.
Under-sensitivity includes:
- Unable to sit still
- Thrill-seeking behavior
- Spinning without getting dizzy
- Chewing on objects like clothing
- Need for visual stimulation
- Can’t recognize when their nose is running
- Playing too rough
- Not being able to hold a pencil
How is SPD Diagnosed?
Doctors do not easily diagnose SPD unless the parents notice something about their child that isn’t typical. If you notice any behavioral issues you can’t explain, discuss them with your doctor, play therapist, or occupational therapist, who can assess them for SPD. For example, if you notice your child finds every day sounds too loud or complain that their clothes are itchy, it’s time to find a child therapist or pediatrician. A professional will watch your child interact with stimuli and ask them questions to make a diagnosis.
Can You Prevent SPD?
You cannot prevent SPD because there is no known cause for SPD. Also, sensory processing disorder is a common issue the therapists at Wisdom Within Counseling treat. Sometimes, children need help understanding their own sensitivities and triggers. When a child feels overwhelmed, they may have more self-esteem issues and anxiety symptoms. Sensory disorders can easily be treated in child therapy in East Lyme, CT through play therapy.
Can SPD Be Treated?
Even though SPD can’t be prevented, it can be treated through play therapy. You can learn about sensory processing disorder in child therapy in East Lyme, CT at Wisdom Within. Starting therapy early can help treat SPD quicker, so children learn how to easily manage the challenges associated with having SPD.
Therapy should be led by a trained play therapist who has worked with children suffering from SPD.
At Wisdom Within Counseling, your child can use painting, art, yoga, drama therapy, music and animal therapies to express emotions. Art, for instance, can help a child talk about their overwhelm without having to speak. As well, outdoor natures therapies and movement therapies like yoga help children feel confident releasing energy. Yoga and movement help children feel supported in a personalized manor. Animal therapies help children understand how animals process sensory overload.
To begin, click the button below to learn more about sensory processing disorder and how child therapy in East Lyme, CT can help your little one thrive.
Learning about sensory processing disorder with a child therapist in East Lyme, CT will help your child feel confident and build self-esteem.
Child therapy can help concerned parents learn how to cope with the challenges of an overstimulated child. Therapy sessions will be individualized for your child’s needs. A play therapist will communicate with your child through the language of play. So, your child can feel excited to goto therapy and feel more relaxed.
Your child therapist might use one or more of these types of therapy:
Sensory Integration Therapy: Sensory integration therapy uses activities in a controlled environment. This to help your child experience stimuli without feeling overwhelmed. Your child can pause when they want and they can develop positive coping skills. For instance, this might mean having your child try holding a fuzzy pillow or touch tiny pieces of rice, or feeling a squishy.
Play Therapies: Play therapy are the language of your child.
Sensory Diet: A sensory diet will likely be used with another therapy. A sensory diet has nothing to do with food unless your child has symptoms related to eating. Instead, a sensory diet gives you and your child rich activities to do at home. And, these sensory activities will help them stay focused during the day. For instance, this may mean having a fun, 30-min dance party to release energy before going to school. Or, it could be playing together outdoors as a family for 30 minutes after school.
Occupational Therapy: Occupational therapy will be used when your child has symptoms of sensory processing disorder that affect their motor skills, such as climbing stairs or holding a pencil. An occupational therapist helps your child feel successful while doing daily activities.
Life with sensory processing disorder
Living with SPD can be difficult for both children and adults. However, you must stay focused and keep up with holistic coping tools in therapy. Instead of simply avoiding situations that might upset you or your child, continue to follow the advice of the therapist. This way, your child learns the necessary skills to cope better when they’re older. Helping your child learn to tolerate small amounts of distress can be supportive. Overall, he team at Wisdom Within Counseling specialize in helping youth with sensory processing disorder through play and child therapy in Southeastern Connecticut.
How does sensory processing disorder change over the lifespan?
Sensory processing disorder can get better with age and therapy. As well, with positive lifestyle accommodations, self-esteem can improve. Family conflict, divorce, parental separation, and school bullying can increase the symptoms of sensory processing disorder in children. In addition, stress can trigger sensory processing disorder symptoms. So, it’s important to learn how to manage stress at school and home while reducing the sensory processing disorder symptoms.
How can holistic therapy help sensory processing disorder?
With that said, sensory processing disorder may never completely disappear. In adulthood, a person may gain self-awareness from working with a therapist in childhood. From self-reflection, an adult with sensory processing disorder can build a life that is accommodating. An adult with sensory processing disorder can find themselves with more control in adult years to construct a life that supports them. For instance, adults may find a boss who is loud is triggering, so they find another job.
To begin, click the button below to schedule a phone consult for creative therapy to help sensory processing disorder.
The good news is that many individuals with SPD live happy, healthy lives because they’ve learned how to manage their symptoms, stress, and lives. By learning techniques from a therapist, they can hold down regular jobs and live on their own.
Marné Amoguis
Marné Amoguis holds a B.A. in International Business from UC San Diego. She is a contributing writer at 365businesstips.com where she loves sharing her passion for digital marketing. Outside of writing, she loves traveling, playing music, and hiking.
