Empowering Kids with Sensory Processing Disorder to Live Their Best Lives

Sensory Processing Disorder is a common form of atypical neurological development in which sensory inputs are not efficiently processed and integrated in the brain, leading to a state of neurological dysregulation that may interfere with learning and social-emotional activities. This includes not only the “5 senses” we are taught about at school, but also senses that inform the brain about how one’s body is moving through space (vestibular and proprioceptive inputs).

Sensory Processing Disorder is believed to be particularly common among intellectually-gifted and “ twice exceptional” kids.

“Sensory Kids” are sometimes described as being out of step with their peers in one way or another. They may appear disorganized or struggle to follow multi-step directions, leading them to commonly be diagnosed with ADHD and other executive function disorders. They may be shy, avoid crowded spaces and startle easily to touch or loud noises. They may constantly seem to be jumping off of things, twirling around or hanging upside down. They may refuse to eat foods that have a particular texture, insist on only wearing certain kinds of clothes. And one child can be all those things at once!

Sensory Processing Disorder is diagnosed by occupational therapists who have expertise in sensory processing, based on a series of standardized assessments, parent questionnaires and clinical observation.

Sensory processing disorder can affect children in very different ways, depending on the number and type of input affected and the severity of its dysregulating effect. These complexities are compounded by the fact that many children are over sensitive to some inputs while they are under sensitive to others.

For many children with sensory processing disorder, simply being in a large classroom will lead to a sensory overload that may derail their ability to access their cognitive skills. This may lead them either to shut down or to become easily frustrated and overwhelmed by tasks that would not challenge them in a calmer environment. They may become “hung up” on small details like the texture of a paper, or completely overwhelmed by the buzzing of overhead lights that is barely perceptible to other children and teachers in the room.

On the other side, children who are under-sensitive to particular sensory inputs may find themselves constantly out of step with classroom expectations that they “sit still and listen”—an expectation that only increases as they progress through the school curriculum. They may require movement and hands-on learning in order to organize their bodies and regulate their brains. Research indicates that this is a powerful learning modality for all students; for students with sensory processing disorder it may be essential.

The social impacts of sensory processing disorder can be just as varied as are the academic ones. Children who are easily overwhelmed by sensory input may be overwhelmed simply by the close proximity of classmates, and many develop social anxieties.

Meanwhile, children who crave sensory inputs often find themselves out of step with others around them. This has deep neurological roots, as we all rely on our own somatosensory experiences to interpret the behaviors of others. Thus, for a student who is always soothed by noises, large crashes or other inputs that most find “annoying,” social learning can be complicated by the need to translate between their experiences and those of their typically-developing peers.

Yes! Like any other neurocognitive process, a child’s brain can be “rewired” to improve its capacity to integrate sensory information, through the process of neuroplasticity. This is an activity-driven process that requires consistent, frequent activities calling upon the child to integrate the targeted type of input in a scaffolded way, increasing the neural pathways in the child’s brain that are required to do so. Over time, this becomes a toolbox that allows them to be independently successful in a wider range of academic and social settings.

These therapies are integrated into the Cajal Academy program through our Body-Informed Learning, which has proven successful at accelerating this process and reducing sensory processing disorder’s impact on academic learning even for students who are severely impacted by their sensory processing disorder.

Many students identified in mainstream educational settings as having sensory processing disorder may receive 20-30 minute pull-out breaks in which they do a series of activities with an occupational therapist to help re-regulate their bodies so they can return to the classroom and resume learning activities. These sensory regulation breaks can be invaluable for kids with SPD, however they must be tailored to the child’s needs at that particular time in order to be effective. This is because different sensory inputs trigger different neurochemical releases in the brain, so it’s important to monitor the child’s current state and adjust the strategies accordingly.

Sensory integration therapy works on similar principles, however the goal is not only to provide soothing inputs to the child but to increase their ability to process sensory inputs that they find pleasing as well as those that may dysregulate them. This is a carefully-scaffolded process that requires additional training and expertise in how to medically increase the child’s capacity to integrate inputs from the environment around them.