Sensory Regulation Disorder symptoms vary depending on the person’s senses and how they react to various stimuli. Someone who is over-responsive to certain noises, textures and smells can become overwhelmed and unable to focus or participate in activities. Another person who is under-responsive can find the same sounds or textures painful or uncomfortable.
Some of the most common Sensory Regulation Disorder symptoms are:
Increased sensitivity to touch, sound or movement (e.g. a person cannot tolerate a leaf blower in the background or a sudden touch. They may scream when touched or recoil from certain food textures).
Reduced ability to regulate sensory input; they seem easily distracted and have poor attention, concentration or memory. They can be easily frustrated or overly compliant and are likely to have emotional reactions, temper outbursts and impulsive behaviour.
Overly sensitive to environmental factors; they find loud sounds, crowded places, and uncomfortable clothing, among other things, extremely painful or triggering. They may also have difficulties with regulating their emotions and becoming anxious or depressed.
Inability to adapt to changes in the environment; they are often resistant to change and need time to adjust to new environments. They are also likely to have problems with social skills and may need help interacting with others.
Difficulties with motor coordination and balance; they often fall and have an unsteady gait. They are also likely to have problems with handwriting and are clumsy or accident prone.
Restricting of eating habits; they appear to have a picky diet and may be late to eat solid foods. They may also have difficulty with planning or organising their own activities and have difficulties joining in.
A child with SPD will often be very receptive to a particular treatment that focuses on retraining the brain’s response to different sensory input. This can include working with an occupational therapist on activities that retrain the senses without overwhelming them or linking stimulation to feelings of failure. Over time, these learned responses can be transferred to the child’s home, school and community life.
Occupational therapy can be used to teach children how to control their behavior and emotions as well as retrain the brain to process stimuli more efficiently. This can lead to a reduction in the occurrence of tantrums, meltdowns and other difficult behaviors.
It can also help improve the child’s ability to focus and pay attention in class. This can be done through an intervention called desensitization, which involves gradually exposing the child to sensory triggers for a short period of time at a time until they are no longer overly receptive.
Helping to develop better social skills is another important part of the treatment process. This can be accomplished through the use of strategies like introducing new games or activities to a child’s daily routine.
Sensory integration exercises, often referred to as OT-SI, are a common form of therapy that helps people with sensory processing disorders learn how to respond to different stimuli. These exercises can be conducted by a therapist in a controlled setting or as part of the child’s daily routine at home or at school.
