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Sensory Processing Disorder is a neurological disorder causing difficulties with processing information from the five classic senses (vision, auditory, touch, olfaction, and taste), the sense of movement (vestibular system), and/or the positional sense (proprioception). For those with SPD or SID, sensory information is sensed normally, but perceived abnormally. This is not the same as blindness or deafness, because, unlike those disorders, sensory information is sensed, but the information tends to be analyzed by the brain in an unusual way that may cause distress or confusion. SPD can be a disorder on its own, but it can also be a characteristic of other neurological conditions, including autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit disorder, dyslexia, Developmental Dyspraxia, Tourette's Syndrome, multiple sclerosis, and speech delays, among many others. How Does an Adult or Adolescent Know if He or She has Sensory Integration Dysfunction? If you or an adult acquaintance answer yes to several of the following questions, a sensory integration based occupational therapy evaluation may be beneficial. Rate on a scale of 0-5 ("0" being NEVER, "5" being ALWAYS). ___Difficulties with balance, becomes disoriented and/or fearful on elevators or escalators. ___Fatigues easily; tends to lean on arms or slump at desk. ___Accident-prone, clumsy or awkward in daily activities. ___Dislikes crowds or accidental jostling in public situations (standing in line at the movie theater or shopping in store aisles). ___Low tolerance for approach from behind or unexpected touch. ___Difficulty in maintaining intimate relationships, difficulty with physical closeness. ___Disorganized in work or home activities. ___Difficulty following several step instructions for motor tasks. ___Difficulty with driving, parking, shifting gears or entering freeways. ___Poor self-esteem, lack of confidence. ___Difficulty focusing attention or over-focused and unable to shift to next task. ___Bothered by clothes; certain materials, tags, seams, pantyhose, ties, belts, turtlenecks, have to wear shorts, skirts, or pants exclusively. ___Have to fidget and "fiddle" with things all the time; change in your pocket, your keys, a pen/pencil, paper clip, rubber band, ANYTHING within reach ___Will often rock or sway body back and forth while seated or standing still ___Restless when sitting through a lecture, presentation, or movie ___Constantly chews on ends of pens and pencils ___Smokes cigarettes ___Frequently shake your leg while sitting or falling asleep ___Has an "endless" supply of air fresheners, scented candles, odor masking sprays, etc. ___Avoids crowds and plans errands at times when there will be fewer people ___Substance abuse ___Drinks excessive amounts of coffee or caffeinated beverages ___Notice and bothered by noises other people do not seem bothered by... clocks, refrigerators, fans, people talking, outdoor construction, etc. ___Easily distracted by auditory or visual stimuli ___Fearful of heights ___Difficulty remembering or understanding what is said to you ___Sensitive, or over reacts, to sirens, dogs barking, vaccuum cleaners, blenders, or other sudden/loud sounds ___Bumps into things frequently ___Often pushes too hard on objects, accidentally breaking them ___Difficulty judging how much pressure to apply when doing tasks or picking something up ___Numbers and letters often reversed or backwards ___Clumsy, uncoordinated, and accident prone ___Difficulty with fine motor tasks such as buttoning, zipping, tying, knitting, sewing, playing games with small parts, closing zip loc bags ___Difficulty with handwriting; hard to read, takes a long time to write ___Easily fatigued with physical tasks ___Hums or vocalizes while concentrating on a task ___Difficulty lining up numbers correctly for math problems and/or balancing a checkbook ___Dislikes changes in plans or routines, needs structure ___May be described as "stubborn", "defiant", or "uncooperative" ___Cries easily, over things others usually don't, very "emotional" and "sensitive" ___Can't seem to finish anything ___Difficulty making decisions ___Rigid and controlling ___Prefers solitary activities, avoids groups ___Impatient and/or impulsive ___Difficulty with social cues and non verbal language ___Difficulty with authority figures ___Strong feelings of anger or rage ___Easily frustrated ___OCD-type qualities; can't let foods touch each other on your plate, have to wear clothes a certain way, ___Distractable and unorganized ___Over or under sensitivity to the sensation of hunger/appetite |
Adults
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