SPD Sensory Processing Disorder: What It Is, and What Helps

If your child explodes at a sudden noise, gags at certain textures, or can’t tolerate socks, you likely know all too well how hard it can be to get them the right help and support. Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) can make everyday sensory stimuli feel like a blaring alarm, or, on the other hand, feel so faint that your child constantly seeks more because the nervous system processes these inputs differently.

Sound, touch, movement, lights, smells and textures can all trigger big reactions or sensory seeking.

I’m Dr Lucy Russell, a clinical psychologist with 20+ years’ experience supporting children and families, and specialising in autism. Let’s look at a practical plan to make daily life happier and more settled for your child.

What is Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and what it can look like day to day

What is Sensory Processing Disorder? Put simply, it’s when your child’s brain has trouble sorting and organising sensory information. It’s like a busy post room where the letters arrive, but the sorting system jams. As a result, your child may react strongly due to hypersensitivity, miss signals from hyposensitivity (like hunger or thirst), or chase extra input.

For many families, this has a very real impact on day-to-day life. Your child might refuse a friend’s birthday party before they’ve even got there, certain that the noise and chaos will be too much to bear, and the whole family reshapes their plans around what feels manageable. Siblings miss out, parents walk on eggshells, and when it all becomes too much, the meltdowns that follow can leave everyone feeling exhausted and defeated by this sensory stress.

You might notice:

• Clothes feel “wrong” (seams, tags, tight waistbands), or your child refuses certain shoes.
• Toothbrushing, hair washing, and nail cutting trigger panic or rage.
• School assemblies are unbearable, PE too chaotic, and and the lunch hall is an overwhelming assault of noise and unfamiliar smells.
• Bedtime drags on because their body can’t settle, or they need specific sensory activities to help them switch into sleep-mode.
• Food textures cause gagging, or eating becomes very narrow and rule-bound.

It’s important to mention that sensory differences often include interoception – the sense of internal body signals like hunger, thirst, being hot or cold, being sleepy, and physical aspects of feelings such as worry.

Sensory Processing Disorder itself is not currently an official medical diagnosis in the DSM-5 (the main formal diagnostic manual that professionals use). Sensory issues are mentioned as one of the symptoms of autism, rather than as a condition in their own right.

Sensory differences are recognised, common, and very real however. If you’re weighing up what’s sensory and what’s behaviour, my article about sensory overload vs behaviour can help you make sense of what you’re seeing.

Sensory overload versus sensory seeking, how they can both drive behaviour

Overload often triggers the fight, flight, or freeze response. That can result in meltdowns, shutdowns, bolting, arguing, or hiding. Sensory seeking can look like crashing into things, chewing, pacing, spinning, or constant talking.

Behaviour is often a message: “too much” input, or “not enough”.

Your job is to be a detective!

How SPD connects with autism and ADHD

Autism spectrum disorder and sensory processing disorder often overlap. Sensory differences are part of autism for many children, and they can shape eating, sleep, friendships, and school tolerance.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and sensory processing disorder can also overlap. Under-responsivity and sensory seeking are often interlinked with hyperactivity, risk-taking, or “not listening”.

If your child is sensitive to sensory input, anxiety can amplify everything. When your child is stressed or anxious, their tolerance drops and ordinary sensations can push them over the edge. For example, having a haircut might have been fine last time, but this time it isn’t because your child is exhausted from coping with school sports’ day and meeting their new teacher for next year.

Quick signs it is worth getting extra support

If sensory issues cause daily distress, school avoidance, unsafe fleeing, self-injury, intense food restriction, or sleep disruption, it’s time to seek help. If family life is dominated by sensory battles, don’t wait for a crisis. You’re allowed to ask for support early.

Talk with school (SENDCo in the UK, or your school’s special education team if you’re an international reader). Book a GP appointment (or paediatrician). Ask about an occupational therapy assessment, because OT support is often central to helping your child thrive.

It’s important to have an assessment early on from a qualified professional such as a child clinical psychologist, who takes into account all your child’s strengths and needs, and sees the whole picture. Understanding everything that might be going on, whether that’s sleep, anxiety, autism, or ADHD, means you can make better decisions about what to do next.

Sensory Processing Disorder: emotion and behaviour management and helping your child thrive

With sensory processing disorder, emotion and behaviour management starts with understanding the what’s triggering distress, and making environmental accommodations.

At home and school, you can lower noise and harsh lighting, build predictable routines, and give sensory breaks where needed (for example, the opportunity to leave the classroom and go to a quiet space or have a movement break to regulate the senses).

Many children with oversensitivity to touch (tactile defensiveness) do better with a calm corner, planned sensory breaks, ear defenders, sunglasses, or and comfortable clothing.

Deep pressure and “heavy work” (carrying, pushing, wall presses) can provide sensory input that stimulates the vestibular system and proprioception to improve body awareness, while also supporting fine motor skills, gross motor skills, and motor planning for some children.

For known tough events (parties, supermarkets, haircuts), plan ahead. Rest before and after, arrive early, leave early, bring a small sensory kit, agree an exit plan, and assign a clear “safe person” role.

Co-regulation – when an adult’s calm presence helps a child regulate their own emotions – is vital too. Keep your voice steady, relax your muscles and your breathing. Track patterns like time of day, hunger, and tiredness. Most importantly, never force your child to stay in a sensory-overwhelming situation.

Treatment for SPD

Treatment tends to focus on supporting the nervous system, for example through sensory integration therapy and a sensory diet, rather than pushing through discomfort. These approaches help children manage the activities of daily living in a way that doesn’t overwhelm them.

There’s mixed evidence for gradual desensitisation (CBT), and it must be handled carefully. Avoid “flooding” (forcing exposure), as it can backfire and increase fear.

Here’s an example of gradual desensitisation for sensory processing disorder. A child who gags at lumpy foods might start by simply having the food on the table in front of them, then touching it with a utensil, then their fingertip, and eventually, over many sessions, bringing it close to their lips. Each step only happens when the child feels ready, and there is never any pressure to move on.

A skilled OT should lead the treatment, sometimes alongside a clinical psychologist.

Conclusion

Sensory Processing Disorder, which is sometimes referred to as sensory integration dysfunction, is common alongside autism and ADHD, and stress lowers your child’s tolerance to their sensory triggers.

When you reduce sensory load and work on coping skills and environmental adaptations, your child will begin to thrive. Progress is usually gradual, and it’s rarely a straight line. Keep sharing what you learn with every adult around your child, because consistent understanding is one of the strongest predictors of a happy and settled child.

Dr Lucy Russell is a UK clinical psychologist and Clinical Director of Everlief Child Psychology. She qualified as a clinical psychologist from Oxford University in 2005 and worked in the National Health Service for many years before moving fully into her leadership and writing roles.

In 2019 Lucy launched They Are The Future, a support website for parents of school-aged children. Through TATF Lucy is passionate about giving practical, manageable strategies to parents and children who may otherwise struggle to find the support they need.

Lucy lives with her family, rescue cats and dog, and also fosters cats through a local animal welfare charity. She loves singing in a vocal harmony group and spending time in nature.