What Is Sensory Processing Disorder? Signs, Symptoms, and How Occupational Therapy Helps

Some children experience everyday sounds, textures, movement, lights, smells, or other sensations more intensely or less noticeably than other children. Others may actively seek movement, pressure, touch, or other forms of sensory input.

These differences are often described as sensory processing challenges. When they interfere with everyday activities such as dressing, eating, grooming, playing, learning, or participating in family routines, families may consider professional support.

At Second Nature Family, families can access services designed to support neurodivergent children and their individual developmental and everyday needs.

Sensory processing describes how the nervous system receives, interprets, and responds to information from the body and the environment. Throughout the day, a child needs to process many different sensations, including:

• Sounds in a classroom or busy room

• Clothing touching the skin

• Movement while running, climbing, or swinging

• Body position while sitting or playing

• Food tastes, smells, and textures

• Bright lights and visual activity

• Internal sensations such as hunger, thirst, or needing the bathroom

The term sensory processing disorder (SPD) is commonly used when sensory differences significantly affect everyday functioning. However, SPD is not universally recognized as a standalone medical diagnosis. A longstanding American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement recommends considering other developmental and behavioural conditions when significant sensory symptoms are present rather than assuming SPD is a separate diagnosis. For families, the practical question is often not simply whether a child has a particular label, but:

How are sensory differences affecting the child's ability to participate in everyday life?

The signs of sensory processing disorder in a child can look very different from one child to another. Sensory responses are often described in three broad ways:

• Over responsive to sensory input

• Under responsive to sensory input

• Sensory seeking

A child may show features from more than one group.

Signs of Sensory Over Responsivity

A child who is particularly sensitive to sensory input may:

• Cover their ears around everyday sounds

• Become overwhelmed in noisy or crowded environments

• Avoid particular fabrics, tags, or seams

• Dislike haircuts, nail trimming, or toothbrushing

• Avoid messy play

• Strongly resist certain food textures

• Become uncomfortable around bright lights

• Avoid swings, climbing, or unexpected movement

• React strongly when several sensations happen at once

These responses should not automatically be viewed as misbehaviour. A child may genuinely experience the environment differently from the people around them.

Signs of Sensory Under Responsivity

Some children may respond less noticeably to sensory information. Possible signs include:

• Taking longer to react to sensory input

• Appearing unaware of messy hands or faces

• Seeming less aware of some touch sensations

• Needing stronger input before responding

• Appearing unusually passive during certain activities

• Having difficulty recognizing some internal body signals

Sensory responses can overlap with hearing, vision, attention, medical, developmental, or behavioural concerns, so individual assessment is important.

Signs of Sensory Seeking Behaviour

A sensory seeking child may actively look for stronger sensory experiences. They may:

• Jump, spin, climb, or run frequently

• Crash into cushions or furniture

• Seek firm hugs or pressure

• Touch objects constantly

• Chew clothing, pencils, or other items

• Enjoy strong swinging or movement

• Seek rough and tumble play

• Use more force than expected during some activities

• Find remaining seated difficult

Sensory seeking behaviour alone does not establish a sensory processing condition. Professionals consider the behaviour alongside the child's development, environment, needs, and daily functioning.

Recognizing sensory processing disorder in toddlers can be challenging because toddlers naturally develop strong preferences and may have intense emotional reactions. It may be helpful to seek professional guidance when sensory reactions are persistent, unusually intense, occur across multiple situations, or regularly interfere with daily routines.

Possible signs may include a toddler who:

• Becomes highly distressed by certain everyday sounds

• Strongly resists particular clothing

• Avoids sand, grass, paint, or sticky textures

• Struggles with hair washing or toothbrushing

• Frequently seeks jumping, spinning, or crashing

• Has strong reactions to food textures

• Avoids certain playground equipment

• Becomes overwhelmed in busy environments

• Has difficulty participating in everyday grooming routines

One behaviour by itself usually tells us very little. Professionals look for patterns and functional impact rather than relying on a single symptom.

Sensory processing involves more than sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Several sensory systems contribute to how children understand their bodies and environments.

Touch

The tactile system processes information from the skin, including:

• Texture

• Pressure

• Temperature

• Light touch

• Firm touch

A child may avoid particular clothing or messy activities, while another may frequently seek tactile input.

Sound

The auditory system processes sound. Everyday experiences such as:

• Hand dryers

• Vacuum cleaners

• School bells

• Crowded rooms

• Loud appliances

may be particularly difficult for some children.

Sight

The visual system processes information received through the eyes. Some children may find environments with bright lights, visual clutter, fast movement, or many competing visual elements difficult to navigate.

Taste and Smell

Taste and smell contribute significantly to eating and a child's response to different environments. Strong sensitivities to particular tastes, smells, temperatures, or textures may affect mealtime participation.

Vestibular Sense

The vestibular system provides information about movement and balance. A child may strongly seek:

• Spinning

• Swinging

• Jumping

• Climbing

Another child may avoid similar activities because movement feels uncomfortable or unpredictable.

Proprioception

Proprioception provides information from muscles and joints about body position and movement. Children seeking proprioceptive input may enjoy activities such as:

• Pushing

• Pulling

• Carrying

• Climbing

• Jumping

• Firm pressure

Interoception

Interoception involves recognizing signals from inside the body, including:

• Hunger

• Thirst

• Body temperature

• Tiredness

• Heart rate

• Needing the bathroom

Differences in recognizing these sensations may affect daily routines and self regulation.

Sensory differences become particularly important when they make meaningful everyday activities more difficult. A child may experience challenges with:

Dressing

Certain fabrics, seams, socks, shoes, or clothing tags may feel uncomfortable.

Grooming

Haircuts, hair brushing, bathing, nail trimming, and toothbrushing can combine several types of sensory input.

Eating

Smell, taste, appearance, temperature, and texture can all influence a child's response to food.

School

A classroom can involve competing sounds, visual information, movement, touch, and social demands.

Play

Some children avoid movement or tactile activities, while others seek so much sensory input that participating in structured play can be challenging.

Community Activities

Shopping centres, restaurants, birthday parties, sports events, and other busy environments may involve large amounts of sensory input at the same time. Understanding where sensory differences interfere with participation helps professionals and families identify meaningful goals.

No. Children may become upset for many reasons, including:

• Hunger

• Fatigue

• Frustration

• Communication difficulties

• Anxiety

• Unexpected changes

• Emotional demands

• Developmental factors

• Sensory overload

For some children, sensory overload may contribute to distress when the amount or intensity of sensory information becomes difficult to manage. For example, a busy environment may combine:

loud conversations + bright lighting + unexpected touch + movement + unfamiliar smells

Looking at patterns can help parents better understand what may be contributing. Consider:

• Where did the reaction occur?

• What happened immediately beforehand?

• Was the environment particularly noisy or busy?

• Were certain textures or movements involved?

• Does the same pattern happen repeatedly?

• What seems to help the child recover or regulate?

These observations can also be useful during an occupational therapy assessment.

There is no single established cause of sensory processing difficulties.

Sensory differences may also be seen alongside other developmental or behavioural conditions, including autism, ADHD, developmental coordination difficulties, and anxiety related concerns. The American Academy of Pediatrics has therefore recommended considering broader developmental and behavioural factors when significant sensory symptoms are present.

A child should not be assumed to have a specific condition based only on sensory behaviours. When concerns are significantly affecting everyday activities, a broader evaluation may help families understand what is contributing.

Assessment should focus on the individual child and how sensory differences influence meaningful daily activities. An occupational therapist may gather information through:

• Parent or caregiver interviews

• Developmental and functional history

• Observation during activities or play

• Information from teachers or other caregivers when relevant

• Sensory processing questionnaires or assessment tools

• Observation of motor and body awareness skills

• Discussion of routines at home and school

Areas such as dressing, eating, grooming, handwriting, play, movement, school participation, and emotional regulation may also be considered depending on the child's needs. The American Occupational Therapy Association recommends that sensory based interventions should not be provided without documented assessment of sensory processing or sensory integration difficulties.

There is no single sensory processing disorder treatment that is appropriate for every child. Support should be individualized according to factors such as:

• The child's sensory responses

• Functional challenges

• Developmental stage

• Family priorities

• School environment

• Activities the child wants or needs to participate in

• Other developmental or health considerations

Depending on the child's needs, support may involve:

• Occupational therapy

• Environmental modifications

• Caregiver education

• Strategies for daily routines

• School based accommodations or strategies

• Collaboration with other healthcare or developmental professionals

The goal should not simply be to make a child tolerate every sensory experience. Instead, intervention can focus on helping the child participate in meaningful daily activities while respecting their individual sensory needs.

Occupational therapy for sensory issues can focus on understanding how sensory processing affects the activities a child needs or wants to do every day. Occupational therapists work with everyday occupations, meaning the activities that make up daily life.

For children, these may include:

• Dressing

• Eating

• Grooming

• Playing

• Writing

• Learning

• Participating at school

• Sleeping and bedtime routines

• Community activities

• Developing independence in self care

AOTA describes occupational therapy practitioners as having a role in identifying sensory processing challenges and developing individualized interventions that support participation in activities at home, school, and in the community.

Identifying the Child's Sensory Patterns

An occupational therapist may look at:

• Which sensations the child avoids

• Which sensations they seek

• When they become overwhelmed

• Which environments are difficult

• What helps them participate

• How sensory responses affect functional activities

This information helps make intervention specific to the child rather than relying on generic sensory recommendations.

Supporting Everyday Routines

Occupational therapy may involve developing strategies for challenging parts of the day, such as:

• Getting dressed

• Getting ready for school

• Eating meals

• Completing classroom activities

• Bathing

• Going to bed

• Participating in community activities

Adapting Activities and Environments

Sometimes changing an environment or task can make participation easier. This could involve considering:

• Noise levels

• Lighting

• Visual distractions

• Seating

• Clothing

• Predictability

• Transition supports

• Opportunities for movement

• How an activity is introduced

For families, schools, or organizations considering the environment itself, Second Nature Family also provides sensory informed design services focused on spaces for different sensory and accessibility needs.

Supporting Self Regulation

Occupational therapy may help children and caregivers identify signs that the child is becoming overwhelmed and explore individualized strategies that support regulation. The goal is not to suppress a child's natural differences but to help them participate more comfortably and successfully in meaningful activities.

Sensory integration therapy is an approach that uses structured sensory and movement experiences as part of therapeutic activities. Ayres Sensory Integration, often referred to as ASI, is a specific occupational therapy approach based on comprehensive assessment and individualized intervention.

Activities may involve experiences related to:

• Movement

• Balance

• Touch

• Body awareness

• Motor planning

• Play

It is important to distinguish structured sensory integration intervention from simply giving a child sensory activities. AOTA describes sensory integration practice as individualized and assessment based, with occupational participation as an important consideration. Not every child with sensory differences requires sensory integration therapy, and the appropriate intervention depends on assessment findings and functional goals.

Haircuts can be particularly challenging for children with sensory sensitivities because several sensations happen simultaneously. A haircut may involve:

• Touch around the face, ears, and scalp

• The sound or vibration of clippers

• Loose hair touching the skin

• Wearing a cape

• Sitting in an unfamiliar chair

• Changes in routine

• Being close to another person

For children who find traditional haircut environments difficult, families can explore Sensory Scissors sensory friendly haircuts, which is one of Second Nature Family's sensory focused wellness services. The service page describes individualized supports such as breaks, visual preparation, quieter tools, and adapting sessions according to the child's needs.

Parents do not need to create a complicated sensory program without professional guidance. A useful first step is simply observing patterns.

Keep track of:

• Situations the child finds difficult

• Sounds, textures, movements, or environments associated with distress

• Activities the child repeatedly seeks

• Times of day when challenges are more frequent

• Strategies that seem to help

• Activities being avoided

• Effects on sleep, eating, grooming, school, play, or family routines

This information can help an occupational therapist better understand the child's everyday experiences. Avoid assuming that a popular sensory strategy will work for every child. Sensory supports should be matched to individual needs.

Families may consider an occupational therapy assessment when sensory challenges regularly interfere with a child's participation in everyday activities. For example, a child may have persistent difficulty with:

• Dressing

• Grooming

• Eating

• Sleeping

• Playing

• Attending school

• Participating in classroom activities

• Visiting public places

• Family routines

• Transitions between activities

• Developing age appropriate independence

An occupational therapist can assess the functional impact of these challenges and help determine whether occupational therapy strategies may be appropriate.

If concerns also involve communication, feeding, hearing, vision, mental health, development, or other areas, assessment by other relevant professionals may also be recommended.