Well, this post proved difficult to write. Why? Because I've only been able to find a few good definitions of SPD. I guess this speaks to the fact that SPD is still a relatively unknown condition, that there's more to be discovered about SPD, and that it is a tricky condition to define!
The Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) Foundation provides this helpful description:
"Sensory processing... is a term that refers to the way the nervous system receives messages from the senses and turns them into appropriate motor and behavioral responses. Whether you are biting into a hamburger, riding a bicycle, or reading a book, your successful completion of the activity requires processing sensation or "sensory integration."
SPD "...is a condition that exists when sensory signals do not get organized into appropriate responses. A person with SPD finds it difficult to process and act upon information received through the senses, which creates challenges in performing countless everyday tasks. Motor clumsiness, behavioral problems, anxiety, depression, school failure, and other issues may arise if the disorder is not treated effectively."
Here's how SPD feels to me:
It feels like the "wires" in my brain are crossed when it comes to certain things, like sights and sounds. For example, when I hear someone breathing, my brain thinks something is hurting me. Now... I know that can't be right, but my brain thinks it anyway!
It's not just sounds; my brain has "the wrong idea" about sights, tastes, the way things feel, and all sorts of other things! For example, someone else might think a certain type of fabric feels nice and soft, but to me it feels scratchy and painful, so painful that it would bring me to tears when I was a child.
It can be exhausting, frustrating, disheartening, and confusing. In my childhood years, when my brain was having an extra hard time trying to understand thing, I threw enormous temper tantrums as a way of coping; I always felt ashamed after a temper tantrum. Sometimes I could get through a day okay, but other times, it felt like it was all just too much for my brain and body to deal with.
What does it feel like to you, to your child, or to someone else that you care about? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
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