If your child is living with sensory processing disorder (SPD), you may wonder what kinds of treatments may be available to help them. Pediatric occupational therapy (OT) is one important type of therapy that may help your child thrive in school and in their everyday life. 

If you’re looking into OT for SPD, we can help you understand what this therapy involves, how it helps your child, and how you can get started.

In this guide, we break down:

• What sensory processing disorder (SPD) is

• The most common symptoms of SPD

• How pediatric occupational therapy (OT) may help SPD

• What types of treatments OTs may use for SPD

• What to expect at OT sessions for SPD

• How OT treatment may change or develop over time

• How to get started with OT for SPD

What is sensory processing disorder? 

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), sensory processing disorder (SPD) is when someone’s ability to process sensory information (stimuli from the world) is affected in some way. This sensory information comes from your movement and from your senses, and it includes things that you taste, touch, see, hear, and smell. 

Children with SPD may have a hard time processing and organizing sensory input to create an appropriate response, says Lindsey Wood, MOT, OTR/L, and founder and CEO of Eat. Play. Love. Occupational Therapy Inc. A child may be hypersensitive (overreactive) or hyposensitive (underreactive) to stimuli, and a child’s sensory systems may be both as well—they may be overreactive in one aspect and underreactive in another. 

Sensory processing disorder isn’t yet considered an official medical diagnosis. Instead, it’s a condition that’s often correlated with other conditions. 

Bindi Gudhka, MA, OTR/L, SWC, and founder of Play Connections, says SPD may be partnered with: 

• Conditions on the neurodivergent spectrum, such as autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and dyspraxia (developmental coordination disorder)

• Learning difficulties

• Anxiety

• Down syndrome

• Certain genetic disorders

Symptoms of sensory processing disorder

Sensory processing disorder symptoms vary by child and by whether they’re overreactive and/or underreactive to stimuli.

For children who may be overreactive to stimuli, Wood says some behaviors may include things like:

• Covering their ears if they hear a loud sound

• Not liking wearing clothes because they can’t stand the feeling of the clothing, tags, or seams on their body

• Avoiding messy play at home or school (such as finger painting, sensory bins, or sandbox play)

• Avoiding walking barefoot on grass

The AAFP adds that children who are overreactive to stimuli may also think that: 

• Lights are too bright

• Soft touch feels too hard (such as if someone taps them lightly on the shoulder but their body registers it as something much harder)

• Certain textures of food make them gag

They may also appear clumsy or struggle with their balance.

On the other hand, when it comes to children who may need more input to feel regulated (those who are underreactive), Wood says that these “sensory seekers” may pursue a lot of movement to feel more regulated and include behaviors like: 

• Crashing into things

• Chewing on their clothing

• Fidgeting constantly 

As children grow and develop past babyhood, these types of behaviors may become more apparent to parents, care partners, and teachers. Gudhka says in general she sees that children start pediatric OT for help with SPD between the ages of 2 and 7, but that sensory-based OT could still benefit kids well into their early teens and adulthood.

How pediatric occupational therapy may help SPD

Gudhka says pediatric OT may help a child work on building their sensory systems and learn how to integrate them into their central nervous system so they’re more able to regulate their body and their emotions. 

A pediatric occupational therapist doesn’t diagnose SPD. Instead, they work on the underlying skills that a child could improve through play and movement exercises. Pediatric OT sessions help strengthen a child’s sensory systems, which can help them learn to feel calmer and more regulated. By feeling more regulated, a child may more easily participate and enjoy their daily activities of playing, learning, and taking care of themselves.

Types of treatments pediatric OTs may use for SPD

“The goal and the function is always to be able to participate in their day to day,” Gudhka says. To help a child living with SPD, she says pediatric OT may include elements of:

• Desensitization: A child may be exposed to different sensations and stimuli over time (for example, they may walk across different textures or play with sensory bins that have wet, sticky, or dry elements in them) to help build up their tolerance of different textures.

• Habituation: Working on a routine or pattern in pediatric OT helps a child get used to stimuli and helps their body develop the neurons and receptors needed for the sensory input to be more tolerable to them. For example, over time, habituation may help a child more easily go through the steps of a morning routine and transition easier from one step to the next.

• Executive functioning: Working on these skills helps a child better organize their thoughts and have a more appropriate response to sensory input. These skills help them respond to stimuli in a more regulated way.

• Identifying environmental differences: A pediatric OT may work with a child’s parents, care partners, and/or teachers to help them understand how a particular environment (like home or school) may be overwhelming or underwhelming to a child and how it may be modified or improved for their needs. The Cleveland Clinic notes that some modifications may include things like allowing a child to use noise-canceling headphones while working or letting them take designated breaks for sensory-based movement like a walk or time on the playground for swinging.

What to expect at your child’s first pediatric OT session for SPD

The first step to starting pediatric OT for SPD is an evaluation. Gudhka says evaluating a child for a sensory processing disorder at that first session helps a pediatric OT identify what underlying sensory systems are impacted most so they can work on building those systems over time. Pediatric OT aims to help a child to better regulate their body and their emotions when it comes to their sensory input responses.

Gudhka says different pediatric OTs may evaluate in different ways, but some elements may include:

• Collecting information from parents and/or teachers by talking to them or having them fill out questionnaires 

• Observing a child in their home, daycare, or school setting via a site visit

• Using clinical observations and standardized assessments to evaluate a child’s skills or abilities

After an evaluation, a customized care plan is created and short-term and long-term goals are established. Your child’s pediatric OT will monitor their progress over time and see if they’re moving toward and meeting the outlined goals.

The ultimate goal of pediatric occupational therapy is to help a child be able to fully function and participate in their daily activities using the tools they’ve learned from OT.

Though the timeline for reaching goals will vary by child because every child’s care plan is personalized to their unique needs and abilities, Wood says in general children typically go to pediatric OT once a week for 3 to 6 months. 

Ongoing pediatric OT treatment for SPD

With ongoing pediatric OT treatment for SPD, Gudhka says some long-term goals may include:

• Increasing participation and engagement: Can they increase their length of attention in school and play?

• Regulation: Are they able to tolerate sensory input in a more regulated way? Are they able to wear a shirt for longer or wait their turn for a toy? Are they able to follow a routine more easily?

• Impulse control: Are they not as impulsive as before? Can they wait? Can they take turns with others?

• Motor skill improvements: Are their motor skills growing and developing in a measurable way? 

• Building self-confidence and self-esteem: How have these elements been improved as they’re working on their skills and regulation?

Of course, parents also play a key role in maximizing the skills their child learns at their pediatric occupational therapy sessions. “Parent involvement is so important because [pediatric OTs] are only with a child typically once a week, and they’re with their child 24/7,” Wood says. “So to get that carryover, it’s so important for the parent to understand what we’re doing and why we’re doing it, so they can do it as well when we’re not there.” 

Parent feedback also helps a child’s pediatric OT measure progress and changes over time. By noticing if a child is having an easier transition from one activity to the next, having smoother mornings getting ready for school, sitting longer for meal times, or finding it easier to get dressed or follow a self-care routine, parents can provide valuable feedback for tracking progress.

How to get started with pediatric OT for SPD

If your child is living with sensory processing disorder and could use some additional support from a pediatric occupational therapist, Village can help you find and coordinate the support your child needs. 

Book a free consultation to see how Village can help you match with the best health care provider for your child.

References:

• Interview: Lindsey Wood, MOT, OTR/L, and founder and CEO of Eat. Play. Love. Occupational Therapy Inc.

• Interview: Bindi Gudhka, MA, OTR/L, SWC, and founder of Play Connections.

• The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)’s Familydoctor.org. Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD).

• Cleveland Clinic. Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD).