What is sensory processing disorder?

What it means

Sensory processing disorder describes difficulty taking in and responding to everyday sensory input: sound, light, touch, movement. In the UK it is not a standalone diagnosis; it is usually a feature of autism or ADHD. Sensory processing is the largely unconscious way the brain takes in information from the world and the body and makes sense of it. As well as the familiar senses (hearing, sight, touch, taste and smell), it covers three internal ones: balance and movement (vestibular), body position (proprioception) and internal body signals such as hunger or needing the toilet (interoception).

The two patterns parents notice

Most children whose sensory processing works differently fall into one or both of these patterns, which can vary by sense and by day:

• Over-responsive (hypersensitive). Easily overwhelmed by input. Covering ears at noise, refusing certain clothing labels or food textures, distress in busy or bright places.
• Under-responsive (hyposensitive). Seeking input, or not registering much of it. Constantly on the move, crashing into things, chewing, or seeming not to notice pain, cold or a full bladder.

Is it a real diagnosis in the UK?

This is the part most pages bury, so here it is plainly. Sensory processing ‘disorder’ is not a separate condition you can be diagnosed with in the UK. It does not appear in either of the two diagnostic manuals clinicians here use, ICD-11 and DSM-5. Instead, sensory over- and under-reactivity is a recognised feature of autism, and sensory differences also commonly sit alongside ADHD, dyspraxia (also called developmental coordination disorder, or DCD), learning disabilities, and sometimes after a brain injury or stroke. That is why NHS occupational therapy services deliberately talk about sensory processing differences, ‘sensory difficulties’ or ‘sensory needs’ rather than a ‘disorder’. The Berkshire Healthcare NHS service states that SPD is not a standalone diagnosable condition, and NELFT frames it the same way.

Why the label matters for getting help

Because SPD is not separately diagnosable, you cannot be referred for an ‘SPD assessment’ as such, and you do not need an SPD label to get support. Your child’s sensory needs are usually assessed and supported by a children’s occupational therapist (OT), with referrals typically through your GP, health visitor, school SENCO (the teacher who coordinates special educational needs) or a community paediatric or CAMHS pathway. Support focuses on adapting the task or the environment and helping your child self-regulate, rather than on a cure. Sensory needs can be written into SEN Support at school or into an EHCP regardless of whether your child has any formal diagnosis. If significant sensory differences are part of a wider picture, an OT may also suggest looking at an autism or ADHD assessment in parallel, since the two often go together.

This page is general information, not clinical or legal advice.