Sensory Processing Disorder In Adults With Autism
Every person needs to integrate the signals that we receive through our senses to do daily activities. However, for people with Asperger’s Syndrome this is difficult because of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD).
For those of you that are unfamiliar with SPD, here is an explanation from the SPD Foundation:
“Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD, formerly known as “sensory integration dysfunction”) is a condition that exists when sensory signals don’t get organized into appropriate responses. Pioneering occupational therapist and neuroscientist A. Jean Ayres, PhD, likened SPD to a neurological “traffic jam” that prevents certain parts of the brain from receiving the information needed to interpret sensory information correctly. 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 impacts may result if the disorder is not treated effectively.”
Many adults have gone undiagnosed all their lives wondering why they have such a problem with the everyday tasks that neurotypical people seem to handle with ease. You are not alone! Most medical professionals were not trained to recognize sensory dysfunction. As a result, many people struggle with this hidden handicap and end up being ridiculed, which in turn can lead to secondary problems like social anxiety.
Each person with SPD is affected differently. Some people are hyposensitive meaning that the person is under-sensitive, which usually leads them to seek out sensory input. Whereas, other people are hypersensitive meaning that they are over-sensitive to certain stimuli. Some people have a combination of hypo- and hyper-sensitivity. For instance, a person can have a hyposensitive auditory system seeking out loud noise but be orally hypersensitive leaving them to be labeled as extremely picky eaters. People with a hypersensitive olfaction often struggle to justify why they should concern themselves with hygiene because strong smells of deodorant and hair products can be truly upsetting. There is one quote from an unknown author that has stayed with me since high school, which reads, “You only have one chance to make a first impression.” This statement is painfully true. If you meet someone smelling of body odor with your hair disheveled – this will leave a lasting impression on the person that you don’t take pride in your appearance, which usually then leads them to believe that you don’t value chabut I racteristics such as organization, cleanliness, etc.
How do you overcome this?
Due to the fact that every person is differently affected by SPD, it is important to receive occupational therapy with a sensory approach to tailor the session to your individual needs. The occupational therapist can work with you to find different calming techniques that can be used when over-stimulated or stimulating activities when your brain is craving sensation. They may even develop a “sensory diet,” which is when you schedule certain sensory activities throughout the day to help regulate your central nervous system.
Some other good suggestions to alleviate sensory triggers are:
- Use non-scented deodorant
- If the sensation of showers is bothersome, then take a bath. In order to eliminate the drastic change in temperature when exiting the tub, use a small space heater to warm the bathroom.
- Use an electric toothbrush instead of a manual.
- Try cutting or smashing small fruits (like blueberries or grapes) if you don’t like the bursting sensation in your mouth
- Buy clothes without tags.
- Try seamless socks.
- Try different kinds of sheets. Many people like the feel of the jersey sheets compared to cotton.
- In order to make brushing your hair less painful, consider wetting your hair before your brush it. Fill a spray bottle with water and a small squirt of conditioner. Shake then spray to help break up knots in your hair.
- Wear noise reduction headphones or ear plugs when sounds become overwhelming.
- Consider wearing sunglasses inside if florescent lighting is too bright for your eyes
- Compressions can be very relaxing to some people. If you have someone that you trust and know well – ask for a hug. Other people find massages helpful. Or you can try Temple Grandin’s “squeeze machine.”
Why not leave us a comment below and let us know which sensory issues you are most effected by in your life.
Category: sensory processing
My hearing is very sensitive. I’m 63 and I still “jump” at sounds that most people just take in stride. I also get very upset when a room is so noisy that I can’t understand what a person is saying to me. That’s one reason I avoid crowded areas. My vision is poor and I rely on my hearing too much to do anything to limit it, like wearing headphones. When I’m at work, work-related conversations going on around me don’t bother me, but “gossip” type conversations mess up my concentration and make me very nervous and angry.
I find your mention of hugs interesting. I recognize the value of a hug, but I don’t trust anyone enough to ask him or her for a hug. I would also not trust any machine to do it without hurting me. I have found that very forceful massage is helpful, but someone needs to know what he or she is doing in order to give that kind of massage. I’ve been massaged twice by someone who didn’t know what she was doing. The first time I ended up feeling like I was tied in knots all over. The second time I actually got a knot — the person managed to force all the tension in my neck and shoulders into one place, and it made a big knot. I’m very sensitive to touch, but I’ve learned to avoid it as much as possible.
I have been hypersensitive to sounds, smells, and tastes since I was a very young child. I get completely overwhelmed with loud noises such as screaming or crying, especially with small children. Strong smells make me physically ill, and tastes can either be under or overwhelming to the point of having difficulty eating. Glad to know I’m not alone and there is a reason for all of it!
Wow, thank you so much for this. This is one more thing that helps validate my being an Aspie and let’s me know that I’m not alone in these areas. Very enlightening. For me, I don’t always realize the causes of my behaviors. After I read articles like this I often am able to instantly recall all the many times or areas that match the discomforts discussed. This one was very right on.
Thank you for this great article. My eyes are sensitive to florescent lighting from time to time. I have worn sunglasses inside and told people I am wearing sunglasses because of the glare of these lights and cause me to have headaches and they understand.
NOW, NOW I understand why my husband, who, past pension age, is still waiting to get his Asperger’s diagnosis done formally, brushes his teeth to the frequent destruction of the brushes, crunches raw cooking apples for enjoyment, (and always eats the cores), combs his hair forcefully, hugs until you squeal, loves his heavy leather belt, laces his shoes so tight it’s a wonder he doesn’t get gangrene, loves any massage he can get, enjoys any music loud if he can, but equally cannot bear to wear a hat or gloves… and is having real trouble adjusting to his much-needed new hearing aids.
How do I know if I have aspergers
This sounds EXACTLY like me!!! I was in college, and although I consider myself intelligent, I never really “got it” because I thought “I am stupid…” because everybody else was passing the quizzes, tests, and exams. I also wish to be married to a “knee-buckling beautiful” woman. but I am apparently romantically inept. Does anybody have any other resources (especially legal!!!) to offer??? Thank You!!!
The sensory issues which most affect my life and my ability to function well in a variety of situations are having a hypersensitive olfaction and hypersensitive auditory system. It is extremely challenging. Being careful and cautious about where I choose to live and about what products I buy for personal use, (like for hygiene, grooming, laundry and house cleaning) is just the tip of the iceberg. Where I can go and how quickly I must exit a situation is a constant challenge.
I am paranoid about finding where there is a toilet whenever I go somwhere
I have acute sense of smell and view the world through smell. Bad smells really affect me and I’ll avoid these. I’m also affected by light and have been diagnosed with light sensitivity and wear reactive lens, sound also is overbearing when people are talking it becomes a babble and I begin to shut down. So really I have a problem living really
Now that I am 55 so many things are coming together and making sense.
Noises really bother me. The sound of second hand TV or radio, crowds at sports, construction, and traffic.
My wife and I adopted our three children as tottlers and I was spared the crying of babies.
Recently we kept a 6 month old whose tears help me understand some of the difficulties I had as a 9 year old with a new baby sister who was a sick baby.
My teachers threatened me with repeating that year of school while telling the community I had the highest IQ in the school.
I stopped playing with other kids, over ate, and developed a repuptation of being werid that haunts me to this day.
I cry for that little boy and others that were strongly encouraged to conform instead of being treated for special needs.
My wife is sensitive to my needs. We have a peaceful quiet home with soothing music and soft lighting.
Thanks for your work and keeping the noise down.
The extra bathroom heat is something I do already, but nice to know I’m not the only one. I find noise to be my constant trigger, the one thing that can always send me into a downward spiral of anger and frustration. It can be as simple as meaningless (to me) conversation, but that’s easy enough to deal with simply by walking away from it (unless I’m trapped) but what really really gets to me is the sound of someone eating with their mouth open, and in my case that applies to my wife and the rest of her family, along with a few of my own, who crunch chips, who talk with their mouths full, who talk too loudly, but mostly who are unaware of the intense disgust that I feel when they’re doing it…
My problem is noise and repitive movement…seperate or together. Finger/pen tapping, nail picking, heavy breathing, loud chewing….here mouth movement is really bothersome. Feet swaying if my eye catches the movement I become fixed on it.
Sudden loud noises make me extremely angry ….however not always.
I generally hate places filled with people…concerts busy shops, detest cinema feel trapped get very panicked and irritated.
Feel so upset about these things. ..get angry a lot and frustration can lead to tears.
Cant sleep with my partner….help in all these arwas would improve my life. Never doagnosed with anything other than depression…tablets dont work. History of aspergers in family and adhd.
I think I may have this ! As a child my parents and brother all moved their feet whilst watching tv, usually in circular movements. It drove me to despair – I would hold a book over my eyes to stop me from seeing. I also couldn’t stand any noise if I was trying to read or complete schoolwork- which became difficult in a noisy household. I want to physically harm people who eat with their mouths open. I just assumed I was a violent nutcase !!! Pen tapping and sniffing drive me insane. It is true you have to surround yourself with patient people and lucky for me, I have a partner who is fantastic !!!
I’ve always had problems with taking showers. I don’t like the feel of the water on my back. I have a problem with loud noises and repetitive sounds, it makes me get headaches, and I have problems with tests too. I tried to pass the driving test to get my license and failed. It took me years just to pass the written test to get my permit. I always wondered why it was so hard for me driving but easy for everyone else. now I know. I think your website is good. it helps to know that your not crazy, and that your not alone
I never took lessons or a test for the simple fear of failure and being mocked was enough of a deterrent. I was never encouraged by either of my parents and having monocular vision and not being able to judge widths was the perfect excuse to just never do it. But now I wonder if I would have had serious co-ordination problems from Aspergers. And guess what I was a published author writing about car histories for many years when I first began work. Nobody could understand why I just wasn’t interested in driving.
Despite my interest in cars since I was 13 and being a published author of car history books when I began work years ago in Spain I never took lessons or passed a test. I was afraid of failure and the mockery that would follow and having monocular vision and being unable to judge widths was the perfect excuse. Nobody could understand how I could write about cars and not want to drive, and it was this that led to a friend who is a psychiatrist telling me that he suspected I had Aspergers. Sure enough AQ of 44! Anyway, I love cycling!