Signs of Sensory processing disorder

[TisforTucan]

Our nearly 3 year old has shown several what I think are signs of SPD so I'd appreciate some advice or experience from others.

DC doesn't like water, only recently lets me wash their hair but not on the face and only recently will touch ice and water in playgroup. However DC doesn't like wet textures so paint will make them freak out and gag, like I say ice was one but on their own terms and any lotions on feet or hands they gag and cry.

Loud sounds is another, we attended a music class and DC hid on me the whole hour, only recently dances in playgroup but this is the only place they feel comfortable to do so. I can't take DC to parties.. pantos or anything that is loud.

DC loves to taste stuff so has weird habits of eating stuff they shouldn't or doing it to check almost and lastly hits themself so if they are excited they hit their legs or angry they lash out.

Speech is what I consider a bit delayed, we have a 6yo so I won't lie I do compare, was talking in sentences by the time they were 2 and a bit (could count and sing ABCs, colours). DC can say words and copy but no sentences like can I have, more juice, my name is ect.. it's getting quite obvious they're becoming frustrated with not being able to say how they feel and is starting to hit us and other kids.

Any help or advice appreciated, I don't know where to go, what to start or do. DC should have a health visitor check soon as they start school in September (I'm in Wales) so should I wait or push for help now?

DS has SPD and we're currently going through assessment for inattentive ADHD. At no point, ever, has anyone ever suggested he has autism but I do wonder sometimes. He does have a lot of dyspraxia traits though so perhaps that's what we're identifying. And it will be interesting to see what happens when we go through this ADHD process too.

@Triffid1 I think, at some point in the future, ADHD and autism will be considered different presentations of the same neurological condition. Lots of people (kids and adults alike) have a diagnosis of both. Some have a diagnosis of one but strong suspicions about the other.

From a genetic POV, I personally know of an ADHD mum of an autistic kid, or two siblings: one ADHD one autistic. I really think they are the same condition.

Then when you add things like SPD, dyspraxia and dyslexia (or sometimes hyperlexia) into the mix - these conditions never occur alone but always with some other form of neurodivergence. I really don’t think they’re separate entities but different aspects of one singular inherited condition.

I think the previous poster will be proved correct in time. But in the here and now the NHS does very much treat these separately!

As someone who is very much in the 'I do not see autism but I know something is amiss' stage, I found it hugely helpful for autism to be described as follows:

ASD is not a straight line, with 'very autistic' on one end and 'Mildly autistic' on the other. Instead it is a colour wheel, with each section representing a trait, and absolutely everybody has their own individual pattern that it goes across.'

This is intriguing as I’ve never heard of dyspraxia described as a sensory processing disorder just a spld. My son is dyspraxic and has loads of sensory issues.

@ButterflyBitch I seem to recall this coming up a lot when we were first looking into DS' troubles - I think it might even have been in the original OT's report we received.

And we have consistently been told that a dyspraxia diagnosis would be "better" in that then it could be better handled via NHS and also that the school could access additional support etc vs a more generic SPD.

From a quick 10 second google, it looks like it's considered a Sensory Motor disorder and, from memory, SPD presents in more than just the five senses we all readily know about. I know DS struggles with the one that is about how his body fits into the space around him - causing him to crash into things or always be in slightly the wrong place etc.

It makes sense to me as my son has trouble with where he is in space (and time! 😭) as well. He constantly had bumps and bruises when he was small. He’s constantly moving or fidgeting and could spin for hours and not get dizzy. He also has problems with noise and temperature. Sometimes I think the sensory stuff affects him more than the coordination and organisation side of it.