Social difficulties + physical clumsiness go hand in hand? (Longish, but I really need input.)

[stopgap]

We are in the US, and my son is 2.7 and has just started occupational therapy. We originally went for an assessment at a clinic due to him screaming/crying/falling apart/pleading to go home any time we went to a parent/child class. Today we went to a puppet show at a local nursery school (a place he has been with me several times for parent/toddler classes, albeit not very "successfully") and he literally spent the whole time crying, and later told me he couldn't talk to the other children because it hurt to talk to them. Anyway, at last week's assessment he was deemed fine re: ABA and speech, but was recommended to received occupational therapy.

The occupational therapist believes that my son is overwhelmed on a sensory level in certain situations because his upper body and core are very weak. He has no protective reflex when he falls, for instance, he falls often, can't really climb, is only just learning to crawl (he butt shuffled as in infant), he tilts when reaching across the midline etc.

Has anyone heard of this link before? I can't help thinking we're only just exploring the tip of the iceberg.

Dyspraxia causes problems with sensory overload, as well as physical coordination problems and poor core muscle tone, and social communication difficulties, could it be that?

In the uk your next step would be to ask a gp for a referral for full assessment, but I'm not sure how it would work in the us.

Dyspraxia is also called developmental coordination disorder, I think more so in the us, if you want to try some googling...

IME children with sensory processing difficulties OFTEN also have a weak core. And difficulty with emotional processing. And difficulties with planning.

OT uses purposeful play to elicit these movements so child learns better how to self regulate.
There is a neurological basis.

Core strength essential for efficient breath and coordination.

Thank you so much for those assessments--really useful, and I will ask the O/T next time.