Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)

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 ...is an umbrella term describing many neurological disabilities which result in the brain having trouble responding to and receiving internal and external sensory information. SPD can be either hyper or hypo to internal or external stimuli.
 
Research shows that Currently, over 90% of children with autism have a sensory impairment, either hyper- or hypo-reactivity to sensory stimuli.
 
86 per cent of children with autism have a tactile impairment, which means they have a problem with the way touch is perceived.
 
26 per cent have hypersensitivity to touch (this means when the skin is touched, it can feel painful)
 
20 per cent have hypo sensory response ( the child fails to notice being touched)
 
40 per cent have a mix of hyper and hypo tactile responses, meaning that certain areas of the skin can feel painful, whereas in other areas the is not much sensation at all.
 
According to research, children with autism have early loss of child-to-parent bonding. If the child cannot feel pleasure through touch either because they fail to notice touch or avoid or rejects touch due to the painful sensation, the parent or caregiver cannot provide comfort or soothe the child, which allows the child to feel safe and to develop connections with those around them, before long abnormal behaviour and social delay will become evident.
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