Is Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) a recognised diagnosis in Australia?

SPD is not currently listed as a standalone diagnosis in the DSM-5, which Australian clinicians use. However, it is widely recognised by occupational therapists (OTs) and allied health professionals as a genuine neurological difference. Many Australian children receive an OT assessment that identifies sensory processing difficulties, even without a formal DSM-5 label. Support can still be accessed through an OT referral regardless of a formal diagnosis.

How is Sensory Processing Disorder diagnosed in Australia?

In Australia, sensory processing difficulties are typically identified through an occupational therapy assessment. The OT will conduct standardised assessments such as the Sensory Processing Measure (SPM) or the Sensory Profile, alongside clinical observation and parent questionnaires. Your GP can provide a referral to a paediatric OT, and you may be eligible for a Medicare Chronic Disease Management Plan that subsidises a number of OT sessions.

What is the difference between Sensory Processing Disorder and autism?

Sensory processing difficulties are extremely common in autistic individuals — research suggests up to 90% of autistic people experience some form of sensory difference. However, SPD and autism are distinct. A child can have significant sensory processing challenges without meeting the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The key difference is that autism also involves differences in social communication and repetitive behaviours, whereas SPD is specifically about how the nervous system processes sensory information.

How can I help my child with Sensory Processing Disorder at home?

There are many effective strategies you can use at home. Work with your child's OT to develop a sensory diet — a personalised schedule of sensory activities throughout the day. Create a calm-down corner with sensory tools such as weighted blankets, fidget toys, and noise-cancelling headphones. Maintain predictable routines, provide advance warning before transitions, and allow your child to wear comfortable clothing without tight waistbands or scratchy tags. Sensory-friendly lighting and reducing background noise can also make a significant difference.

What school accommodations are available for children with sensory differences?

Australian schools can provide a range of reasonable adjustments for children with sensory processing difficulties. These may include: seating away from windows or high-traffic areas, permission to use noise-cancelling headphones during class or at lunch, movement breaks throughout the day, access to a quiet space when overwhelmed, fidget tools at the desk, and modified uniform requirements for sensory-sensitive children. Work with the school's learning support team and share your child's OT recommendations. A Documented Individual Learning and Adjustment Plan (also known as an ILP or Individual Education Plan) can formalise these adjustments.

What are the best sensory tools for a child with Sensory Processing Disorder?

The best sensory tools depend on whether your child is over-responsive (hypersensitive), under-responsive (hyposensitive), or sensory seeking. For hypersensitive children, noise-cancelling headphones, seamless clothing, weighted blankets, and sunglasses for light sensitivity are commonly recommended. For sensory-seeking children, chewy necklaces, fidget toys, wobble cushions, and resistance bands on chair legs can provide the input they crave. Many OTs recommend beginning with a weighted lap pad and a quality fidget toy. Browse our sensory tools guide and sensory toys guide for Australian-available products.

What is Sensory Processing Disorder? A Parent's Guide 2026

What is Sensory Processing Disorder?

Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), formerly known as Sensory Integration Disorder, is a neurological condition in which the brain has difficulty receiving, organising, and responding to sensory information from the environment and the body. For most people, the nervous system takes in sensory input — touch, sound, movement, taste, smell, sight — and automatically filters and organises it so we can function. For children with SPD, this process is disrupted, leading to responses that may seem extreme, unusual, or unpredictable.

Dr A. Jean Ayres, an occupational therapist and neuroscientist, first described sensory integration dysfunction in the 1970s. Her work laid the foundation for modern occupational therapy approaches used across Australia today. While the DSM-5 does not list SPD as a standalone diagnosis, it is recognised by paediatric occupational therapists as a significant and often debilitating condition that affects daily functioning, learning, relationships, and emotional regulation.

How SPD Differs from Autism and ADHD

Sensory processing difficulties frequently co-occur with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Research estimates that around 90% of autistic individuals experience sensory differences, and between 40–60% of children with ADHD have significant sensory processing challenges. This overlap can make it difficult to disentangle where one condition ends and another begins.

However, SPD is distinct from both. Autism also involves differences in social communication, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviours. ADHD is primarily characterised by difficulties with attention regulation, impulse control, and executive function. SPD, by contrast, is specifically about how the nervous system processes and integrates sensory input. A child can have SPD without autism or ADHD, and addressing sensory processing needs through OT intervention can dramatically improve daily functioning regardless of co-occurring diagnoses.

The Three Main Types of Sensory Processing Disorder

1. Over-Responsive (Hypersensitivity)

Children who are over-responsive to sensory input experience ordinary sensations as overwhelming or even painful. A gentle touch may feel like a hard shove. The hum of fluorescent lights might be as distracting as a jackhammer. Clothing tags, sock seams, and certain food textures can trigger genuine distress. These children may avoid crowded places, resist being touched, cover their ears frequently, or become dysregulated by transitions between environments.

2. Under-Responsive (Hyposensitivity)

Under-responsive children have a higher threshold for sensory input — they may not notice or register sensations that others find obvious. They might not feel pain when injured, appear unaware of their name being called, seem clumsy or uncoordinated, or fail to notice that their hands are dirty. These children often appear disengaged or lethargic, and are sometimes misidentified as having hearing or vision problems before sensory processing differences are explored.

3. Sensory Seeking

Sensory-seeking children crave intense sensory input in order to feel regulated. They may crash into furniture, jump from heights, chew on clothing or non-food items, touch everything and everyone, make loud noises, or spin and rock constantly. This behaviour is not defiance — it is the nervous system actively seeking the input it needs to function. Sensory-seeking behaviour can look like ADHD, which is why accurate assessment is important.

Signs of SPD Across Different Age Groups

Babies (0–12 months)

Extremely difficult to settle or soothe
Arching away from being held or cuddled
Hypersensitivity to sounds — startling at ordinary noise levels
Difficulty with feeding due to oral sensory sensitivity
Unusual lack of response to stimulation

Toddlers (1–3 years)

Intense tantrums triggered by clothing, food textures, or transitions
Refusal to walk on grass, sand, or uneven surfaces
Extreme picky eating beyond typical toddler fussiness
Seeking constant movement — rocking, spinning, jumping
Delayed motor milestones due to poor body awareness

School-Age Children (4–12 years)

Difficulty coping in busy classroom environments
Refusal to participate in art, PE, or messy play activities
Emotional dysregulation disproportionate to the apparent trigger
Avoiding playground equipment or being too rough with peers
Wearing the same clothing repeatedly due to sensory comfort
Difficulty concentrating without fidget tools or movement breaks

Getting a Diagnosis in Australia

In Australia, the primary pathway to identifying sensory processing difficulties is through a paediatric occupational therapist. Your first step is to speak with your GP, who can refer you to an OT and may create a Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Plan allowing Medicare rebates on a number of OT sessions. Paediatricians can also screen for sensory differences and provide referrals.

During an OT assessment, the therapist will use standardised tools — such as the Sensory Profile 2 or the Sensory Processing Measure — combined with clinical observation, parent interviews, and sometimes school-based observations. The assessment typically results in a detailed report outlining the child's sensory profile and recommendations for home, school, and therapeutic intervention.

Treatment Approaches for SPD

Sensory Diet

A sensory diet is a personalised plan of sensory activities incorporated throughout the day to help regulate the nervous system. Developed by an OT, it typically includes proprioceptive activities (heavy work), vestibular input, and calming or alerting strategies timed around the child's needs. Read our full guide on what is a sensory diet for detailed examples.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy using a sensory integration framework is the primary evidence-based intervention for SPD. Sessions may look like play but are carefully structured to provide the right type and amount of sensory input. OT aims to improve the brain's ability to organise and respond to sensory input more effectively over time.

Environmental Modifications

Adapting the child's environment can dramatically reduce sensory triggers. At home, this may mean switching to seamless clothing, using dimmable lighting, creating a quiet corner, and reducing clutter. At school, it may include a noise-reducing headphone, a wobble cushion, or permission to take movement breaks.

Sensory Tools

Many families find that targeted sensory tools provide immediate, practical relief. Weighted blankets and lap pads offer deep pressure input for regulation. Noise-cancelling headphones reduce auditory overwhelm. Fidget toys and chewable jewellery give appropriate sensory outlets during tasks requiring focus. Browse our full range of recommendations in our sensory tools guide and sensory toys guide.

Supporting Your Child at Home and School

Understanding your child's specific sensory profile is the single most powerful thing you can do. Once you know whether your child is over-responsive, under-responsive, or seeking in different sensory systems, you can tailor your responses accordingly. Rather than trying to push through sensory triggers, work with your OT to build predictable routines that allow your child's nervous system to stay regulated throughout the day.

At school, advocate for your child's needs through the learning support team. Share the OT assessment report, request an Individual Learning and Adjustment Plan (ILP), and suggest specific accommodations. The earlier these supports are in place, the better the long-term outcomes for your child's confidence, learning, and social participation.