{"id":6626,"date":"2019-05-23T04:04:32","date_gmt":"2019-05-23T04:04:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=6626"},"modified":"2020-04-09T15:11:13","modified_gmt":"2020-04-09T15:11:13","slug":"10-natural-ways-to-help-sensory-processing-disorder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/10-natural-ways-to-help-sensory-processing-disorder\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Natural Ways to Help Sensory Processing Disorder"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Sensory processing disorder is a common health condition seen in children and adults whereby an extreme sensitivity, overreaction, and intolerance is displayed to certain sensory stimuli such as certain textures, sounds, and often physical touch. The condition is estimated to occur in approximately 4% of children who are diagnosed with related conditions like ADHD and the autism spectrum, and a lot of research is still being done into finding out more about the causes and treatments for the condition.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other symptoms of sensory processing disorder can include intolerance to light touch while displaying an unusual tolerance to pain at the same time. The condition can often be misinterpreted and is commonly misdiagnosed as a range of other conditions that can include obsessive-compulsive disorder.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research into SPD and related conditions shows that there are many treatments and therapies that can be applied at home to help make sensory processing disorder an easier condition to manage. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are 8 natural ways to help sensory processing disorder.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Changing the Diet<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The direct causes of sensory processing disorder are still being studied further in a clinical setting, but we do know that genetic factors and related conditions like ADHD and autism are some of the potential things which doctors and therapists should look for when noticing any other symptoms of the condition.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

More research into the condition shows that while diet isn\u2019t considered a direct cause of SPD, following the wrong kind of diet that includes an abundance of artificial ingredients might make the condition and any associated symptoms worse \u2013 and will also compromise their general health and immune system. A healthy diet free of hormones, pesticides, and artificial ingredients is recommended.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In many cases of sensory processing disorder, diet is about more than just nutrition and also has to include careful thought about textures that are found unpleasant. Every person with SPD often has different triggers for unpleasant textures and will refuse unpleasant textures on their plate. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Tactile Therapies<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While there\u2019s still a lot of research to be done into treatments for sensory processing disorder as an individual condition, we do know a lot more about treating symptoms that cross over from related disorders like autism and are also useful for treating sensory processing disorder. Tactile therapies have proven to be greatly beneficial for conditions like ADHD and autism, and this starts with making a list of textures that are found pleasant versus textures that should be avoided.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This might experience a child or adult having to go through feeling a range of textures and marking down or saying which ones they like and don\u2019t \u2013 and this should be written down as some of the first information about their individual case. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From there on, tactile therapy includes avoiding unpleasant textures and embracing pleasant ones \u2013 and slowly increasing exposure to unpleasant textures through small ways instead of bombarding them with it.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Homeopathic Therapy<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Homeopathic therapies are showing an increasing amount of promise when it comes to easing the symptoms of health conditions like sensory processing disorder, and a considerable amount of studies are still being conducted into what causes the condition as well as which natural ways and medications might be there to help the condition. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sensory processing disorder often goes along with a range of different symptoms that can include insomnia, restlessness, anxiety, avoidance of crowds and what seems like temper fits, but are instead the person experiencing a type of sensory overload \u2013 which can lead to seizures. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Homeopathic therapies can be greatly beneficial to treat the symptoms of sensory processing disorder as well as heighten the immune system: Consider adding a variety of fresh herbs to their diet combined with treatment and add a range of different relaxation teas to this such as lavender which can help to alleviate the anxiety. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Adding Supplements<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Even if you have a varied diet that contains everything on the nutritional pyramid, it\u2019s likely that you aren\u2019t getting everything your body needs through your diet. This happens due to a variety of different factors which include the fact that a lot of food one buys contains additives and artificial ingredients which can affect the nutritional value \u2013 and sometimes it can even be related to where in the world your food is grown.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyone should add some essential, usually generalized nutritional supplements to their diet for better health \u2013 and this is more true for anyone who has been diagnosed with SPD. Research shows that supplements like ginseng can also be greatly beneficial in helping to lessen the impact of some sensory processing disorder symptoms. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

See a nutritional and sensory processing disorder specialist to establish which regular supplements would be best for your individual diet. They can often help you to set up a proper diet with the right ingredients \u2013 and recommend the correct supplements.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Environmental Changes<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

People who have sensory processing disorder will often experience a range of different symptoms that includes displaying a serious sensitivity to certain environmental and sensory stimuli. This includes displaying an overreaction and sensitivity to sudden loud noises and touch, and they\u2019ll often go to extreme lengths to avoid these things. In the case of small children, they will display unusual discomfort when exposed to these stimuli and crowds.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are often immediate things located in their environment that can act as negative stimuli, and these might be things, sounds, and textures that haven\u2019t been identified as triggers yet. Treating SPD at home includes changing the environment and removing as many of the items that can be identified as everyday triggers, and it will include a careful examination to find out what these triggers for sensory overload are. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The help of a qualified expert in a neutral, clinical setting can help to establish what these environmental and sensory triggers might be. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Learning Coping Techniques<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A lot of sensory processing disorder cases in both children and adults will often be accompanied by symptoms that make it unusually hard to cope in a social setting. This can be interpreted as everything from social awkwardness through to rudeness by those around them, and it often makes a diagnosis of the condition harder even for professionals. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

People should take note of any associated symptoms of sensory processing disorder that they might notice in someone, and find an expert medical professional for an official diagnosis \u2013 an expert in the field of SPD specifically \u2013 should this be the case. From there, an expert can help to teach people dealing with sensory processing disorder coping techniques that can help to make the condition seem a lot less overwhelming. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of these coping techniques can include things like breathing techniques and learning how to deal with individual triggers when encountering them, and can be an essential part of learning to function with the condition.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Integration Therapy<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Integration therapy involves slow exposure to situations and stimuli that people with sensory processing disorder would normally find overwhelming. Done in the correct way and for the long-term, this can be greatly helpful to people who have been diagnosed with SPD when it comes to helping them cope with day-to-day situations that might act as a trigger. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

People who have sensory processing disorder can often find it hard to cope with what appears to everyone around them to be normal social situations. In places like school or work, learning essential daily coping skills is vital to lead a life that\u2019s close to normal where the symptoms of SPD doesn\u2019t become as overwhelming. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For integration therapy, it\u2019s important to remember that it can still be overwhelming, especially for smaller children: The goal is always to treat, and not to terrify them of environmental stimuli further. Start slowly and continue gradually, sometimes with sensory tools.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Sensory Tools (like headphones)<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are many sensory tools that can be used in a therapeutic setting and through daily life in order to make coping with a diagnosis of sensory processing disorder much easier to cope with every day. It\u2019s common for people with sensory processing disorder to feel immediately overwhelmed by everything around them, including tastes, sights, smells and sounds \u2013 and coping with sensory processing disorder can be taught by using daily sensory tools when things get too much.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These sensory tools can include things like weighted blankets to use at night that make sleeping easier (and insomnia less likely) as well as headphones that cancel out the noise of walking into a crowd but still means that one can hear essential sounds in the surroundings. Some sensory tools can also include the use of textures they find pleasant and tolerable used on blankets and smaller pillows for an overall comforting effect.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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