Thoughts from a Therapist: When Sensory Needs Show Up - Do Labels Like SPD Really Help?
By Anna Willis, Active Play Therapies, 2 April 2026
If you’ve ever wondered whether your child’s sensitivity to noise, textures, movement or food might mean something more, you’re not alone. For years, many therapists—and parents—have used the term Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) to make sense of these experiences. But what if that label doesn’t tell the whole story?
In her latest Thoughts from a Therapist blog, Anna Willis shares how her thinking has evolved over time, exploring why sensory differences are real and important, but may be better understood as part of a bigger developmental picture rather than a diagnosis on their own.
Years ago in 2012 when the APA (American Psychological Association) first rejected Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) as a standalone condition to be entered into the DSM 5, I was unimpressed. I felt certain that SPD was its own standalone diagnosis, I could see it with my own eyes. Children struggling with touch, sound, seeking movement, avoiding foods. I knew it existed.
Over the years though, I’ve perhaps mellowed. I’m certainly less unimpressed by that decision. I now wonder if perhaps they were right! What a U-turn. I’m open to evidence, such as some interesting studies showing differences in white matter (Owen et al 2013, Chang et al 2014), but ultimately, I’m now more of the opinion that perhaps jumping in with a diagnosis of SPD early doors would lead to less identification of broader neurodevelopmental conditions and an unhelpful early lack of further clinical curiosity.
I imagine it akin to if we diagnosed something like Itchy Skin Syndrome (I’ve made that up, no Google search needed!) and ended up completely missing that someone had an underlying allergy or systemic issue because we just looked at the external symptoms and classified it based on that.
With rates of identification of neurodiversity ever increasing, in particular, ADHD and autism, it does feel more that when we see sensory needs, we need to consider a much wider picture of development. Subtler signs and taking into account masking and the differences in girls and women.
Sensory needs are being increasingly more recognised in mainstream environments, such as the increased popularity and availability of weighted blankets, which - years ago - were confined to sensory magazines and retailers. We all have sensory preferences and dislikes (clothing textures, spicy food, certain perfumes, rollercoasters, level of noise etc), and we don’t need to pathologise this. The key indicator is when these are having a disruptive impact on what someone needs and wants to do with their lives.
Perhaps SPD doesn’t exist, but instead is just a helpful indicator to look wider. As therapists working with people with sensory needs, we know sensory integration challenges exist, but turning it into its own disorder may prove an unnecessary barrier to further assessment and - as such - more fully understanding themselves.
Best wishes
Anna
References
Thoughts From a Therapist is a regular series written by Advanced SI Practitioner Anna Willis about something that piqued her professional interest or inspired her in some way over the last month. Anna, an occupational therapist and owner of Active Play Therapies.