HOW IS SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER DIAGNOSED?
Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is not yet recognized in the DSM (diagnostic manual), and efforts by its advocates to have it included in the DSM-V have produced only partial success to date. As of December 2008, the DSM-V Committee wrote to the SPD Foundation that the committee needed “a significant number of additional studies” before SPD would be recognized as a distinct disorder and not, perhaps, as a subtype of Autism or ADHD. Whether sufficient reports and evidence can be provided in time remains to be seen. There have been a few preliminary small studies suggesting that SPD may occur by itself (i.e., in the absence of any other disorders), but SPD usually occurs with other disorders. The SPD Foundation provides information and research on proposed subtypes of SPD. Having SPD recognized as a subtype of Autism or ADHD would not be a terrible thing for some children, but would not help children who have SPD comorbid with other disorders or who might have SPD without any other dis
