Does SPD Qualify as a Learning Disability

The short answer is NO.

The way Sensory Processing Disorder is currently understood does not categorize it as a learning disability. There is a lot of controversy about SPD…is it real?….is it a disorder at all?… is it even a medical diagnosis?

Because of these questions in the medical industry, SPD is not currently (as of writing this article) listed as a condition in the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition: DSM-5, and therefore is not seen as a medical disorder or disability. This means no one can officially be diagnosed with SPD, but rather it is seen as symptoms that are to be treated.

Some doctors say in order to have the symptoms of SPD, you must have another disorder/disability such as autism, ADHD, ADD, anxiety, OCD, etc. Other doctors believe you can have SPD without having another disorder and need to treat the SPD symptoms themselves through Occupational Therapy and other treatments.

Regardless of how your doctor classifies it, if you feel your child suffers at home and especially at school from sensory overload, try to get help either through the school’s Occupational Therapy and Speech services, or try a private Occupational Therapy gym to help your child. And maybe consider switching pediatricians. OT’s are the queen bees when it comes to knowing if your child may have SPD symptoms and how to treat them.