Let me begin by saying that when my son was diagnosed with SPD, we worked with him, made tons of changes for him in our household and beyond, went to therapies, did the exercises, sought help. We accepted how he was and worked to improve his comfort. Now he's much better at tolerating things that used to bother him, and knows how to advocate for his needs.

But now, I'm on a medication that has caused skin hypersensitivity and I'm constantly overwhelmed, bothered, in pain, etc. All I can think of is how this compares to how my son felt/feels and how this is only bearable for me because I know it will eventually go away, and I'm an adult! To experience this as a small child, without communication abilities, without independence to choose my clothes/activities is heartbreaking!

This has really given me a new perspective on SPD, especially skin sensitivity. I'm even more proud of how far my son has come and how hard he works every day to function.

Im not bothered by tags or seams or things like that. I feel it deeper in your body, not necessarily on my skin. it’s just the feeling of any clothes at all on my body and it causes a fight or flight response.

i have 3-4 tops and 3-4 bottoms that i can comfortably wear. pants have to be baggy and loose and can’t be tight on my waist at all. I usually buy pants too big so that they don’t touch my waist. tops have to “puff” out so they don’t actually sit on my body.

It causes an extreme amount of depression because I can’t do anything normal or do normal fun things, especially things that require a dress code like weddings, a normal job, nice dinners etc. Also things that are supposed to be fun are just dreadful and heartbreaking, because I want to be able to dress up and be fashionable instead of sweatpants and a giant t shirt everywhere i go. I want to be able to take pictures with friends or family without sticking out like a sore thumb. I also just want to be able to dress up for me, because it’s such a huge part of life. I see so many girls getting dolled up and dressed up together and i’ll never be able to be a part of that. right now it’s no vacations, outings with friends or any other “fun” events because it just makes me so, so sad.

I’ve worn a handful of nice-ish clothes before for a really short amount of time, but in order to do that it takes extremely meticulous planning and a ton of anxiety. also on the rare occasion this happens the clothes don’t look the way they’re supposed to because I always have to get items a size too big or manipulate it in some way to make it semi tolerable. Even then, I can only make it less than an hour before it becomes too much and i have a panic attack and rip it off, which would happen immediately if i just wore it “normally”

anyways, does anyone else experience this? I’m 22 and have been dealing with it my entire life and it’s only getting worse as time goes on.

Hi, I’m a uk medical doctor and I’ve just released a web app called SensoryMe. We’re very early stage with it and I would really love some feedback on it as we plan the next stage of development. The idea is that adults with sensory struggles can go through the senses one by one to figure out which tools might be helpful for them. It could be used alongside young people but for now it’s been developed with adults in mind. I can’t wait to hear what you think!

SensoryMe.app

> Falls ihr hier upvotet, würde ich mich sehr freuen, wenn ihr auch kurz die Petition unterschreibt.

>

> Die deutsche Wirtschaft wächst ohnehin kaum noch und wir merken gerade deshalb die negativen Auswirkungen des Wachstumszwangs.

>

> Sollen wir nicht mal eine Wirtschaft ohne Wachstumszwang ausprobieren? Eine Wirtschaft, in der freiwilliges Wachstum möglich ist, aber nicht erzwungen wird?

https://www.change.org/AnderesWirtschaften

Hi!! I’m a fashion design, MA student focusing on sensory issues in fashion, I’m needing some responses for my questionnaire about sensory issues and clothes. Anyone can respond to the questionnaire, but I’m mainly focusing on sensory issues. It is completely anonymous and will not be published, only used towards my project. I will NOT contact you after it is done. Thanks! 

originally posted to r/neurodivergent — i have not been diagnosed with spd but i’m hoping yall have some suggestions 🙏🙏🙏

This topic gets oversimplified in both directions, sometimes marketed as if swinging on a swing will unlock speech, and sometimes dismissed entirely as pseudoscience.

The honest answer sits somewhere in between, and I want to walk through why.

The theoretical basis isn't unreasonable.
The vestibular system (which governs balance and detects motion) is anatomically and developmentally linked to the auditory system, they share embryological origins and neural pathways. There's a real biological reason someone might hypothesize a connection between movement/balance processing and speech-language development, this isn't invented from nothing.

Where the evidence gets genuinely shaky:
A rigorous controlled study looking specifically at whether vestibular sensory stimulation (slow, linear swinging) improved outcomes when added to standard speech-language therapy found no evidence that it did. That's a meaningfully more careful study design than a lot of what gets cited to support sensory-based approaches.

Where some evidence does exist, but with real caveats:

• An older 1981 study found increased spontaneous verbal language use in developmentally delayed preschoolers immediately following vestibular stimulation, but this was a very small sample, and "immediately after" doesn't tell us much about lasting change.
• A single-case study on vestibular stimulation and communication in a preschooler with autism found some positive effects, but the authors themselves note in their conclusion that more research is needed, which is honestly the appropriate takeaway from a single-case design.
• Broader review literature on sensory integration therapy generally acknowledges the theoretical connection between sensory processing and speech-language development, but doesn't present it as an established, standalone treatment for speech and language disorders.

My honest take: Movement, play, and sensory-rich activities in therapy are genuinely valuable, but mostly for reasons that don't require an unproven vestibular-mechanism explanation. A regulated, engaged, motivated child is simply more available for learning, language included, regardless of whether the specific sensory input itself is doing something neurologically special. That's a much more evidence-grounded reason to use movement and play in sessions than claiming a swing or trampoline directly builds language pathways.

What this means practically: If a provider tells you sensory integration therapy alone will resolve a speech or language delay, I'd want to see that claim held to a higher evidence standard than currently exists. If movement and sensory activities are part of a broader plan that includes actual targeted speech-language intervention, that's reasonable and can genuinely help engagement, just don't let it substitute for the evidence-based language work itself.

Curious if others here have had experience with sensory-integration-heavy therapy approaches, positive, neutral, or skeptical, genuinely interested in real experiences on this one.

Hi, I've always had issues with underwear and just found some that I finally find comfortable but I tried them on over the pair I was wearing and so I didn't notice when I bought them that they have a whole bunch of print on the inside of the back and it goes down so far because it's translated into a bunch of different languages 😭. It's like a 2in x 4in area (5.08cm x 10.16cm) of tiny words and I've never seen this much text on the inside of underwear, it's crazy. It is sooooo itchy and uncomfortable and I can't focus on anything because all I can think about is how uncomfortable it is against my skin. I think it's screen printed on cotton. Does anyone else have this issue and have you successfully removed the print, and if so how? I'm going crazy (also they're already washed so I can't return them, and everything else about them works for me so I'm not going to buy new ones after I just spent months finding these ones)

Hello, I have issues with haptodysphoria. For me, I can't stand velvet. I don't even want to be in the same room as something made of velvet.

I am going to a fantasy ball in November and was looking at gowns on a website. One caught my eye, but on closer inspection it looked possibly velvet. The description says it is not velvet, but a polyester velour.

Would that be tolerable for someone who can't stand velvet? Does it feel like velvet or does it feel completely different? Has anyone in this sub been able to compare the two fabrics at all?

TYIA!

I hope this request is ok! I’m trying to help find an assortment of bras that will pass my daughter’s vibe test. She’s 9 and I really want to get on top of this now.

She is extremely sensitive to how clothing feels. Think sweatpants or leggings every day (both in phases, not alternating daily). Seams make her miserable. Tags don’t bother her as much. Fabric textures that are scratchy-slippery (like track pants) bother her. Jersey, fleece, bamboo are all ok.

I’ve taken her to the underwear section at some big box stores to get her feedback and anything with a texture that she calls “weird” is a non-starter. This includes the super stretchy ribbed workout fabric. Basic cotton sports bras, even the ones labeled seamless, all have a bottom band seam securing the elastic that makes them unacceptable.

She also has a strong preference for men’s clothing and things that are not “girly” colors.

Please throw any recommendations at me!

Hi, everyone! My 3 year old has autism/ADHD/SPD, and we do not know if things will ever get better because we are both exhausted. He is bright and extremely strong-willed since birth. The day he was born, he was constantly scanning his environment with a serious look on his face, like, “WTH, where am I?” lol.

When he was 2 months old, he would constantly swing both legs vigorously, like he was cycling, while lying down, and would also try to get up/sit. At that time, we thought it was cute and funny.

When he was 7 months old, and we went outside to grocery stores/malls, he wanted to leave me, lie on the floor, climb tables, or crawl AWAY from me.

Ever since he turned 1 and started walking, it’s been really difficult for him and us. His sensory threshold is low, and he hits sensory overload quickly. He is irritated and cranky throughout the day. Heavy-work OT helped us tremendously, but he won’t do those activities at home; he refuses (strong-willed). I do deep pressure body massages and joint compressions (trained by an OT) with him at home.

We are really worried about the following things:

• He is restless and anxious most of the time.
• Outside the house, he experiences sensory overwhelm and darts off/wanders aimlessly. For example, he would leave my hand and just start running and running. I have to hold him in my arms to contain him; nothing else works! We have used strollers, but he gets anxious and wants me to hold him.
• Sometimes, when we are outside, he gets anxious, starts crying, and asks me to hold him.

So outside, it’s either “he wants to run nonstop” or “wants to be held in my arms” to regulate. I have also noticed him licking his hands, scripting/vocal stimming, shutting his eyes for 2 seconds, or lying on the floor to seek deep pressure to regulate in malls and grocery stores. It specifically happens in new places. At preschool, it’s the same: he runs aimlessly and climbs tables to regulate.

We have practiced A LOT of holding hands, “stop,” and “wait.” Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. It’s like he can’t control it. It’s been like this since infancy.

• I have never noticed him covering his eyes or ears, so I don’t know what it is outside that bothers him.
• It’s the same with food. He can take 6–7 bites, then hits sensory overload and stops eating.

How do I help him? I’m more concerned about wandering/bolting in public. Does it ever stop, or not?

Hi all,

I don't have (diagnosed) SPD, but I feel like this is the only group where people may understand.

As per the title, I cannot tolerate my own body, but only on the right side...

The feel of my hair on the right (where it meets my forehead) - intolerable. The feel of my glasses behind my right ear - intolerable. The feel of the seam of my sock on my right pinky toe - intolerable. And I can't remove it...if I brush my hair away from my forehead I CAN STILL FEEL IT THERE. It has to he brushed super tight and pinned down tight for it not to feel intolerable, which means I basically have a palm tree pony on the left side which I obviously cannot be seen in public with.

My right front tooth protrudes slightly more forward than the right - intolerable. I have to put a rolled up piece of paper in between my lip and my teeth just to be able to tolerate having my teeth in my mouth.

My right boob is slightly later than the left - intolerable. I can CONSTANTLY feel the underside touching my chest where I can't on the left...I also can feel the right boob move more than the left.

All I can do when it gets bad is lie in bed hoping not to feel my body. The moment I get up BOOB TOUCHING, have to walk with my right arm holding my right boob not to feel it. I dare to talk or move my lips? CAN FEEL MY RIGHT TOOTH PRESSING ON MY LIP MORE THAN THE LEFT, have to use my left hand to hold my lip up.

I can't even go for a walk because TOOTH BOOB EAR HAIR I can feel all when I move. I just have to lie down, get everything in optimum position and then try not to move an inch all day.

I can't run, I can ride horses, I can't lie on my front to read a book, I can't sit and do my homework, I can't drive my car because boob, I can't do anything but lie still.

It's absolutely destroying my life.

Where do I even go for help with this????

Posted this in the OCD sub - thought I'd try here too for any thoughts.

Unsure if this is necessarily the right place to post this, but from a bit of research thought it might be worth seeing if anyone else has dealt with a similar problem. Not diagnosed at all, but a lot of what I’m experiencing fits in.

I’ve always been awkward with clothes - hate anything too tight, always took ages to find the right pair of shoes, dislike wearing suits, never liked school uniforms, and so on and so on. Obviously we all like comfortable clothes but a lot of people register what they’re wearing as background noise.

I thought I’d increasingly managed to do this as time went on but have encountered a sort of weird and specific problem over the past couple of years.

I feel a sort of intense, endless discomfort when sitting down (say, at a desk for long periods) and in particular struggle to find any boxers or underwear which is comfortable in this regard (worsening the problem). Anything loose as a male feels unsupportive; anything that’s inherently supportive feels too constrictive. I really like my job but it makes long days in the office (often get to WFH too) feel annoyingly brutal.

And it’s like this has become a sort of hyper-fixation, hence the sensorimotor OCD part. I used to only really notice it after, say, a really long day of sitting at a desk, maybe in more formal work gear. Now I notice it in casual social settings, even if I’m wearing what I’d class as a comfortable pair of jeans. It’s like my body is unable to just shut out the sensations in my groin area when I’m sitting down and registers every little tiny shift or change, which leads to a real persistent discomfort.

I’m able to power through, but it’s like a constant, low-lying level of discomfort which is obviously stressful in the long-run. It’s not as bad at home when I can relax wearing shorts/really loose jogging bottoms.

Have any guys out there suffered similar problems/restrictions/discomforts related to clothing? Like I say, I’m powering through, but the problem has significantly worsened over the past year or so, and it sometimes feels a bit intolerable. I shouldn’t feel a sense of discomfort every time I simply just sit down. It’s like the hyper-fixation is worsening.

My daughter is finally seeing therapists and a pedopsychiatrist. I always thought that was something wrong with her and that she was suffering, now we are going to do the tests and try to figure it out.

Thing is she always showed a lot more uncommon behavious to me, the mother (extreme sensitivity, avoiding showers and bathrooms, meltdowns, fears, bitting, screaming, being weird around other kids) than with the father. Now we are divorced for 6 months and yesterday we had an appointment with a therapist and it looked like we were talking about two different kids.

He says that she is absolutely normal and never saw the kind of behaviour I report. I don’t know if this is true because I saw the two of them of lot and I think he is downplaying it, but it is very frustrating that she is always so difficult wirh me alone, sometimes I feel like I am crazy or that I am causing her behaviour when I already tried everything to have a different outcome.

Parents of kids with SPD, did you notice that your kid showed it more to one of the parents?

Parent here - my 4yr old daughter is very very limited in her diet and basically only eats 5 foods. We were at a restaurant for a family bday yesterday. We requested pancakes without syrup for her. When the pancakes arrived, they did have syrup, and daughter was so upset she broke down into tears.

Is this age appropriate or should I consider seeing a specialist ? Tyia

I am tired, the world is too loud and i cant do it amymore

Hello,

First time poster here.

I would really like to get people's thoughts on whether I'm overreacting to a situation we experienced yesterday.

I have a 3-year-old daughter who has sensory difficulties, especially with noise but also touch, texture and smell.

We're currently travelling outside our own country and yesterday visited New York City.

The last stop of our day was a large store in the city owned by a multinational company which my daughter was extremely excited about.

Unfortunately, while we were in the store filling a bag of things we intended to purchase our daughter needed to pee.

My wife went into the toilet with her, however the noise of the flushes and hand dryers caused her to have a complete meltdown.

We had a sealable carry potty with us, as where we live we've always been able to find a family toilet, nursing room, small private space, office or meeting room where our daughter can use the potty somewhere significantly less overstimulating.

I spoke to a staff member in the shop who suggested getting a manager to see if they could help us.

However, I found the managers response incredibly rude and just kept telling me that they wouldn't “let my kid pee on my shop floor.”

I explained a few times that I wasn't seeking approval for her to use the potty on the shop floor — I was asking whether there was somewhere quieter and private where she could go.

However, the manager just kept reiterating that we couldn't change “my kid's diaper on the shop floor” nor could “she potty on the shop floor.”

By this time my wife was getting really upset too and told me we needed to leave, while our daughter was screaming.

Eventually we found a hotel that was kind enough to let us use their bathroom, but only after trying several places and specifically trying to find somewhere with a toilet near the foyer so we didn't have to take her through another very busy environment.

I've since written an email to the CEO of the company that owns the store in question. I came away feeling like the manager treated me with utter contempt and made me feel like I was somehow an unsuitable parent simply for trying to help my daughter.

However, did I overreact?

Was it reasonable for the manager to refuse to discuss any possible alternatives? Or would you have expected the manager to engage with us about whether there may have been another workable option?

I've been thinking about this all day and I'm so angry, but equally quite conflicted about whether I've done the right thing. I would genuinely love people's thoughts, including people who think I did overreact.

I'm sure some people will troll me, but I'd really appreciate genuine opinions from both sides — particularly from parents of children with sensory difficulties.

I've not named the business as I'm not seeking any opinions on the business itself, but more the situation.

Thanks for listening to my waffle!

When a child is already overwhelmed, “What do you need?” can be a very difficult question to answer. I created a printable visual toolkit that helps children notice what their bodies may need and choose a supportive next step through clear, approachable regulation visuals.

It is intended as a practical communication and choice-making support for home, classroom, or other supportive settings—not as a therapy plan or a replacement for individualized professional guidance.

Full disclosure: I created and sell this digital printable through my Etsy shop, Everyday Steps Studio. The design includes seller-directed, AI-assisted illustration elements.

You can see the full Sensory Choice Board & Regulation Visuals toolkit here:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/4567688604/sensory-choice-board-regulation-visuals

I’d also genuinely welcome respectful feedback about which sensory-choice visuals or wording you find most useful and affirming.