Hi-
I am very familiar with auditory processing disorders due to my job but am wondering if SPD is similar, where there are less tests for diagnosing adults. Also, is it really worth the effort to get a formal diagnosis?

I am just a person...non-expert. I don't have an SPD diagnosis but do supsect I have it.

From all that I have read, the two can be intermingled but SPD isn't just auditory. Personally, I feel it would be well worth investigating and seeking a diagnosis of SPD. Although, you may be able to tap into some of the Auditory Processing Disorder coping skills to help with SPD coping.

Good luck!! I am still searching for an OT willing to evaluate/diagnose/treat an adult for SPD.

From what I recall of my reading, auditory processing disorder is a sub-type of SPD. I think getting a diagnosis is the only thing that would qualify someone for OT.

I'd say yes, having just gotten the formal diagnosis a couple of months ago. It's the reassurance of knowing for certain that this is causing the issue, is having an OT who can say 'this aspect of it is affecting you more than you realise', it's having an OT who can give you help and you can ask questions of.

(03-02-2013, 12:26 AM)Rinne Wrote: I'd say yes, having just gotten the formal diagnosis a couple of months ago. It's the reassurance of knowing for certain that this is causing the issue, is having an OT who can say 'this aspect of it is affecting you more than you realise', it's having an OT who can give you help and you can ask questions of.

I have an OT friend who specialized in SPD but she left our facility. I'm trying to track down her contact info now

Best of luck with it, Cstegema. In answer to your other question about evaluation tests for adults, the evaluation for me was a questionnaire (standard) that was scored to see where I fell in regards to all areas. Unlike with kids, they go from the 'overall' score, rather than looking at individual areas for the 'diagnosis'. Otherwise, it was the OT asking me how it was affecting my life. If it's not affecting your life, then while you may have sensory processing issues, you're not necessarily going to need the diagnosis of SPD and OT. If it is, then you do need it.

I've found it to be incredibly helpful so far - particularly in making me aware of things that are causing me issues that I wasn't conscious of before.

Thank you for your post Rinne! I too am just figuring out that I could very well have SPD. I have known since I can remember that I have sensory processing issues but for carious reasons nothing was ever done about them. Yes I'm looking back now and wondering how much different life would have been if I'd received help in learning to deal with these various issues and how they effected my life. I found this forum hoping to be able to find other people 'like me'. Looking forward to getting to know everyone!