Occupational therapists act on increased occurrence of SPD

Reported cases of sensory processing disorder diagnoses are on the rise and one person whose gainful employment is in an occupational therapist job played a key role in helping a Chicago-area kindergartner confront the condition and improve on it, The Chicago Tribune reports.

Six-year-old Clare O'Connor of Oak Park routinely put shoes on the wrong feet and periodically fell off her chair while her peers at school sat tight, which her parents thought were clumsiness and quirks. But then an occupational therapist suggested outfitting the living room of O'Connor's home with a bungee swing.

"I don't know if it's a magic show or not, but I know it's been a great experience for us," her mother Kathleen told the news source while Clare twirled on the swing.

SPD, as the condition also is known, occurs when someone's brain faces challenges processing incoming signals that should generate a suitable response, whether it be physical or verbal. The diagnosis has come a long way since children who endured challenges with various sensory experiences were relegated as bratty or hyperactive.

An occupational therapist and a speech-language pathologist are conducting a workshop later this month in Northern Ohio to discuss sensory processing disorders, The News-Messenger reports.