Processing Disorders: Help for Adults

Is it difficult for you to tune out noises, wear certain types of clothing, or tolerate certain scents? Do you overreact to inconveniences like dirty hands, or struggle to understand what was said in a conversation? If this sounds familiar, your brain may have difficulty processing sensory, visual or auditory input.  

As an adult, you may feel like you've been applying coping strategies to deal with these processing issues your whole life. But you are not alone. At Brain Balance, our team is here to help you. We understand what it feels like to cope with these symptoms and we have a plan to help.

What is a Processing Disorder?

A processing disorder is a deficiency in the ability to effectively process or interpret the information gathered by the senses. If the brain’s ability to process auditory, visual, and sensory information is impaired, it can affect a person’s ability to thrive in professional and personal settings. The difference between a processing struggle and a disorder is that individuals with a disorder are severely affected that it interferes with their normal, everyday functioning.

What are types of Processing Disorders?

Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)

Auditory Processing Disorder impacts comprehension of what has been heard and how that information is processed in the brain. It also impacts recall of what has been heard. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, APD can result in issues related to listening, including repeated requests for clarification of spoken directions, or difficulty understanding conversations.¹

Possible signs and symptoms of an Auditory Processing Disorder¹:

• You need to repeat requests for clarification of spoken directions
• You may have difficulty understanding conversations in loud environments like a cafeteria or busy working area
• You may easily forget requests made of you or names you’ve learned at a work event

Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)

Sensory Processing Disorder, or SPD, can result in over-responsiveness to sensory input, like extreme sensitivity to loud noise or itchy clothing, or under-responsiveness, which might present as a lack of awareness of personal space or thrill-seeking behavior. The reaction to sensory stimuli interferes with an individual's daily life. 

Possible signs and symptoms of a Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)¹:

• You feel clumsy and uncoordinated in your movements
• Loud music or noises at work are distracting or even unbearable
• You feel extreme irritability with sounds (sounds at the dinner table, at work, on a commute, etc.)
• Flickering lights or textures of some foods greatly bother you
• You avoid hugs or close contact even with familiar people
• You do not enjoy being in crowded spaces
• You may be very fidgety and unable to sit still

Visual Processing Disorder (VPD)

Visual processing disorders present as a disconnect between what an individual sees versus what the brain “sees” or interprets of that object. Visual processing disorders can take many shapes, that look like the following:

• You might mix up similar-looking words
• You might have poor reading comprehension
• You might mix up the order of letter or words
• You may be a poor speller or have crooked handwriting that is hard for you to read.¹