Making Sense of Sensory Issues

Making Sense of Sensory Issues

Hadassah Eventsur

Chavi is sitting across from her friend Tzippy, who is sipping a latte. Tzippy is venting about her sleepless night, but Chavi’s eyes are fixed on the fly buzzing in the corner of the room. She knows her friend’s lips are moving, but she isn’t hearing a word.

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After a long day, Gitty finally slumps down on the couch with a book. Her sweet toddler approaches from behind and taps her on the head with a paper towel roll. Gitty feels like she was hit with a ton of bricks and reacts furiously.

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Esti is so happy for her friend who is marrying off her first child. She wants to really participate in the simchah, but she finds herself obsessing over her itchy stockings and the stiff fabric of her dress.

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Dina finally has a day off and is excited to browse the mall, only to be overwhelmed by the smell of popcorn as she opens the door. She begins to gag and promptly leaves the building.

These are all examples of what it’s like to live with sensory processing disorder (SPD), a disorder that is common in the neurodivergent population. At the basic level, SPD means that the brain cannot sort or process some or all of the information it receives from our senses.