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Adolescent & Adult SPD Checklist
If you are concerned after going through the checklist that you or your teenager's life may be significantly impacted by sensory processing issues, please contact a local Occupational Therapist. For hints, tips and tricks on how to find one, click here . Again, disorder means that it is SIGNIFICANTLY interfering with ones ability to perform daily activities (work, rest, or "play"/leisure) An open mind may help you see that what appeared to be a "mental health",
"behavioral", or "compulsive" behavior or issue may actually be based on
inefficient sensory processing. As with any "problem", it will not get better
until you know the cause! Treat it for what it actually is... no more
"band-aids". ALL of you will check off several of the items on this checklist, as many of them indicate normal sensory preferences or difficulties. That does NOT mean you have SPD. Look at HOW MANY you have checked off, the AMOUNT OF HIGH NUMBERS you indicated, WHICH SENSORY SYSTEMS are targeted, and HOW MUCH they impact your everyday FUNCTIONING. Also, keep in mind, many of these symptoms can be indications of other disorders and mental health issues. It is the clusters and intensity of symptoms that we are looking for here, as they apply to, and are based upon sensory stimuli. Again, if you feel these sensory processing issues are significantly impacting your life (pay attention to FREQUENCY, TIMING, AND DURATION), I urge you to seek a knowledgeable professional for help. AND, if you are really bothered by sensory issues, you may also want to think back to childhood, or earlier years, and fill out the Sensory Processing Disorder Checklist For Kids . Keep in mind, the more information you can give the evaluator, the more
accurate your diagnosis and treatment will be. If concerned, keep journals and
bring that, and these checklists to your Doctor, Psychologist, or Occupational
Therapist who is familiar with SPD to decide if an evaluation and further
treatment is indicated. ADOLESCENT / ADULT SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER CHECKLISTSENSORY MODULATION: __ __ bothered by "light touch"; someone lightly touching/rubbing your hand, face, leg or back __ __ excessively ticklish __ __ distressed by others touching you; would rather be the "toucher" than the "touchee", difficulty "snuggling" with your partner __ __ have to fidget and "fiddle" with things all the time; change in your pocket, your keys, a pen/pencil, paper clip, rubber band, ANYTHING within reach __ __ often touching and twisting your own hair __ __ very sensitive to pain, especially as compared to others __ __ don't seem to notice pain; get shots/cuts/bruises and hardly feel a thing __ __ dislike the feeling of showers or getting splashed __ __ difficulty going to the beach; the sand blowing on your skin or getting on your body __ __ avoid touching anything "messy"; if you do, you have to go wash your hands right away and/or only touch it with your fingertips __ __ can not wear new or "stiff" clothes that have not been washed or soaked in fabric softener __ __ hate to be barefoot or hate to wear shoes and/or socks __ __ frequently get car sick, air sick, motion sick __ __ a thrill seeker; loves fast and/or dangerous rides, leisure activities, and sports __ __ difficulty riding on elevators, escalators, or moving sidewalks __ __ avoid amusement park rides that spin or go upside down __ __ seek out fast, spinning, and/or upside down carnival rides __ __ will often rock or sway body back and forth while seated or standing still __ __ frequently tips chair on back two legs __ __ restless when sitting through a lecture, presentation, or movie __ __ constantly chews on ends of pens and pencils __ __ smokes cigarettes __ __ difficulty eating foods with mixed textures, or one particular texture __ __ prefer foods with very strong tastes and flavors __ __ prefer very bland foods, dislike anything spicy __ __ has a diagnosed eating disorder or has major eating "sensitivities" __ __ constantly biting nails or fingers __ __ bites lips or inside of cheeks __ __ frequently shake your leg while sitting or falling asleep __ __ love to sleep with multiple or heavy blankets on top of you __ __ seek out crashing and "squishing" activities __ __ cracks knuckles often __ __ loves crunchy foods (popcorn, carrots, chips, nuts, pretzels, etc.) __ __ frequently have gum or hard candy in your mouth __ __ has an "endless" supply of air fresheners, scented candles, odor masking sprays, etc. __ __ becomes nauseated or gags from certain cooking, cleaning, perfume, public restroom, or bodily odors __ __ identifies objects by smell, have to smell everything, judge whether you like something or someone by smell __ __ becomes overstimulated / overaroused when people come to the house or in crowded places __ __ very high or very low energy level __ __ avoids crowds and plans errands at times when there will be fewer people __ __ overly exited/aroused in group settings __ __ hides or disappears when guests come over __ __ substance abuse __ __ drinks excessive amounts of coffee or caffeinated beverages __ __ notice and bothered by noises other people do not seem bothered by... clocks, refrigerators, fans, people talking, outdoor construction, etc. __ __ sensitive to loud sounds or commotion __ __ easily distracted by auditory or visual stimuli __ __ can not attend certain public events or places due to excessive noise
__ __ difficulty finding things in your purse or pocket without looking __ __ don't seem to notice if your hands or face are dirty __ __ bothered by hands or face being dirty __ __ loves to touch and be touched, has to touch everything __ __ have a hard time feeling where a bug has bitten you or whether you are being bitten __ __ difficulty heating food to the correct temperature, feeling if it is too hot or too cold __ __ difficulty locating items in a cupboard, drawer, in your closet, or on a grocery shelf __ __ difficulty with recognizing/interpreting/following traffic signs __ __ difficulty judging distances about where your car is in relation to other cars, in parking spaces, or near a curb (fail miserably at parallel parking!!) __ __ difficulty merging into oncoming traffic on road, rotary, or highway __ __ get disoriented and/or lost easily in stores, buildings, hiking, etc. __ __ can't sleep if room isn't completely dark __ __ fearful of heights __ __ difficulty concentrating on or watching a movie/tv show when there is background noise or distractions __ __ difficulty remembering or understanding what is said to you __ __ difficulty following directions if given two or three at one time __ __ can not complete concentrated tasks if noises present __ __ sensitive, or over reacts, to sirens, dogs barking, vaccuum cleaners, blenders, or other sudden/loud sounds __ __ talks too loud or too soft __ __ lethargic, hard to get going, appears "lazy" and unmotivated __ __ become engrossed in one single activity for a long time and seems to tune out the rest of their environment __ __ spend hours at a time on fantasy or video games and activities __ __ great difficulty settling body down for sleep or waking up in the morning (did you even hear the alarm that has been going off for 15 minutes?) __ __ has difficulty licking an ice cream cone neatly __ __ difficulty with speech and annunciation __ __ bumps into things frequently __ __ often pushes too hard on objects, accidentally breaking them __ __ difficulty judging how much pressure to apply when doing tasks or picking something up __ __ difficulty identifying which key on your ring belongs to what __ __ numbers and letters often reversed or backwards __ __ difficulty telling time on an analogue clock __ __ difficulty reading and understanding a map, bus schedule, directions __ __ difficulty organizing and grouping things by categories, similarities, and/or differences __ __ can't seem to find words in word search puzzles __ __ unable to identify foods that have gone bad by smell __ __ difficulty being able to smell dangerous smells, i.e., smoke, noxious/hazardous solvents __ __ difficulty being able to smell when something is burning on the stove or in the oven __ __ difficulty distinguishing different tastes and/or flavors of food
and/or drink items __ __ clumsy, uncoordinated, and accident prone __ __ difficulty walking on uneven surfaces __ __ difficulty with fine motor tasks such as buttoning, zipping, tying, knitting, sewing, playing games with small parts, closing zip loc bags __ __ confuses right and left sides __ __ prefers sedentary tasks, avoiding sports or physical activities __ __ difficulty with handwriting; hard to read, takes a long time to write __ __ frequently bumps into people and things __ __ easily fatigued with physical tasks __ __ frequently misses when putting objects on a table __ __ messy eater, difficulty with eating utensils, spills and drops food __ __ knocks drinks or other things over when reaching for them __ __ frequently drops items __ __ has to talk self through tasks __ __ hums or vocalizes while concentrating on a task __ __ significant difficulty learning to tie a tie __ __ difficulty with motor tasks requiring several steps __ __ difficulty lining up numbers correctly for math problems and/or balancing a checkbook __ __ difficulty learning new motor tasks...a new dance, sport or exercise activity, how to drive __ __ lose balance frequently __ __ significant difficulty learning to type the "proper" way __ __ may be described as "stubborn", "defiant", or "uncooperative" __ __ cries easily, over things others usually don't, very "emotional" and "sensitive" __ __ can't seem to finish anything __ __ difficulty making decisions __ __ rigid and controlling __ __ prefers solitary activities, avoids groups __ __ impatient and/or impulsive __ __ difficulty with social cues and non verbal language __ __ difficulty with authority figures __ __ trouble relating to and socializing with peers and colleagues __ __ a "sore loser" __ __ strong feelings of anger or rage __ __ easily frustrated __ __ needs sameness and routines; needs to know what to expect __ __ have panic or anxiety attacks __ __ plagued by fears and/or phobias __ __ OCD-type qualities; can't let foods touch each other on your plate, have to wear clothes a certain way, will only do ____, repetitively does ____, can not do _____ without doing _____, has to have ____ like ____ __ __ distractible and unorganized __ __ hates surprises __ __ difficulty seeking out and maintaining relationships __ __ avoids eye contact __ __ heart rate speeds up, and won't slow down when at rest, or won't speed up for tasks that require a higher heart rate __ __ respiration too fast or slow for the appropriate state of arousal __ __ over or under sensitivity to bowel and bladder sensations __ __ over or under sensitivity to the sensation of hunger/appetite __ __ irregular, inconsistent bowel, bladder and appetite sensations __ __ difficulty with temperature regulation of body
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