Somebody Help Me with the Difference Between SPD and ADHD

Sensory processing issues are external where ADHD is internal. You can remove everything from the environment of someone with ADHD and they will be distracted with how bored they are.

Someone with a sensory processing issue is going to be distracted only when something they are sensitive to is in contact with them.

The thing with ADHD is you have one primary focus and a lot of secondary focuses. You only interact with your primary so you have to shift gears so to speak to answer. That is where you get the I heard you!! See you hear them but you want to finish up whatever you got kicking in your head before you shift and answer. If you don't finish it up it will be gone forever, sadly lost. :(

I would suggest you see a child psychiatrist, they are the best in figuring out exactly what is going on.

Oh, don't do the face cupping thing, very demeaning, all it takes is a touch. What I do to get my kids attention is brush my hand through their hair. Sure I am doing it for the same reason but it feels loving to them where cupping their face feels demeaning.

Not picking on you Mira but it always makes me laugh when people take a stab at ADHD. No, we pay attention to everything, we just don't interact with everything. We are the ultimate multitaskers. :) Uncontrolled we are a train wreck. :p

Yes, kids with ADHD can sit still for things they like. In fact, they take it to extremes and hyperfocus and it can be extremely difficult to get them to shift gears and focus on something else. Transitional times are notoriously difficult for kids with ADHD.

You're seeing a developmental pediatrician, which is a good thing because that's one of the few professionals (the others being a child psychiatrist or neuropsychologist) who are qualified to diagnose ADHD and the conditions you've mentioned. I would really listen to what the experts have to say. It's extremely common for kids with ADHD to have comorbid conditions like those you've mentioned. Our son has ADHD, OCD, anxiety, depression, tics and encopresis.

Best of luck to you! It sounds like you are dealing with a lot of challenges there.

With dual (and triple, quadruple, etc.) diagnoses, it's always really hard to sort out what symptom belongs to what. In the end, as much as we want to put things into neat little boxes, it may not be the best use of your time.

However, I'll try to answer the question in your title. SPD (sensory processing disorder) means that someone's senses are either hypersensitive or undersensitive, or both. For most kids, having a tag on the back of their shirt is no big deal. It might itch slightly; they might not notice it at all. For some (not all) kids with SPD, though, that tag is like a knife cutting into them all day long. Their brains just take the signals their nerves are sending and magnify them a hundredfold. For other kids with SPD, though, the only way they can stay calm or in balance is to experience strong sensations all the time. They're drawn to eat raw chili peppers, turn the music up to 11, etc.

ADD (attention deficit disorder) means just that: a limited ability to pay attention. I know a little less about it, since it's not an issue for my son, but from what I've read, it's like "Wow, I'm having an interesting thought here. No, wait, here comes a reeeeally interesting thought, about something completely unrelated. Oh, whoa, what about THIS thought here, now that is something to consider, or -- wait! NEW thought on the horizon! Now ... what were you saying?" Most of us have a filter, where we can keep peripheral thoughts and observations at bay while we pay attention to the matter at hand. Kids with ADD/ADHD don't have that.

The other things is that both acronyms are relatively well known, but the root cause of these disorders is not well understood. They could well have a common origin, though they're described in different terms. Or, kids could develop ADD-like symptoms as a way of handling SPD, or vice versa.

Anyway, that's some basic info for ya. As far as experience, my son did have mild SPD, but fortunately he's outgrown the majority of it, thanks in part to a restricted diet and a Montessori preschool. I do know that diet (especially sugar, dairy, and gluten) can be a huge factor for a lot of kids. I know it sounds hard, but you might try getting him off all three. It's a PITA at first, if you're used to processed foods, but you could see an amazing turnaround (not to mention a very healthy kid).

Just a thought on the hand cupping thing...I think it totally depends on the child. For one child it may feel demeaning, but for another it could feel grounding and help pull them into focus. My son has SPD and for him, having someone run their hand through his hair would be very aversive, but he responds well when we use firm pressure. I would say, if your son doesn't seem bothered by you cupping his face and it is working for you, keep doing it. With things like SPD and ADHD, they show up so differently for each child, so there is NO one size fits all approach.

Not to add another issue to look into onto your plate, but some of what you describe sounds like my son, who also has auditory processing issues. He literally can't process what he hears at certain frequencies or when certain frequencies are competing against someone's voice. So, it can seem like he isn't listening, but it's just that what we are saying isn't being processed. His hearing is fine, but something gets in the way of the processing. We had him tested and got him an ear filter that filters out the frequencies that he has the most problems with. The Able Kids Foundation in Ft. Collins is where we had his testing done. Our OT also told us that talking loudly or non-stop is a way for SPD kids to control their environment and sensory input. If they are talking loudly then they are in control of what they experience in terms of sound.

What you describe does sound like ADD (and kids/adults with ADD CAN focus well and can even hyperfocus on things that they are interested in or that keep their attention), but it could also be that he acts differently at different times depending on what he's experiencing from a sensory perspective. Someone once described ADD to me as a frisky horse with a sleepy jockey...the horse (energy etc...) is all over the place and their jockey (impulse control, self-discipline etc...) isn't able to control it. I don't know if that helps, but I like the analogy :)

There is a lot of confusion between SPD and ADHD... there is also a lot of dual diagnosing..... a child may have facets of both.

My grandson was diagnosed with SPD..... you mentioned the thing about the curb... that may be something having to do with his balance, and his core muscle strengths..... my grandson has some muscle issues, and has been working on them in PT.... he didn't jump well at all, but after just a few PT sessions, he was jumping much more easily, walking up and down the stairs properly, things like that.....

One thing on attention/focus..... one possible therapy for focus and attention is a weighted vest or blanket... these kids are often seeking input from their surroundings (why they are so fidgety, constantly moving, constantly touching things), and that is often mis-understood and thought to be ADHD.... using a weighted vest or weighted lap blanket can often help them focus better.

His non-stop talking may also be his way of coping with the fact that most schools don't want kids to talk... so he works SO hard at not talking during school, that when he can get with you, it ALL comes out.......

I know you said he already gets speech therapy... can you get him into some Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy? The PT especially may help with his possible balance/muscle issues.... it has done a world of good for my grandson, in the year he has been in therapy.

ETA to add:

I found a GREAT article about how SPD and ADHD often go hand in hand, and the differences between them....

http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/793.html

Yes, people with ADHD can focus for long periods of time on things like tv or video games if they are really into it. They can be very easily distracted, agitated...But really, even average typical kids without any type of disorders can act like that too.

This specific set of behaviors doesn't sound like SPD (sensory processing disorder) to me.