What is the difference between SPD and ASD?

[Lydia Z]

I somehow ended up on page of a checklist for adults with Sensory processing disorder and I was surprised at how many of those I can relate too. My question is, what exactly is the difference? This is the link to the checklist.
http://spdsupport.org/resources/adult-spd-symptoms.shtml

 

[SusanLR]

Many of those markers I can relate to also.
IMO the difference between SPD and ASD is the definitons of the levels of ASD and what they consist of or focus around.
There are really basically two areas that ASD levels are now based on - social communication and restrictive inflexible behaviours. As from the DSM-V levels of listings and the two catagories now observed.

While the SPD symptoms fit with many of our sensory issues, they aren't taking these into consideration much anymore in diagnosing ASD. The learning/intellect skills aren't listed either except as a comorbid diagnosis.

 

[Progster]

There is a lot of overlap, but with ASD, the diagnosis is based around social communication difficulties, and rigid/repetitive behaviour, rather than sensory sensitivities. ASD is more like a cluster of disorders to form a certain profile - social communication issues together with some OCD traits, some ADHD traits and some SPD traits, whereas, obviously, SPD is only related to sensory issues.

I have social communication difficulties plus I have some, but not all, SPD traits (but not actual SPD ?); some, but not all OCD traits (but I don't have have OCD?), some but not all ADHD traits (but not ADHD?) I put a question mark on these, because I haven't been officially tested for these and it's still possible that I may have them to such an extent to warrant a diagnosis.

 

[Lydia Z]

There is a lot of overlap, but with ASD, the diagnosis is based around social communication difficulties, and rigid/repetitive behaviour, rather than sensory sensitivities. ASD is more like a cluster of disorders to form a certain profile - social communication issues together with some OCD traits, some ADHD traits and some SPD traits, whereas, obviously, SPD is only related to sensory issues.

I have social communication difficulties plus I have some, but not all, SPD traits (but not actual SPD ?); some, but not all OCD traits (but I don't have have OCD?), some but not all ADHD traits (but not ADHD?) I put a question mark on these, because I haven't been officially tested for these and it's still possible that I may have them to such an extent to warrant a diagnosis.

I do have the social communications issues and most of the symptoms listed on the SPD checklist. The only thing i think that might make a person on the spectrum different from someone that has an SPD is that we will check in most categories in the checklist. At least that is how it was for me. If we take for example, over responsiveness and under responsiveness, there were traits that i can relate to from both but for someone with SPD It will be one or the other (i am assuming)

 

[Progster]

I do have the social communications issues and most of the symptoms listed on the SPD checklist. The only thing i think that might make a person on the spectrum different from someone that has an SPD is that we will check in most categories in the checklist. At least that is how it was for me. If we take for example, over responsiveness and under responsiveness, there were traits that i can relate to from both but for someone with SPD It will be one or the other (i am assuming)

Since SPD is a separate diagnosis, I think that it's more likely that a person with SPD will tick more boxes, and a person with ASD but not full-blown SPD might tick a few boxes and not all of them. For example, I have a greater sensitivity to sound and touch, not so much to light, so I don't tick all of the boxes. I think that most people with ASD have sensory sensitivities and certainly will tick more boxes than the average NT.

 

[Tom]

Its confusing.

 

[Lydia Z]

Its confusing.

It was very confusing for me when i read in the SPD forums about their special abilities. insert emoji of confused lady here.