Managing Sensory Processing Disorder and How Auditory Therapy Can Help

Imagine walking into a busy café. The clatter of cutlery, overlapping conversations, the hiss of the coffee machine, sounds many of us barely register; suddenly feel painfully sharp or confusing. For someone with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), this isn’t imagination. It’s reality. SPD can make everyday environments overwhelming, unpredictable, and exhausting. But there is hope. Understanding what SPD is, and how targeted auditory therapies can support it, can help countless individuals lead more functional lives.

What Is Sensory Processing Disorder?

Sensory Processing Disorder refers to difficulty in processing and responding to sensory information. This could mean being overly sensitive (hypersensitive) to textures, lights, or sounds or not sensitive enough (hyposensitive), where the body craves more stimulation to register it.

The brain is meant to filter, organise, and respond to incoming sensory data from the brightness of a room to the pitch of a voice. However, in SPD, that system is out of balance. It’s like a radio that keeps tuning in and out of frequencies, missing cues or blasting static unexpectedly.

Children with SPD might cover their ears at the sound of a vacuum or cry because a tag on their shirt feels unbearable. Adults may feel anxious in crowded spaces, struggle to concentrate in open-plan offices, or rely on headphones to get through the day.

Though not officially listed as a standalone diagnosis in many diagnostic manuals, SPD is widely recognised by occupational therapists and clinicians. It often appears in neurodivergent individuals, particularly those with autism or ADHD, but it can also affect people with no other diagnosis.

The Auditory Side of SPD: When Sound Hurts

One of the most commonly affected senses in SPD is hearing. Auditory SPD doesn’t involve hearing loss in fact, most people with this condition have normal hearing tests. The issue lies in how the brain decodes and prioritises sound.

In auditory hypersensitivity, familiar sounds like a hand dryer or a dog barking can be unbearable. A child might scream when a toilet flushes. An adult may flinch at the clinking of dishes or feel exhausted after a noisy commute. The brain is overreacting to everyday noise, interpreting it as a threat.

On the flip side, some people are under-sensitive. They barely notice soft or moderate sounds and may seek stimulation through loud music or vocalisations. A child might bang objects just to hear the noise, while an adult may prefer working in chaotic environments without understanding why.

Many people with auditory sensory processing disorder (SPD) experience both extremes in different contexts. They might be upset by background chatter at a party, but not react to their name being called softly in class.

These patterns aren’t “bad behaviour” or rudeness. They are the result of a nervous system trying sometimes desperately to make sense of its world.

The Real-World Impact

For families, SPD can be confusing and emotionally draining. A child who screams at a family gathering may be labelled “spoiled” when, in truth, they’re overwhelmed. A teen who seems “disconnected” in class may be filtering out the teacher’s voice without meaning to.

Every day, routines become difficult. Getting dressed can trigger meltdowns if clothes feel “wrong.” Going to school, the supermarket, or a birthday party can feel like running through a minefield of unexpected sounds and textures.

Adults, too, suffer in silence. They may avoid group dinners, feel anxious in meetings, or struggle to relax at night due to low-grade noise sensitivity. Many develop coping strategies without even realising SPD is part of the picture, like using earplugs, leaving events early, or working in isolation.

Significantly, SPD affects emotional well-being. When a person can’t trust their environment to feel safe or predictable, anxiety, irritability, and low confidence often follow. Children may develop learning delays or social withdrawal. Adults may report chronic fatigue, difficulty sleeping, or frequent tension headaches. None of these are character flaws; they are signs of a brain under siege.

SPD, Autism and ADHD: An Overlapping Spectrum

SPD is often found in people with autism, ADHD, and other neurodevelopmental conditions. In fact, sensory differences are now part of the diagnostic criteria for autism. About 90% of autistic people report unusual sensory experiences.

Children with ADHD also show high rates of sensory reactivity; around half of them struggle with things like loud noise, unexpected touch, or strong smells. For these individuals, challenges with attention, behaviour, and sensory regulation often go hand in hand.

However, SPD is not exclusive to autism or ADHD. Many children and adults show sensory difficulties without meeting criteria for either. Clinicians refer to this as “isolated SPD.” These individuals deserve equal understanding and support, regardless of whether they have a diagnosis or not.

Recognising Auditory SPD: The Signs to Watch

Auditory SPD may reveal itself in subtle ways:

• A child repeatedly covers their ears or avoids group activities.
• An adult becomes easily irritated in loud restaurants or open offices.
• Someone frequently asks others to repeat themselves, not because they didn’t hear but because their brain couldn’t sort the speech from background noise.
• A person may be called “sensitive,” “distracted,” or even “lazy,” when in reality, their auditory system is working harder than usual.
  

Understanding these behaviours through the SPD lens can shift the conversation from blame to compassion and from confusion to action.

Support and Therapies: Managing the Soundscape

The good news is, SPD is manageable. While it may not disappear entirely, many people learn to function more comfortably through the right mix of environment adaptations and therapy.

Here’s how auditory-specific therapies can help.

1. Environmental Supports and Listening Tools

Sometimes, simple changes make a big difference:

• Noise-reducing headphones for school, work or travel
• Calming music or white noise to mask jarring sounds
• Creating a “quiet corner” or break space
• Allowing time to decompress after noisy events
  

These tools aren’t “crutches”, they’re sensory aids that let the nervous system recover and reset. Giving a child permission to wear headphones, for instance, can mean the difference between distress and participation.

2. Occupational Therapy (OT)

Occupational therapy (OT) is often the first line of support for SPD. Though not exclusively auditory, OT practitioners help individuals with regulation by engaging the senses through structured, play-based activities. For example:

• Swinging or bouncing for vestibular input
• Using weighted blankets or deep-pressure touch
• Combining movement with rhythmic sounds or musical tasks
  

These sensory “diets” are designed to help the brain learn how to modulate input more smoothly, including sound. OT can also guide parents on home strategies and advocate for classroom accommodations.

3. Therapeutic Listening Programmes

These structured sound programmes use filtered music through headphones to gently stimulate auditory pathways. Examples include:

• Therapeutic Listening: Often paired with daily sensory routines and monitored by a therapist
• Safe and Sound Protocol: Based on polyvagal theory, it uses vocal music to engage the parasympathetic nervous system (our calm and connect mode)
  

Small studies and clinician feedback indicate improved focus, better mood regulation, and reduced reactivity in children who use these programmes consistently.

4. Auditory Integration Training (AIT)

AIT, such as the Bérard Method, utilises modulated music to retrain the brain’s sound processing. It’s somewhat controversial: research has not consistently proven its effectiveness, and more studies are needed. However, some families do report positive changes in tolerance and attention, especially when paired with other therapies.

If you consider AIT, it’s best approached as one part of a multi-tool plan, rather than a stand-alone solution.

5. Music Therapy

Music therapy is a gentle and engaging way to support auditory regulation. A trained therapist may use rhythm instruments, structured songs, or group music-making to:

• Improve social communication
• Build auditory attention and memory.
• Provide predictable sensory input through tempo and tone
  

Research on music therapy in autism shows benefits in social and cognitive areas, and many of these insights carry over to SPD as well.

The Tomatis® Method: A Unique Approach to Listening

Among the sound-based therapies, the Tomatis® Method stands out for its “whole-brain” approach. Developed by Dr Alfred Tomatis, this programme uses electronically filtered music, often Mozart or Gregorian chants and real-time voice feedback to train the auditory system.

Here’s how it works:

• The client wears special headphones that deliver sound through both air and bone conduction
• Music is filtered to highlight specific frequencies and create unexpected shifts.
• The user also speaks or hums, and hears their altered voice through the headphones.
• These real-time changes challenge the auditory system to become more flexible and responsive.
  

Bone conduction, the sensation of hearing sound through the bones of the skull, is a significant feature of the method. It’s designed to activate deep listening and improve coordination between hearing and speech.

Reported Benefits

Though large-scale studies are limited, small clinical trials and parent reports suggest that children using the Tomatis® Method show:

• Reduced fear of loud sounds
• Clearer speech
• Improved attention and sleep
• Better social connection
  

Many experts describe it as “a workout for the ears”, initially tiring but often rewarding. Over time, children and adults report greater tolerance to noise and more confidence in communication.

Tomatis® Method in Australia

In Australia, certified Tomatis practitioners offer customised programmes based on listening profiles and personal needs. These sessions are spaced over weeks, with breaks for integration and play. The process is gentle and child-friendly, with ongoing guidance for families.

If auditory sensory processing disorder (SPD) is disrupting daily life, this method may offer a structured, sensory-safe path forward.

Moving Forward with Empathy and Support

Sensory Processing Disorder is not a choice, and it’s not about “toughening up.” It’s about a brain that processes the world differently and sometimes requires assistance in doing so.

Whether you’re parenting a child with SPD, supporting a student, or trying to understand your sensory challenges as an adult, know this: change is possible. Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to learn and adapt. With the right combination of understanding, environmental support, and therapy, most individuals with SPD can lead rich and confident lives.

Auditory therapies, whether music-based, therapist-guided, or family-supported, can play a significant role in alleviating sound-related distress. Programmes like the Tomatis® Method offer promising and personalisable tools for making sound less threatening and more accessible.

Above all, what matters most is empathy. Listen to what people with SPD are telling you verbally or through their behaviour. Offer quiet when needed, seek professional advice when possible, and celebrate each small victory.

Because when the world becomes less noisy and more manageable, everything from learning to laughing gets easier.