Sensory Processing Disorder vs Autism: What’s the Difference?
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When you think about having autism, one trait that comes to mind is having sensory sensitivities; however, it’s not the only condition with sensory sensitivities as a feature. In fact, many people have sensory sensitivities because of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). So what makes these conditions different? That is the question I will explore today.
What is sensory processing disorder?
Sensory processing disorder is a neurodiverse condition that affects how someone’s brain processes sensory information. For example, someone with SPD could have either hypersensitive or hyposensitive senses. Hypersensitive senses have extreme reactions to sensory stimuli while hyposensitive ones barely react to them. Another effect of sensory processing disorder is seeking specific senses to feel regulated or satisfied.
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Where other neurodiverse conditions can impact how someone thinks or interacts with other people, sensory processing disorder only impacts one’s senses. That said, SPD is commonly found in people with other neurodiverse conditions like ADHD and, relevant to this topic, autism.
What is autism?
Autism is a neurological developmental condition that affects a person’s social communication and behaviour. Having autism means having a distinct set of strengths and differences in how someone experiences the world. Common traits affiliated with autism include differences in social communication, repetitive actions, keen attention to detail, and sensory sensitivities.
What’s important to remember about autism is that it exists on a spectrum, meaning it affects people in different ways. In the words of professor and autism activist Stephen Shore, “If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.”
What are the main differences between autism and sensory processing disorder?
Having autism and sensory processing disorder is not a one or the other situation. It’s possible to have both conditions, which can create some misunderstandings. This leaves us with one question: which parts of a person’s life are affected by having sensory processing disorder and vice versa for autism?
Sensory focus
One of the biggest differences between sensory processing disorder and autism is how much they focus on sensory sensitivities. Of the two conditions, sensory sensitivities are given a greater focus in SPD because they are the main point there. You can’t have SPD if your sensory perception isn’t over- or under responsive.
With autism, sensory sensitivities are one part of the condition, and they aren’t even a part every autistic individual has. For example, I don’t have a great sense of smell while other autistic individuals may have a strong or a more typical sense of smell. In fact, an iffy sense of smell is the only sensory difference I have while other autistic individuals may have multiple sensory differences.
As such, sensory sensitivities in an autism context can be thought of as one part of a wider spectrum. This also isn’t to say sensory sensitivities are an unimportant part of having autism as they are still a common trait amongst autistic individuals.
Distinct diagnoses
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These days, the main source for diagnosing autism is volume 5 of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). According to the DSM-5, someone needs to experience differences in social-emotional communication, nonverbal communication, and developing and maintaining relationships to be diagnosed with autism.
The DSM-5 also states a potential autistic individual needs at least two of 4 types of repetitive and restrictive behaviours. Those behaviours are being inflexible to changes in routine, a fixation on specific interests, repetitive movements, and either hyper- or hyporesponsive reactions to sensory input.
By contrast, sensory processing disorder doesn’t have a DSM-5 criteria which has caused it to go underdiagnosed, but there are ways to diagnose it. The main one is testing how someone responds to sensory input, which involves seeing how well they receive or respond to sensory stimuli. If they prove to be overresponsive, underresponsive, or irritated by certain senses, then they can be diagnosed with SPD.
Sensory challenges
The sensory challenges people with autism and/or sensory processing disorder face can overlap with each other. For example, both people with SPD and/or autism can have hyper- or hyposensitive senses.
However, people with sensory processing disorder do face some challenges autistic individuals with sensory sensitivities don’t. For example, they may be clumsy and have a hard time staying balanced. Another challenge one could face is being unable to experience certain senses, like not getting dizzy after spinning around. In these situations, being under sensitive can make a person unaware of what effect an action had on their body.
Meanwhile, a sensory challenge unique to autistic individuals is sensory overload. A sensory overload happens when an autistic individual takes in so much sensory stimuli they become overwhelmed. What follows is an autistic meltdown or shutdown, which will cause them to panic or withdraw.
Social communication vs. sensory sensitivities
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Social communication differences are one of the defining traits of autism. An autistic individual may struggle to maintain eye contact, develop meaningful relationships, or read someone’s facial cues. The challenges may vary but they are an ever present part of having autism.
Meanwhile, sensory processing disorder doesn’t have anything to do with social communication differences. Instead, the primary focus is on one’s sensory perception. This isn’t to say someone with SPD can never have trouble socially communicating, but it is unrelated to SPD.
If SPD is about differences in sensory perception, then autism is about behavioural differences and social communication differences. Having social communication challenges or other restrictive behaviours is a bigger sign that someone has autism than their sensory perception. Sensory sensitivities are a common part of having autism but they don’t define what it’s like to be autistic.
Impact on daily life
Sensory processing disorder’s impact on daily life mainly has to do with how it affects one’s sensory experiences. For example, SPD could affect how someone responds to certain textures, which would impact what clothes they wear or what food they eat.
SPD can also impact how someone exists in a space. For example, having hyperactive senses means some rooms can be too loud, bright, or crowded for someone to be in without support like noise-cancelling headphones. Meanwhile, hypoactive senses can cause someone to not notice strong stenches or loud noises.
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Autism works the same way as an autistic individual’s daily life is affected by which traits they get and how extreme they are. They may build their whole day around a routine or build their career around a special interest, like trains. On the flip side, they could have a hard time communicating with their peers because of their social communication challenges.
Conclusion
Sensory processing disorder and autism may overlap with each other, but they are both distinct conditions requiring their own understanding and support. If you want to seek support for sensory sensitivities but don’t know which condition you have, here’s a handy tip:
- If the challenges are sensory, think SPD
- If the challenges are a mix of social, behavioural, and sensory, think autism
Think you might have autism? Take our free autism quiz to see if you have any neurodivergent traits.
References
American Psychiatry Association (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual for mental disorders (5th ed.), 50 – 51
National Autistic Society (2025). Autism and Sensory Processing. Retrieved from https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/about-autism/sensory-processing
Pasarello, N., et al (2022) Sensory Processing Disorders in Children and Adolescents: Taking Stock of Assessment and Novel Therapeutic Tools. Retrieved from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9688399/
STAR Institute for Sensory Processing (2025) About SPD. Retrieved from: https://sensoryhealth.org/basic/about-spd
