Autism vs Sensory Processing Disorder: Differences

Key Takeaways

Sensory processing difficulties are not confined to autism: they are also seen in ADHD, developmental coordination disorder and anxiety,⁠³ and some children have them without being autistic.⁠¹
A proposed classification divides SPD into three groups: sensory modulation disorder, sensory-based motor disorder, and sensory discrimination disorder.⁠⁴
Over 90% of children with autism show atypical sensory behaviors, and since 2013 hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input is part of the DSM-5 criteria — but that does not run the other way: some children show atypical sensory behaviors to the same degree as autistic children, or more, without being autistic.⁠¹
Sensory over-responsivity is common: in a study of 925 children aged seven to eleven, 16% of parents, about one in six, reported that at least four tactile or auditory sensations bothered their child.⁠²
Imaging work comparing boys with autism against boys with sensory processing differences found shared disruption in sensory pathways and divergent connectivity in social-emotional pathways — which is close to the answer this page's title asks for.⁠¹

Sensory sensitivities are closely associated with autism: over 90% of autistic children show atypical sensory behaviors — one might be highly sensitive to loud and chaotic environments, while another may find the slightest irritant from clothing tags unbearable. But the difficulties behind sensory processing disorder (SPD) are not confined to autism: some children show atypical sensory behaviors to the same degree as autistic children, or more, without being autistic.⁠¹

A proposed classification describes three groups:⁠⁴

Sensory Modulation Disorder: This subtype affects how an individual perceives and responds to sensory input. An individual may be hyper-reactive, hypo-reactive, or may seek out certain sensory experiences more intensely. This can lead to over-responsiveness to stimuli like bright lights or loud sounds, or an under-responsiveness where a person might not notice important sensory cues.
Sensory-Based Motor Disorder: Coordination and movement issues stem from sensory-based motor disorders. When the body’s sense of balance and spatial orientation is impaired, it can complicate movement planning and execution. As a result, individuals might struggle with tasks that require coordinated motor skills, such as writing or throwing a ball.
Sensory Discrimination Disorder: Difficulty in distinguishing between sensory inputs characterizes this pattern. It includes challenges in identifying differences between similar sensations, which can impact daily functioning. For example, a person might confuse a whispered ‘N’ with an ‘M’ or find it difficult to sense their own bodily needs.

Because sensory differences are so common in autism, they are easy to treat as a facet of it: over 90% of autistic children show atypical sensory behaviors,⁠¹ and in a study of autistic adults, 94.4% reported extreme levels of sensory processing in at least one area.⁠⁶ That does not mean everyone with sensory processing difficulties is autistic. In a study of 925 children aged seven to eleven, parents of 1 in 6 children reported that at least four tactile or auditory sensations bothered their child,⁠² and some children show sensory behaviors as strong as autistic children’s without meeting the criteria for autism.⁠¹

An imaging study at the University of California, San Francisco compared boys with sensory processing disorder, boys with autism and typically developing boys. Both the SPD and autism groups showed weaker connectivity in tracts involved in sensory perception, while only the autism group showed weaker connectivity in tracts thought to serve social and emotional processing.⁠¹

Whether SPD is a disorder in its own right or a feature of other conditions such as ADHD or anxiety is unsettled: the American Academy of Pediatrics calls it unclear, and advises that, because there is no universally accepted framework for diagnosis, sensory processing disorder generally should not be diagnosed.⁠³ For a family, recognizing the difficulties and finding help for them matters more than the label.

What brain imaging shows about SPD vs autism

The question in the title has been examined directly, and the answer is more specific than "they are different".

Researchers compared boys with autism against boys with sensory processing differences using diffusion imaging of white matter tracts. They found disruption in sensory pathways in both groups — the sensory difficulty looks similar at the level of the wiring — and divergent connectivity in the pathways serving social and emotional processing, where the autistic group differed and the sensory-only group did not.⁠¹

What do autism and SPD have in common?

The sensory part. A child with sensory differences and no autism can react to sound, texture or movement as strongly as an autistic child, and the underlying sensory pathway findings are comparable.⁠¹

How is SPD different from autism?

The social and emotional side. Autism involves differences in how social interaction and communication are processed; sensory difficulty on its own does not.⁠¹

Can a brain scan tell autism from SPD?

No brain scan diagnoses autism: there is no medical test for it, and doctors diagnose it from a child’s developmental history and behavior.⁠⁵ The imaging explains why the two are so easily confused; the distinction is still made by clinical assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a child have sensory processing disorder without being autistic?

Yes. Some children show atypical sensory behaviors to the same degree as autistic children, or more, without meeting the criteria for autism.⁠¹

What are the main types of sensory processing disorder?

A proposed classification divides SPD into three groups: sensory modulation disorder, which affects how a person perceives and responds to sensory input; sensory-based motor disorder, which involves coordination and movement difficulties; and sensory discrimination disorder, which involves trouble distinguishing between similar sensory inputs.⁠⁴

How common is sensory processing disorder in children?

Sensory processing disorder has no universally accepted diagnostic framework,⁠³ so figures depend on what is measured. In one study of 925 children aged seven to eleven, 16% of parents, about one in six, reported that at least four tactile or auditory sensations bothered their child.⁠²

Is sensory processing disorder the same as autism?

No. Over 90% of autistic children show atypical sensory behaviors, but in an imaging study both autistic boys and boys with sensory processing disorder showed weaker connections in sensory pathways, while only the autistic boys showed weaker connections in pathways that serve social and emotional processing.⁠¹

Is sensory processing disorder an officially recognized diagnosis?

It is not settled. The American Academy of Pediatrics says it is unclear whether these difficulties are a disorder in their own right or features of other conditions such as ADHD or anxiety, and advises that SPD generally should not be diagnosed, because there is no universally accepted framework for diagnosis.⁠³ Recognizing the difficulties still helps families find help for them.

Sources

Chang YS, Owen JP, Desai SS, Hill SS, Arnett AB, Harris J, Marco EJ, Mukherjee P. Autism and sensory processing disorders: shared white matter disruption in sensory pathways but divergent connectivity in social-emotional pathways. PLoS One. 2014;9(7):e103038. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0103038 (PMID 25075609).
Ben-Sasson A, Carter AS, Briggs-Gowan MJ. Sensory over-responsivity in elementary school: prevalence and social-emotional correlates. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. 2009;37(5):705–716. doi:10.1007/s10802-008-9295-8 (PMID 19153827). Parent report, tactile and auditory over-responsivity specifically.
American Academy of Pediatrics, Section on Complementary and Integrative Medicine and Council on Children with Disabilities. Sensory integration therapies for children with developmental and behavioral disorders. Pediatrics. 2012;129(6):1186–1189. doi:10.1542/peds.2012-0876 (PMID 22641765). Checked October 30, 2026.
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The abstract: “it is unclear whether children who present with sensory-based problems have an actual ‘disorder’ of the sensory pathways of the brain or whether these deficits are characteristics associated with other developmental and behavioral disorders. Because there is no universally accepted framework for diagnosis, sensory processing disorder generally should not be diagnosed”; sensory difficulty “may be seen in many developmental behavioral disorders, including autism spectrum disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, developmental coordination disorders, and childhood anxiety disorders.”
Byrne MW. Sensory processing disorder: any of a nurse practitioner’s business? Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. 2009;21(6):314–321. doi:10.1111/j.1745-7599.2009.00417.x (PMID 19527310). Checked October 30, 2026. The abstract refers to “three proposed diagnostic groups: Sensory Modulation Disorder (SMD), Sensory Discrimination Disorder (SDD), and Sensory-Based Motor Disorder (SBMD).”
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Screening for Autism Spectrum Disorder. www.cdc.gov/autism/diagnosis/index.html Checked October 30, 2026. The page: “there is no medical test, such as a blood test, to diagnose the disorder. Doctors look at the child’s developmental history and behavior to make a diagnosis.”
Crane L, Goddard L, Pring L. Sensory processing in adults with autism spectrum disorders. Autism. 2009;13(3):215–228. doi:10.1177/1362361309103794 (PMID 19369385). Checked October 30, 2026. The abstract: “94.4 percent of the ASD sample reporting extreme levels of sensory processing on at least one sensory quadrant.”

Medical disclaimer. This page is for general educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider about your child.

Is It Autism Or Sensory Processing Disorder?