KID FOUNDATION CIRCULATES PETITION SEEKING 50,000 SIGNATURES IN BY 2007

(PRLEAP.COM) New York, NY—December 8, 2006 – Nearly five percent of American children have a Sensory Processing Disorder. Currently, treatment is not covered by most insurance providers, and improper diagnoses are becoming more common. Dr. Lucy Jane Miller, Founder and Executive Director, announced that KID Foundation, the leading authority on Sensory processing Disorders (SPD), is currently seeking signatures and on-line support for a petition to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-V (DSM-V) for the inclusion of SPD. The petition was created so that KID Foundation could request two to three more years of research from the DSM-V committee. Three years can have a huge impact on the well-being of so many children suffering from symptoms of SPD.

Sensory Processing Disorder affects approximately 1 in 20 individuals, and refers to the inability to take in information through senses (touch, movement, smell, taste, vision, and hearing), organize and interpret that information, and make a meaningful response. For most people, this process is automatic. SPD affects the way some children’s brains interpret the information that comes in; it also affects how they respond to that information with emotional, motor, and other reactions.

The DSM-V is a manual that medical, psychological and other specialists rely upon in order to classify childhood and adult mental health and developmental disorders. While sensory processing dysfunctions may be present in numerous disorders, the condition can also exist without other diagnostic symptoms. Therefore, it is essential that SPD receives representation as a distinct disorder in order to avoid diagnostic confusion and to further research in identifying the underlying cause of and treatments for these disparate conditions.

Not having representation makes it difficult, if not impossible, for parents to get health care coverage for their child’s treatment. The standard treatment for SPD is Occupational Therapy (OT). Currently, there is no health care coverage or reimbursement for Occupational Therapy or psychological counseling for the treatment of SPD. Occupational Therapy is essential remediation for these children and psychological support is often necessary for individuals and families who are in crisis due to the negative impact SPD has on overall functioning. Signing KID Foundation’s petition can help increase the chances of having SPD recognized as a DSM-V category and offer help and hope for parents of children with Sensory Processing Disorders.

Kid Foundation has a network of parent support groups in 42 cities nationwide. These dedicated groups are helping to spread the word on SPD and are circulating the petition in their communities. KID Foundation commends them for their efforts and dedication, and encourages those who support the advocacy of Sensory Processing Disorder to help with the campaign by adding their signature to the petition. For more information on the DSM-V petition, please visit www.kidfoundation.org/advocacy.

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