As much as the rise in "sensory issues" may be real, it could also be occupational therapists trying to generate more business for themselves.
It's happened in South Africa's[1] for-profit private healthcare sector, where wealthy areas with high concentrations of occupational therapists just happen to have enormous rates of diagnosed sensory issues in normal children, to the extent that medical schemes (insurers) have had to ration these treatments (with the tacit approval of parents, who know it's often a scam, but are forced by schools to undertake OT treatments).
Especially as formerly good South African schools have been forced to cut back, and the overall quality of education has deteriorated, OTs have become the "real" teachers in affluent areas, teaching handwriting and other motor skills, often to every child in some schools. And, anecdotally, bright young women who want to work with children aspire to become OTs, rather than teachers nowadays, exacerbating the problem.
Pediatric Occupational Therapists are basically "professionally trained parents", people who spent a few years studying child develpoment. You can quibble with the price and the necessity, and in some regions the practitioners might not be qualified, but in general an hour or whatever per week with an Occupational Therapist is going to yield insights into a child's development, and training for parents to be better in their roles.
Modern developed countries have a "no child left behind" attitude. 30 years ago, a kid who couldn't keep up and fit in would be left to waste away in the corner (if they were nonviolent) or pent up in an asylum environment (if they acted out)
I don't have a problem with occupational therapists. Indeed, I went for occupational therapy myself, in the 1980's when it was far less common. I had genuine problems that needed addressing (when I was 5 I couldn't do buttons or zips and I couldn't use my hands to save myself when I fell down). This was about 30 years ago, and I was helped, and definitely not left to waste away in a corner.
South African occupational therapists are certainly skilled and qualified by world standards.
The problem arises when "no child left behind" becomes "every child has a problem", especially when there is a clear financial motive for overdiagnosis.
And, in my opinion, the idea that parents need "training to be better in their roles" from "professionally trained parents" is another step towards breeding neuroticism in parents.
I just wanted to say good on you for bringing this up from another perspective. I would've never thought about this.
My opinion on this whole ordeal: ask the kids. I wonder what a video montage of an interview of every single kid would do to the viewing population. Get a few to cry and I can imagine people getting all riled up...
It's happened in South Africa's[1] for-profit private healthcare sector, where wealthy areas with high concentrations of occupational therapists just happen to have enormous rates of diagnosed sensory issues in normal children, to the extent that medical schemes (insurers) have had to ration these treatments (with the tacit approval of parents, who know it's often a scam, but are forced by schools to undertake OT treatments).
Especially as formerly good South African schools have been forced to cut back, and the overall quality of education has deteriorated, OTs have become the "real" teachers in affluent areas, teaching handwriting and other motor skills, often to every child in some schools. And, anecdotally, bright young women who want to work with children aspire to become OTs, rather than teachers nowadays, exacerbating the problem.
Wikipedia has the citations on this issue. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupational_therapy#Children_...
If I was an parent of a young child in the U.S., my spidey sense would be very tingley when I read articles like this.
[1] yes South Africa is a third-world country, but there are aspects that are very "First World"