Let’s Talk About Sensory!
Sensory processing (also known as sensory integration) is the process by which we receive, interpret, and respond to sensory input from within our own bodies and our external environment.
We receive sensory information from receptors within our EIGHT sensory systems or senses. Everyone has a different sensory system, and oftentimes, individuals present with certain sensitivities to particular sensory stimuli. Some individuals may be hypersensitive or over-sensitive to certain sensory input, while others might be hyposensitive or under-sensitive to certain stimuli. It is crucial for people of all ages to recognize and address these sensory “needs” or differences to ensure success in everyday activities.
Listed below are examples of common hyposensitivities and hypersensitivities associated with each of the eight senses and strategies to help compensate for and alleviate these sensory differences.
The tactile (touch) sense processes what we feel against our skin and also plays a role in processing pain, temperature changes, and pressure. It helps determine what flavors you like in your food, whether you like everything to be cold while you snuggle up under a blanket, or if you love touching every fabric in a craft store.
Hyposensitive
A child who is under-responsive to touch will have a higher threshold for touch, may enjoy fast movement, roughhousing, and touching anything and everything in a room. They may also be more likely to injure themselves or touch a hot surface without noticing.
You can help a hyposensitive child by giving them a fidget they can chew, like the straw on their water bottle. You can also give them thick liquids such as smoothies, yogurt, or milkshakes through a narrow straw. You can also give them an electric toothbrush. Activities such as blowing bubbles
Hypersensitive
Over-responsive children are generally picky eaters, avoid touch, and they are very much against sensory activities like brushing their teeth.
The best way to work with a hypersensitive child is to introduce them to new things with what they already love. For example, you can introduce new flavors and foods by giving them a variation of a food they already like. If they like cereal but hate bananas, you can start with a banana-flavored cereal, slowly progress to banana chips, and then introduce bananas again.
Our auditory (hearing) senses process the sounds around us, so we know what is safe and unsafe, pleasant or unpleasant, or just background noise. Those senses do more than just register sound. Everyone processes the world around them differently, and it’s how we know if we like loud screeching guitars or the comfortable melody of a pop song.
Hyposensitive
Sometimes, it might feel as if your hyposensitive child is ignoring you when you call their name. But they’re not! They do not experience a lot of stimulation from sounds, so even something like someone calling their name doesn’t register for them.
You can rely on their tactile or visual senses to get their attention. Put a hand on their shoulder or wave in a special way, so they know you’re addressing them.
Hypersensitive
Sounds are just too much! Loud noises or unexpected noises might startle your child or distract them. It makes it difficult for them to participate in large group activities or tolerate being in a noise environment.
Noise-cancelling headphones or earplugs in noisy environments help so much. This gives your child the chance to minimize all that stimulation. If they are feeling overwhelmed, take them to a quiet spot or soothe them with very soft music.
Of course, our visual senses process what we see within in our environment. This is how we recognize the people around us, our favorite colors, beautiful artwork, and what we like to spend our days looking at. This is probably our most powerful sense, picking out without us even thinking about it what we should pay attention to as we walk down the street or drive to work.
Hyposensitive
Puzzles, trying to find things on a cluttered shelf, word searches, handwriting, and homework are just some of the tasks that become extremely difficult for someone who is hyposensitive to visual cues and information. They are under-responsive to visual input, so it’s easy for everything to blend into the background.
Using brightly colored paper for homework and handwriting or other paper tasks helps immensely. Labeling containers and shelves with very noticeable and bright colors will help them keep organized and know where to find their belongings.
Hypersensitive
Tie-dye and complicated patterns do not appeal to those who are over-responsive. If there is too much color and visual stimuli, it can be a huge distraction and easily overwhelm them.
Decreasing clutter, avoiding bright colors like red, orange, and yellow, and favoring table lamps instead of overhead lighting (the dreaded big lights) makes for a comfortable environment that feels safe and soothing.
Olfactory (smell) senses help us identify and choose between different odors within our environment. It’s how we know the comforting scents of baked apple pie or a brand-new candle. Our sense of smell can warn us that we won’t like the way something tastes before we even eat it.
Hyposensitive
No, they really cannot smell the dirty laundry on their floor! Those under-responsive to smell do not register odors or smells around them. This is how a teenager may be unaware of their body odor after soccer practice, or even accidentally drink milk that’s gone bad. Missing odors like these lead to poor hygiene habits and health.
Rely on the other senses! Clearly date perishables in the fridge to avoid accidental consumption. Help your child establish a solid routine for bathing and brushing their teeth. Using signs or charts in visual places cues them. Also, be sure to tell them if they need to shower and make sure they do not feel shame about it! Gently remind them without acting disgusted or telling them they stink.
Hypersensitive
Too many smells make it difficult for over-responsive people to visit food halls or cafeterias. Taking out the trash may be a really hard chore. There are so many places and activities that naturally have lots of odors and scents, and it makes lunchtime at school or indoor gyms unpleasant places.
Find a scent your child loves, and give them a way to regularly smell it throughout the day. Essential oil necklaces, a small bottle of scented lotion, or even a body spray they can go to when smells overwhelm them really change the day. Eating meals at the front of the cafeteria away from the kitchen or near a window for ventilation makes meal times much easier.
The way you sense where your body is in regards to the people and objects around you is called proprioception. We move without consciously thinking about it because of this powerful sense. This is how you’re able to do things like type on the computer, climb on playground equipment, or catch a ball. We receive this information from the receptors in our joints and ligaments.
Hyposensitive
A child who is under-responsive to this kind of input may not understand “personal space” and frequently bump into others or objects around them. They may also experience difficulty with balance, coordination, and playing sports.
Integrating “heavy work” tasks into their routine like jumping on a trampoline, pushing the cart at the grocery store, swimming, riding a bike, and playing with putty builds this sense for them.
Hypersensitive
Over-responsive children appear uncoordinated and avoid being close to other people. They do not like sports or other activities that involve physical effort.
Light tasks such as daily yoga or stretching alleviates some of the overwhelm, and they can focus on ways to move their bodies in relaxing ways, increasing body awareness.
The sensory process telling you if you’re hungry, thirsty, or full is called interoception. This is your somatic sense, and it’s also how you notice if your heart is racing, if you’re feeling pain, or if you need the restroom.
Hyposensitive
Forgetting to eat or eating too much, frequent bathroom accidents, or not feeling pain during injuries are all common to the under-responsive. They just don’t notice these things.
Routines and mindfulness play critical roles here! Make sure to establish a regular meal schedule. When their heart rate increases, show them how to be mindful of what they might doing to cause it. Teach them to check regularly when they get a bump or small injury. They may not feel it, but checking could help them determine if it’s more serious than it feels.
Hypersensitive
Over-responsive children often feel extremely overwhelmed by their heart rate, hunger cues, or feeling thirsty. This adds stress that causes dysregulation. They are so in tune with their bodies that they may perceive danger in a harmless situation just because their heart is beating a little faster than normal.
Mindfulness is yet again a key player. Teach them to ground themselves in a moment, paying attention to their external environment rather than their internal environment.
Your vestibular senses provides you with information about your head position and movement. Balance, posture, and coordination are determined by the receptors in your inner ear.
Hyposensitive
Under-responsive children appear to constantly be on the move. They endure and love so much input, including spinning, rocking back and forth, running, jumping, and bouncing. It takes awhile to tucker them out.
Getting them an exercise ball for bouncing and rocking gives them the input they crave. Spinning games or time on a trampoline also helps. Make these activities part of their daily routine, so they feel great and enriched.
Hypersensitive
Overly-responsive to vestibular input looks like motion sickness in the car or feeling uncomfortable with playground equipment. Sitting still is much easier for them.
The best way to help is to introduce slow activities like going for a walk or playing catch, none of which include fast movement. Slow rocking or spinning while watching family shows and movies together is another daily wait to gradually integrate this kind of input.
Everyone deals with sensory overload or boredom from time to time. The important distinction between regular sensory dysregulation and a sensory issue is how it affects your everyday life. Children experiencing these symptoms in a way that disrupt their day or make it impossible to do daily tasks may need occupational therapy. The best way to learn more is to reach out to us. Tell us more about your child and what they’re experiencing, and we can put you in touch with our occupational therapist, Jessie Royal.
