Sensory Processing: An Introduction

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I have had the opportunity over the past year to be educated in the basics of Sensory Processing. I am not an expert, but I thought it would be helpful to share some of the knowledge I have gained. The following notes are taken from Occupational Therapy workshops that I have attended, and associated handouts.

• Everyone processes physical stimuli through their five senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. When discussing sensory processing, the therapists also included two additional ‘senses’: movement/vestibular, and prioproception (body sense and deep touch).
• Everyone is uniquely wired in sensitivity to stimuli for each of these senses. Therapists use a quadrant of behaviour and sensitivity threshold to describe this wiring:

• Everyone has a ‘just right’ state in which we are able to focus and correctly process the information presented to our senses. ‘Just right’ is the sweet spot in between over-aroused and under-aroused. Each person requires the right mix of sensory stimulation (or sensory calming) to enter the ‘just right’ state. Behavioural problems are common when children are either over-aroused or under-aroused.
• Many children learn to manage their arousal state without much trouble. However, children at the extremes in any of the quadrants need understanding and support to manage normal life.

Examples:

Child A is visually sensitive. He does not maintain eye contact during conversation, but continually glances around the room. If a person walks in, Child A is unable to continue the current task, but stops to watch the activity. If Child A enters a new environment, he is unable to start a task (or a conversation) until he has seen and processed everything within that environment. Child A is continually distracted in a classroom, and requires a separate seat with his back to the room in order to complete time-critical tasks (such as tests). In the home environment, Child A needs constant supervision to ensure that he remains focused on his current task (eg homework or chores). He is unable to independently complete most age-appropriate tasks in a timely manner.

Child A is also a movement sensation seeker. He rocks, wriggles, fidgets and bounces when seated, and moves constantly when upright. He enjoys heavy impact exercise like trampolining and running. He seems unaware of his temperature or thirst when exercising, and can become physically reckless and emotionally over-excited. 

Child B is an oral-motor sensation seeker. She puts fingers, hair, clothing straps, bag straps, toys, utensils, playdough, stickers, scissors, soap, and other non-food objects in her mouth for sensation. She is at risk of choking when unsupervised. She likes all food, but especially food with texture (such as eating watermelon skin and all). She enjoys whistling, blowing raspberries, sucking straws, making mouth bubbles, singing, and making all kinds of noises with her mouth. 

 

What parents can do:

• request a sensory profile for their child
• take note of situations that result in under-arousal or over-arousal.
• provide arousing or calming stimuli to help the child enter the ‘just right’ state. 
• For example, child A could be provided with a calm homework corner, or a visual chart of chores, in addition to verbal prompts and physical touch, to keep him on-task. 
• Child B can be given textured food for meal times and snacks (such as popcorn or carrot sticks), straws to drink with, and safe OT-approved chewable toys to manage the need for oral sensation.

Have you come across sensory processing / sensory profiling before? Do you have any stories to share about the way you or your child maintain your ‘just right’ state?