Sensory Processing
Each and every day we experience a wide variety of senses such as touch, smell, sound, taste and sight. We use our senses to take in all of the different things we come in contact with throughout our day. Sometimes children or people may have difficulty coping with the wide range of sensory stimuli that we experience each and every day.
Hypo- vs. Hyper-Sensitivity
Some common examples of Hypersensitivity in children and people with Sensory Processing difficulties are:
A child that covers their ears when they hear loud noises or startles easily when a loud noise occurs
A child that is constantly moving or demonstrates frequent thrill seeking behaviour
A child or person who eats a very limited number of foods or avoids certain flavours
A child or person that avoids wearing certain types of clothing and complains that certain textures feel ‘scratchy’ or feel like they hurt to come in contact with
A child or person who prefers darker spaces and complains that lights are often ‘too bright’
On the other hand, a child or person who is Hyposensitive, might:
Not notice when their name is called
Miss parts of various visual stimulation
Not notice that their hands or face are dirty, Hyposensitive children and people often need more sensory feedback
Have higher pain threshold than what is typically expected