SENSORY PROCESSING

Everything we know and experience about the world is received through our sensory systems of touch, taste, sound, smell, hearing, movement (vestibular) and body awareness (proprioception). We receive cues from our surroundings that let us know what is expected of us, what we need to do and where we need to be. For example we hear the school bell through our auditory sensory system, which lets us know that it is time to line up for class. Or we might smell something yummy coming from the kitchen through an olfactory sensory system, which lets us know that mum is cooking dinner. Everyone experiences sensory information at different intensities, which leads to us interpreting the information as either enjoyable, painful or not at all. Such as, for some people a pinch of chili on their meal is enjoyable, others not even notice its there and for another person this is not tolerable. For some children (and adults!), the experience of the different intensities affects their ability to wear different clothes, try new foods, concentrate in noisy rooms, visit new places, keep still on the mat etc. All their energy is going into trying to get sensory input that they like, avoid sensory input that they don’t, or they seem to be ‘in their own world’ as they don’t notice the input around them. Therefore, limited energy is available to do the things that are required of them, such as listening, concentrating, following through on instructions.