Making Sense of Sensory Processing: Everything that we know about the world around

us and ourselves comes to us via our senses. It is our ability to take in information from the

senses, to put it together with prior information, memories and knowledge stored in the brain, and then make an adaptive response that is sensory integration or processing.

Sensory Processing:

Sensory Integration (Processing) is the organization of sensation for use. (A Jean

Ayers, 1979) Sensory Integration is the neurological process of organizing the information we get from our bodies and from the world

around us for use in daily life.

Sensory Processing:

Happens automatically in normal development. Nerve pathways must be used for connections to

be made. Takes place from infancy through childhood – usually student is well integrated by 8-10 years).

Occurs on an unconscious level.

Sensory Processing:

We all have sensory preferences based on our genetics and experience.

Sensory Processing:

Sensory input/information is received via the sensory nerves.

Our brain interprets, organizes and relays this information to other brain areas and body parts.

We respond, move and learn.

Far Senses:

The five senses: These are the far senses (external). Sensation

occurs outside the body for learning about the environment.

• Sight• Hearing• Smell• Taste• Touch - Light

Near Senses:

These are the near senses (internal). Sensation occurs within the body for learning about our body.

Deep Touch – gives the brain information on discrimination of touch, pressure and body awareness.

Vestibular – gives the brain information regarding movement.

Proprioception – gives the brain information regarding joint position sense.

Gustatory Input - Taste:

The receptors for this system are located in the tongue. They are entwined with the olfactory system.

Receptors in the mouth provide discriminatory information about what is in the mouth. These are the receptors that tell us when something is too hot, too sweet, or that a bone is inside the meat that you are chewing.

Olfactory Input - Smell:

The chemical receptors for this system are located in the nasal structure.

It is closely associated with the gustatory system.

Provides information about different types of smell, whether a smell is pleasant, musty, acrid, flowery, pungent.

This system goes directly through to the brain, not via the central nervous system.

Visual Input – Vision:

Receptors are located in the retina of the eye and are stimulated by light.

This input provides us with information about objects and persons. It helps us define boundaries as we move through time and space.

Visual Processing is the ability to understand and interpret information that is seen.

Auditory Input – Hearing:

The receptors for the auditory system are located in the inner ear and are stimulated by air/sound waves.

This system provides us with information about sounds in the environment, whether they are near, far, soft, loud, high, low.

Auditory Processing is the ability to interpret information that is heard.

Tactile Input (a) – Light Touch:

The receptor for this system is the skin. Cell density varies throughout the body, with the greatest density in the mouth, hands and genitals.

Tactile input provides information about the environment and object qualities such as sharp, dull, hot, cold, pain.

Touch Processing is the ability to interpret the information coming into the body via the skin.

Tactile Input (b) – Deep Touch:

Deep touch is discriminating touch. It discriminates between a hit and a touch, helps

us to determine how much pressure to use, eg. when holding a tetra juice box or pressing with a pencil or what it is in our hands.

This system gives information on discrimination of touch pressure – firm or light touch, and on body awareness – where we are in space, supporting the proprioceptive system.

Vestibular Input – Movement:

This system is the first to develop. It begins in-utero, at about 10 weeks.

It provides information related to movement, gravity, balance and head position.

The receptors for this system are in the middle ear.

Lets us know if we are moving or the world is and in what plane the movement is occurring, eg. linear or rotary.

Proprioceptive Input – Body Awareness:

Proprioceptive input tells us of our body’s position via the joints.

Provides information about where a certain body part is and how it is moving.

The receptors for this system are in the joints, muscle ends, ligaments and tendons.

This system is activated through stretching or compressing the joints.

This input can be both calming and stimulating and cannot be given in excess.

Typical Nervous System:

Has the ability to maintain an optimal level of arousal for the task at hand or knows what it needs to do to get there.

Is adaptable and flexible, changing the state of arousal to suit the demands.

Has good recovery back to optimal level if something unexpected happens.

Typical Nervous System:

Arousal Level

Behaviour

Very High ‘Shut Down’

High Erratic

Typical Typical Behaviour

Low Lethargic

Very Low ‘Shut Down’

Neurological Thresholds:

Neurological thresholds are an important nervous system construct for understanding sensory processing.

- A threshold is the point at which there is enough input to cause a nerve cell or a system to activate.

Self Regulation, which is a behavioural construct, also needs to be understood when looking at sensory processing – it can be active or passive.

Categories of Sensory Processing:

There are two broad categories:

- Over-sensitive or Hyper-sensitive.

- Under-sensitive or Hypo-sensitive.

Patterns of Sensory Processing:

Neurological Thresholds

Self-regulation strategies/

Behavioural responses

Self-regulation strategies/

Behavioural responses

Passive Active

High Threshold Low Registration - which represents a high threshold and passive self-regulation strategy.

Sensation Seeking - which represents high thresholds and an active self-regulation strategy

Low Threshold Sensory Sensitivity - which includes low thresholds and a passive self-regulation strategy.

Sensation Avoiding - which includes low thresholds and an active self-regulation strategy.

So What Can We Do???

Look at your own sensory preferences and what you do to make yourself be at the appropriate level of arousal for the task.

Look at what you do to make yourself feel good or to feel calm.

Look at the career path you have chosen and the sensory demands that this career has.

Look at what tasks, activities or places you avoid and why you avoid them.

Look at the different sensory systems and how you respond to each, requiring more or less input, and how this varies with each system.

Remember…..

• Our Clients are the same; - except their responses are less discrete, possibly even

over the top.- they have little control over the tasks they are asked to

do or the places they visit.- often they cannot tell you what is making them feel

uncomfortable.- Often they cannot tell you why they are doing what they

are doing, they only know that it works.

General Suggestions

Oral

Calming- Food or other items that are

sucked e.g. lollipops, chewy tubes

- Warm foods or drinks- Sucking through a straw- Slow, deep breathing (in and

out)

Arousing- Crunchy foods that need to be

bitten.- Chewy foods.- Spicy foods.- Cold foods and drinks e.g. icy

poles.- Non-food items that are

chewed, e.g. pen lids, fingernails.

- Sour foods.- Salty foods.

Movement

Calming- Rocking motion rhythmic and over

time.- Pendulum motion rhythmic and

over time.- Lifting heavy items.- Slow dancing.- Pushing a wheelbarrow uphill.- Stretching.- Riding a bike.- A walk at an easy pace.- Hanging up side down.

Arousing - Being bounced.- Jumping, hopping.- Fast dancing.- Running.- Shaking movements.- Foot tapping.- Tapping a pencil or finder tapping.- Squirming in a chair.- Fast carnival rides.- Spinning movements.- Running downhill with an empty

wheelbarrow.- Stretching.- Riding a bike.- Power walking

Touch

Calming- Warm shower.- Patting a pet.- Stroking soft material such as

velvet.- Thumb sucking.- Being wrapped in a blanket.- Snuggling into bed.- A cuddle.- Crawling into a very small place.- The feel of soft clothes.- Kneading dough or clay.

Arousing - Cold bath.- Drumming fingers on the table.- Fidgeting with things such as a

pencil, earring, necklace or hair. - Being tickled.- Being poked.- Feeling items of extreme

temperatures, e.g.hot/cold.- Touching rouch surfaces.- Wearing clothes that are over-

tight.- Being pushed, when unexpected

or unwanted.

Visual Input

Calming- Dim or muted lighting.- Watching a sunset.- Watching a lava lamp.- Watching an open fire.- Watching a fish tank.- Looking at scenic countryside.- Muted colors in a room.

Arousing- Bright lights.- A cluttered room.- A cluttered desk.- Bright colors.- Rapidly changing pictures.- Opening the curtains to reveal

sunshine.- Watching a fast paced game,

e.g football.- A cluttered notice board.- Bright boarders.

Auditory Input

Calming- Listening to relaxation tapes or

soothing music.- Listening to the bubbles of a

fish tank.- Listening to gentle rain on the

roof.- A quite, calm voice.- Rhythmical sounds, e.g

constant tempo drumming.

Arousing- Loud music.- Car horns.- Ambulance or police sirens.- Thunder.- Hail on the roof.- Noisy rooms.- Loud voices.- Sounds where the beat or

rhythm constantly changes.- Sudden, unexpected sounds.

Sensory Diet

Looking at the students and making careful observations.

- Are they over or under?- Are they passive or active in their

behavioural response.- How can we support them and their

sensory needs?

Questions?