The Sensory System and why it matters!

Here are the 8 parts of the Sensory System pictured above. The Sensory System involves more than you would think especially when it comes to our neurodivergent children. Let me give you a little overview and why is matters. First off, Some neurodivergent children or adults have very robust sensory systems this means that they may experience their senses more intensely or less intensely than the average person. A child or adult can be a sensory seeker or a sensory avoider. An example of a sensory seeker, would be a child who craves constant movement like jumping, running, or swinging. An example of a sensory avoider would be a child that avoids certain food textures, or does not like loud sounds, or can not tolerate certain clothing or textures. This is important because when any of these systems get too much or too little input from the environment it can cause a DYSREGULATED sensory system and lead to a meltdown/fight or flight mode at no fault of the child’s.

Lets talk about each system:

• Auditory: the sensory system for the sense of hearing and sound perception

• Visual: the sensory system for seeing and visual perception

• Tactile: the sensory system also known as the sense of touch, allows one to perceive textures, temperatures, pressures and vibrations through the skin

• Gustatory: the sensory system involved with taste and awareness of flavors and food textures

• Olfactory: the sensory system involved in the sense of smell, smelling and and identifying smells

• Vestibular: the sensory system that creates the sense of balance and spatial orientation

• Proprioception: the sensory system involved in self movement, force and body position

• Interoception: the sensory system that provides information to the brain about the state of the body like hunger, thirst, needing to go to the bathroom, needing sleep, it is the sense of knowing what is going on inside our bodies

I hope this help better explain about the sensory systems and any one area or several can be affected. You can better support your child when you have an understanding of this and what systems may be affecting their daily life. Simple accommodations like allowing movement when needed, providing sunglasses to block bright light or noise reducing headphones if sensitive to sounds can be super helpful! It is NOT recommended to use a “desensitizing approach” when dealing with the sensory systems as many people report that causes them pain, distress or makes them extremely uncomfortable. My motto is always change te environment NOT the child!