Sensory Processing
Did you know that our bodies rely on sensory input to regulate functions and respond to the environment?
Understanding the different types of sensory input and their purpose can be incredibly beneficial when working with individuals with sensory processing disorders.
Sensory Systems
Auditory Input
Sense of Sound-
how we hear and respond to
sounds
Olfactory Input
Sense of Smell-
how we smell
and perceive
different
smells
Proprioceptive Input
Sense of Body Awareness-
how we move our joints/
muscles/posture/body
Gustatory Input
Sense of Taste-
how we taste
and perceive/
recognize different
flavors
Vestibular Input
Sense of Balance-
how we coordinate movements & maintain balance
Visual Input
Sense of Sight-
how we perceive different colors, shapes, motion, visual stimuli
​
Tactile Input
Sense of Touch-
how we feel & perceive different textures/temperatures
Interoception Input
Sense of Feeling Inside the Body-
how we recognize
hunger, thirst, feeling full/cold/hot
Sensory
Processing
Patterns
1. Low registration
"high threshold and passive self-regulation"
"hypo-responsiveness to sensory input"
2. Seeker
"high threshold and active self-regulation"
"increased desire or need for sensory input"
3. Sensitivity
"low threshold and passive self-regulation"
4. Avoider
"low threshold and active self-regulation"
"interplay between people’s neurological thresholds and behavioral responses from ​self-regulation strategies"
Dunn, W., Little, L., Dean, E., Robertson, S., Evans, B. (2016). The state of the science on sensory factors and their impact on daily life for children: A scoping review. OTJR, 36:3s–26s. doi: 10.1177/1539449215617923.
Sensory Processing Disorders
"presence of difficulties in detecting, modulating, interpreting and/or organizing sensory stimuli, which are so severe that it interferes with daily life routines."
Miller, L. J., Nielsen, D. M., & Schoen, S. A. (2012). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and sensory modulation disorder: A comparison of behavior and physiology. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 33(3), 804–818. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2011.12.005
Sensory Modulation
Difficulty regulating and organizing responses to sensory input
Sensory Discrimination
Difficulty determining the characteristics of sensory stimuli, resulting in a poor ability to detect specific qualities, similarities, and differences of/among stimuli
Sensory-Based Motor
Difficulty in balance, gross motor, fine motor coordination, postural control, and movement sequencing
Jorquera-Cabrera, S., Romero-Ayuso, D., Rodriguez-Gil, G., & Triviño-Juárez, J. M. (2017). Assessment of sensory processing characteristics in children between 3 and 11 years old: A systematic review. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 5, 57. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2017.00057