Sensory Processing
Sensory Processing
What is Sensory Processing?
Sensory processing refers to the way the nervous system receives sensory messages and turns them into responses. We all sensory process all of the time and we all have sensory likes and dislikes.
We use our senses to input information, we then process this information to keep us safe, make sense of the world around us, explore new environments and to give us an awareness of our own body and its location in a space.
How can we help?
Some of our children who have a diagnosis of Autism or have complex sensory needs struggle to regulate and interpret sensory inputs. This can often lead to withdrawal, distress or a display of challenging behaviours. These can create a barrier to learning for these children.
Addressing these sensory issues often results in increased engagement with the curriculum and improves learning experiences; along with greater opportunities in school and at home.
Children who have sensory difficulties benefit from a sensory regulation programme, which is carefully planned to match the personal needs of each individual child throughout the school day.
A Sensory Regulation Plan can include activities linked with the following sensory inputs:
Sight (Visual)- Our sense of sight, light entering our eyes, interprets our surroundings
Hearing (Auditory)- Our sense of hearing, vibrations are interpreted in to sounds
Smell (olfactory)- The sense of smell detected by molecules in the environment
Taste (Gustatory)- The sense of taste, this is flavours and closely related to our tactile sense and smell
Tactile- The sense of touch on our skin, includes pressure, pain and temperature.
Vestibular ( inner ear)- The sense of movement, balanced in our inner ear.
Proprioception- The sense detected from our joints and muscles working.
Interoception- The sense that detects what's going on inside our body (hunger, thirst, pain, needing the toilet
Some interventions and activities included in sensory regulation plans:
- Deep Pressure
- Trampolining
- Swimming
- Walking
- Sensory circuits
- Squeeze Machine
- Swings
- Oral motor activities
- Chewy Chews
- Weighted Blankets/Rucksacks
- Fun With Food
- Tactile Desensitisation
Some pictures of the things we get up to to meet our sensory needs.
