Understanding sensory processing or integration
Sensory processing differences describe the experiences children (and adults) have when their brains interpret the sensory messages received from their body and the environment differently to others. They may interpret the sensory messages more or less intensely or they may not notice them at all! Sensory differences can also affect movement and coordination skills. You will also hear the terms ‘sensory integration dysfunction’ and ‘sensory processing disorder’ being used to describe them. In this article I will explore
Understanding sensory processing or integration
Sensory processing differences describe the experiences children (and adults) have when their brains interpret the sensory messages received from their body and the environment differently to others. They may interpret the sensory messages more or less intensely or they may not notice them at all! Sensory differences can also affect movement and coordination skills. You will also hear the terms ‘sensory integration dysfunction’ and ‘sensory processing disorder’ being used to describe them. In this article I will explore
Interpreting Sensory Messages
As I said above, sensory processing differences (or sensory processing disorder) describe the experience of children and adults who’s brains interpret sensory messages differently to others. This difference can occur with any with any of the eight senses. Because the brain is interpreting sensory messages differently, responses to sensory information may not be what is expected by others (Bialer & Miller 2011). It may also result in poor coordination or dyspraxia.
The terms Sensory Processing Disorder or Sensory Integration Dysfunction may be used by occupational therapists and other professionals to describe these differences. Whilst the term sensory processing disorder is used frequently, we need to be mindful that to date, it has not been included in the diagnostic manuals as a standalone diagnosis. That is not to say that it won’t be in the future, but as of writing this update (August 2024) it is not. This is why I am very mindful when I use the term, and prefer to use sensory processing differences. I appreciate that some people find the term sensory processing disorder more helpful as a description as it is widely know.
Autistic children and adults frequently experience sensory processing differences and in 2013, hyper or hypo-reactivity to sensory input was included in the updated diagnostic criteria for autism. On this page, I will describe what sensory information is and the different sensory issues that may present for children and adults with sensory processing challenges. There is more information on sensory processing and autism here.
What is sensory information?
Sensory information is any message that our bodies receive from our eight senses. This information may come from the environment, or from inside our own bodies. For example, when we chew something crunchy we hear the crunch sound in our mouth. The brain receives sensory information from the five senses that most of us are familiar with, taste, smell, sight, hearing, and touch. It addition, it receives information from our proprioceptive, vestibular and interoceptive senses.
Learn more!
If you want to explore the senses in further depth – you can join my free introduction to sensory processing here.
Olivia’s story – sensory slow
Olivia doesn’t always notice what’s happening in the room. Often, she doesn’t respond to her name. Sometimes it seems like she is oblivious to the world around her. Her movements are slower and a bit clumsy. She needs encouragement to have a go and to try activities that her friends just automatically start. Overall, her responses to the sensory messages she receives from the world are slower when compared to others.
What happens when there are sensory processing issues?
The senses of children and adults with sensory needs still receive sensory messages, this means there are usually no problems with their vision or hearing or touch sense. However, their brain processes the sensory information differently to those who do not experience sensory differences. It is thought that their brain does not integrate, or process, sensory information in the same way as others.
This means that their responses to sensory information might not always be what is expected by others. It may also mean they find some environments or activities more challenging. This is because a child or adult might find certain sensory information too intense and be overwhelmed. Or, they need might need stronger messages from their senses, and seek out more sensory input. Some children might not even notice the sensory events happening around them.
I explore these responses in more depth on this page signs and symptoms of sensory processing differences. Here, I list some of the common behaviours seen if someone has poor sensory integration or sensory needs. It can be quite confusing to pick out these differences, and I cover them in more depth in my sensory training, you can join the training here.
Don’t judge other’s response to sensations from your own perspective!
It is very important for you to remember is that for children and adults who report sensory issues is that the experiences are very real for them. They are not right or wrong, correct or incorrect. It just just how their own brain interprets sensory messages. This can be very different to how others interpret the same sensory information. Even if it occurs at the same time and place. When supporting children or adults with sensory processing disorders you must remember this. Their responses are neurologically triggered and sometimes out of the person’s control, for example, running off if there is a loud noise without considering safety.
This video describes sensory processing difficulties from a child’s perspective:
What are the different areas of sensory differences?
There are two main models describing sensory processing differences within occupational therapy. Lucy Miller (2014) identified three parts when she described Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), modulation, discrimination and movement. The model presented by Bundy & Lane (2019) separates sensory integration differences into two areas sensory modulation and movement. The image below aims to group this information.
SPD – Sensory modulation
The first component is sensory modulation. Sensory modulation is the ability to produce a behaviour and/or response that matches the nature and intensity of the sensory input and environment (Lucy Miller 2014 p.14). This means that the child or adult’s response to the sensory messages is what would be expected; the response would match what had occurred. The responses of children and adults with sensory differences often do not match the sensory message or environment. There can be challenges with some or all senses. Sensory issues related to modulation difficulties can include:
- Over-responsivity, or sensitivity to sensory input;
- Under-responsivity or slower responses to sensory input;
I discuss these responses in more depth on this page: signs and symptoms of sensory issues.
Sensory modulation is also called sensory reactivity by some therapists. These therapists will consider hypo and hyper reactivity. So, a slower (hypo) reaction. Or, a bigger (hyper) reaction. Reactivity is being used to bring terminology inline with the 2013 update of the autism diagnostic criteria in a book called the DSM-V.
What about sensory seeking?
Sensory seeking has always been perceived as a behavioural response to sensory modulation differences. It was initially perceived to be a response to a slower responses, i.e., the child or adult needed more input to understand the sense and sought this out. However, we know it is more complicated than that. For example, sometimes children or adults seek information from one sense to help to decrease the impact of or drown out another sense they may be sensitive to. This is why it is no included as a response type in the models, as it is a behavioural response, rather than a reaction to the sensation. I know it’s confusing and this is why my online training covers this in a lot more detail.
SPD – Sensory discrimination
The second component of SPD is discrimination. Sensory discrimination is knowing what the sensory input was, where it happened and how intense it was. So, if you stub your toe your brain should be able to figure out (or discriminate) which toe it was and how hard you banged it. When you put your hand into your bag to find your keys, your touch sense can identify (or discriminate) the feeling of your phone and wallet from your keys. When you open a pot of yogurt your proprioceptive system pulls the lid with enough force to open it but hopefully not spill it everywhere! These are examples of discrimination.
Some therapists will use the term sensory perception when they are talking about sensory discrimination.
SPD – Sensory-based movement
The third component of SPD is sensory-based movement. In this section, Miller (2041) includes praxis and posture. Praxis is the ability to plan and organise new and novel movements. It is exceptionally important for learning new skills. People are often more familiar with the term dyspraxia which means difficulty with praxis or planning. Posture relates to postural control, balance and stability.
You can read more about how these sensory processing challenges could look for different children on our signs and symptoms of sensory issues page. If you wanted to learn more about dyspraxia you can read our post – Dyspraxia it’s more than clumsiness.
Harry’s story – dyspraxia
Sensory processing differences don’t always present as a modulation difficulty. Sometimes, it might be that the child has dyspraxia. Harry for example finds learning new activities extremely difficult. He doesn’t join in with his friends in the playground as he doesn’t know what to do. And, he finds the fast movement when they run around hard to understand. His mother describes him as clumsy. Harry’s teacher has also noticed he finds handwriting and using scissors much harder than his peers.
What causes Sensory Processing Differences
The STAR institute and colleagues suggests that Sensory Processing Differences are often inherited. This means, the causes of SPD are coded into the child’s genetic material at birth. In addition, prenatal and birth complications or risk factors, such as being premature, may also cause SPD. Environmental factors may also influence sensory responses. For example, adopted children often experience SPD, due perhaps to restrictions in their early lives or poor prenatal care.
Why is sensory processing important?
The sensory information that our body receives forms the basis for our decision making. If our brain isn’t processing this information accurately, or if it isn’t able to ignore things that aren’t important, it is much harder for us to produce an appropriate response. You can compare it to a computer. The input comes from the mouse, keyboard and maybe smart screen. Next, the operating system processes the inputs and produces something. If the operating system isn’t working properly then we might not be able to print or send an email or upload a blog post. The outcome is not what we had hoped.
In sensory processing, the brain is like the operating system. The brain must pay enough attention to the right messages and organise them so they are useful. If it’s not sending the sensory messages to the right place, then the response (typically behaviour) may not be appropriate. It could be unsafe, for example, running across a busy road if there is a loud noise. The response might also lead to errors, such as breaking a toy because you accidentally used too much force. When sensory processing issues occur the sensory messages aren’t connecting smoothly which leads to unexpected responses.
Does Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) exist as a standalone diagnosis?
Many professionals and therapists refer to SPD, but currently it is not formally recognised as a standalone diagnosis. None of the official diagnostic manuals (e.g. DSM-V or ICD-11) include SPD. Sensory differences were included within the autism diagnosis for the first time in 2013 and there are researchers looking at sensory processing issues in ADHD, Down’s Syndrome, Fragile X and other disorders.
This can be very confusing as many doctors and therapists will use the term SPD or sensory issues. The will also include it as a diagnosis on reports and letters. The term Sensory Processing Disorder is widely used. However, it is technically not a standalone diagnosis. Despite this, there are many teams of researchers working towards having Sensory Processing Disorder recognised as a diagnosis in its own right. In the future, revised versions of the diagnostic manuals may have sufficient evidence to included it.
Sensory differences can impact the responses a child or adult may have to the environment or activity. The outward response is typically behaviour. It is helpful to consider what the sensory triggers might be, as supporting these can help to change the individual’s responses.
How can I get help if I think myself or my child has sensory issues?
The best placed professional to help to identify if your child has any challenges with their sensory processing is an occupational therapist who has additional training in sensory integration. GriffinOT also offers online sensory screens for our families and adult assessments in the UK .
Where can I find more information on SPD?
- I’ve designed online training to help you to understand the sensory systems and sensory issues in more depth. The free introduction covers the basics. The longer courses explore sensory responses, arousal and support strategies in further depth. You can find out more information about all courses on the course page here.
- The GriffinOT website provides more information on sensory differences. You can view these articles here.
- We also explore different sensory equipment and supports. Use this link to find out more
Parent-friendly books on SPD
- For a good introduction to Sensory Processing Disorder: The Everything Parent’s Guide to Sensory Processing Disorder by Terri Mauro (2014)
- Another good introduction to Sensory Processing Disorder: The Out of Sync Child by Carol Kranowitz (2005)
- For a slightly more technical explanation: Sensational Kids by Lucy Miller (2014)
- For information more specific to Sensory Processing & Autism: Building Bridges through Sensory Integration by Yack, Aquilla & Sutton (2015)
Teacher-friendly books on SPD
- The above books would be suitable for teachers. These books also provide extra information
- Success with Sensory Supports by Kim Griffin
- Sensory Processing Challenges – Effective Clinical Work with Kids and Teens by Lindsey Biel (2014)
- 100 Ideas for Sensory Processing by Kim Griffin
Page references
- Biel, L. (2014) Sensory Processing Challenges Effective Clinical Work with Kids and Teens.
- Bilar, D. & Miller, L.J. (2011) No Longer A Secret – Unique Common Sense Strategies for Children with Sensory or Motor Challenges.
- Bundy A., Lane S.J. (2019) Sensory Integration Theory and Practice 3rd Edition.
- Dunn, W. (2008) Living Sensationally – Understanding Your Senses.
- Kranowitz, C. (2005) The Out of Sync Child.
- Miller, L.J. (2014) Sensational Kids Hope and Help for Children with SPD – Revised.
Where to Next?
These articles will give more information on sensory processing and sensory integration
Date last updated by Kim: 20th August 2024
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