Collab topic :About sensory sensitivity and behaviours is prepared by B.Padmaja behaviour therapist from kurnool facility.
Our environments are full of sensory information including sounds, sensations, lights, textures, temperatures and so on.
We process this information using our senses – sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste.
Autistic children and teenagers can be:
Oversensitive – their senses take in too much sensory information from the environment around them.
Undersensitive – their senses take in too little sensory information from the environment around them.
Not all autistic children and teenagers have sensory sensitivities, but some might have several. And some children and teenagers might be oversensitive in some areas and undersensitive in others.
Sensory sensitivities can also sometimes seem worse when children and teenagers are stressed or anxious.
Here are signs and examples of oversensitivities.
Sight: Your child might seem uncomfortable in rooms with bright lights or when exposed to direct sunlight.
Touch: Your child might not like the sensation of labels on the inside of clothes. They might avoid wearing shoes or brushing their teeth. They might hate haircuts or be uncomfortable with physical affection. And they might wear only certain types of loose-fitting clothing.
Taste: Your child might eat only food with certain textures or tastes.
Smell: Your child might complain about smells like deodorants or perfumes. Or they might smell things that no-one else notices.
Sound: Your child might cover their ears in response to loud sounds like vacuum cleaners or hand dryers. They might get stressed in environments with a lot of competing noises, like shopping centres.
Sense of position, balance and movement. I Your child might have excellent balance and coordination, write very neatly, or not like other people being in their personal space.
Temperature: Your child might not notice the cold in winter and want to wear shorts.
Pain: Your child might get very upset in response to minor accidents or injuries.
Oversensitivities in autistic children and teenager.
Discuss a useful next step for your child
Speak with Pinnacle about your questions, a child-specific assessment and everyday support.
