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What is Sensory Processing?
Sensory Processing is the organization and understanding of sensory information from our environment. Sensory processing is the way our brains receive, organize, and respond to input. We are constantly taking in and processing sensory information from our environments. We take in information from our sensory systems which include: visual, tactile, auditory, gustatory, vestibular (balance/movement), and proprioceptive (body awareness).
To better understand, try this simple exercise. Tune into the sensory information you are receiving from the room you are sitting in right now. Are there any background sounds? How is the lighting in the room? Do you taste any residual tastes on your tongue from your last meal? Are there any smells in the room? Can you feel any tags from your clothes rubbing on your skin? Wiggle your toes, can you feel your shoes covering your feet? Did these questions make you recognize any input that you hadn’t necessarily recognized before?
If the answer is yes, then your brain is doing a good job processing and organizing this input as “unimportant”. This exercise brings awareness to just how much sensory information your brain is constantly taking in and making sense of.
When a child experiences a sensory processing deficit, they may experience input at a greater intensity or they may not respond to the input at all. They may have difficulty understanding details of sensory information. These sensory processing challenges can make it extremely difficult for a child to adapt and successfully participate in their environments, impacting their participation in daily routines and behavioral responses.
Through individualized sensory therapy, your child can learn how to better process and understand sensory information appropriately. Sensory processing is foundational to achieving more complex skills such as social interactions, emotional regulation, fine motor skills, communication skills, attentional skills and overall regulation.