Managing Sensory Processing Sensitivity in a Noisy, Bright, and Textured World

Sensory processing sensitivity consists of symptoms and related behaviours that affect a person irrespective of their age or gender when they face problems taking in information from their senses and replying properly to it.

People with sensory processing sensitivity can be under sensitive or oversensitive to their environments. The information can be related to hearing, sight, touch or texture, smell, and taste. It can also be information linked to internal sensations in the body, such as movement and pain sensations.

A few people with sensory processing sensitivity might act in uncommon ways or ways that are not normal for their age. Others might avoid specific activities.

Sometimes, people have trouble with sensory information. However, when these reactions occur frequently, or for long duration, they can affect social interaction, behaviour, learning, or development.

People with sensory processing sensitivity might be:

• Oversensitive (hypersensitive) – They take in very much sensory information
• Undersensitive (hyposensitive) – They take in very little sensory information.

Sensory processing sensitivity affects up to 1 in 6 people.

Difference between Sensory Processing Sensitivity and Sensory Processing Disorder

You might have heard the terms Sensory Modulation Disorder or Sensory Processing Disorder. These are not recognised disorders in Australia. However, these terms are used at times when sensory processing sensitivity gets in the way of daily activities.

Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) is regarded as a biological trait that originates from a hypersensitive nervous system. It does have certain similarities to Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) that also leads to sensory processing issues, however, the two are quite different. As opposed to SPS, SPD stems in the brain, and it comprises neurological difficulty with organising and detecting sensory signals. SPS is not a formal condition, whereas SPD is.

Symptoms of sensory processing sensitivity: oversensitivity

Below are some examples of behaviour that you might see if a person is oversensitive, at times called hypersensitive.

1. Sound

If a person:

• runs or hides away from common sounds such as the sound of the vacuum cleaner or home appliances, fireworks
• is difficult to calm down after or during birthday parties or other noisy activities 

2. Sights

If a person:

• avoids brightly lit areas
• avoids looking at busy spaces or faces such as walls with many pictures
• prefers dull-coloured food or clothes

3. Touch

If a person:

• avoids messy play
• rubs fingers and hands or holds them firmly together after touching everyday things
• refuses to wear clothes such as socks with stitching on the toes

4. Smell and taste

If a person walks away from strong smells such as perfume or likes only bland foods.

5. Movement or body position

If a person:

• avoids playground equipment such as monkey bars or swings
• feels unwell or gets upset in cars or on public transport

6. Other internal sensations

If a person:

• is upset by variations in temperature
• avoids swimming or having a bath
• avoids going to the washroom because they dislike the feeling
• Is difficult to settle after a minor scrape or cut

Symptoms of sensory processing sensitivity: undersensitivity

Given below are some examples of behaviour that you might see if a person is under sensitive, at times called hyposensitive.

1. Sound

If a person:

• doesn’t notice noises such as alarms, fireworks
• always wants loud volume

2. Sights

If a person:

• likes to see lights go on and off
• doesn’t observe changes in personal details, such as somebody having a new haircut

3. Touch

If a person:

• doesn’t react when somebody taps them on the shoulder
• fidgets very much or drops things that are easy to hold

4. Smell and taste

If a person:

• searches for strong smells
• likes strong tastes like spicy or salty food

5. Movement or body position

If a person:

• likes to move continuously
• enjoys intense, fast activities

6. Other internal sensations

If a person doesn’t seem to feel pain.

A few children with sensory processing sensitivity can be a mixture of under sensitivity or oversensitivity. Their reactions can differ based on the environment and situation.

Other signs of sensory processing sensitivity

If a person has sensory processing sensitivity, you might also see that they:

• get worried or anxious in unpredictable or busy environments such as on public transport or at parties.
• finds it difficult to focus.
• get tired, specifically in busy environments such as shopping centres and playgrounds.
• has difficulty trying to sleep and remaining asleep.
• avoids jobs that involve several sensory experiences, such as dressing themselves.

Assessment of Sensory Processing Sensitivity

If you think you or a person you know has sensory processing sensitivity, it’s good to talk with your General Practitioner. They can refer you or the person to a health professional with expertise in sensory processing sensitivity, for example, a psychologist, occupational therapist, or paediatrician.

Health professionals assess sensory processing sensitivity in a number of ways. This will usually involve looking at a person’s sensory-related behaviour and how this behaviour impacts the person’s and family’s everyday life.

Assessment might involve:

• interviews with the person’s carers or educators.
• interviews with the person.
• questionnaires for the person’s educators about their sensory-related behaviour.
• face-to-face tests or observations.

A multidisciplinary team including several professionals might assess the person if they also have other issues. They might assess the person’s attention and concentration, social communication, learning abilities, movement skills, or general developmental progress.

Health professionals may also perform a general health check to eliminate other reasons for the concerns.

Causes of sensory processing sensitivity

The causes of sensory processing sensitivity are not known. Some experts think there might be issues in the way the brain and the senses talk to each other. These might occur as a result of inherited genes and things that occur to genes after birth and conception. Sensory processing sensitivity also tends to pass on in families.

More research is going on to understand the causes of sensory processing sensitivity.

Therapies, Treatment, and Supports for People with Sensory Processing Sensitivity

A person may cope up with their sensory processing sensitivity symptoms over time, but support and therapy can help a person handle their current problems and behaviour.

For example, a person might work with an occupational therapist on learning to handle everyday activities like getting dressed or brushing teeth. 

The occupational therapist might also implement desensitisation programs to decrease a person’s sensory sensitivity. For instance, a person might learn to manage noisy shops by visiting a shop for a few minutes initially. Over time, the person might increase the time they spend in the shop.

A person might need help with behaviour that affects daily life. This might involve being distracted in class, disliking their hair being brushed or washed, or being afraid of swings. Several professionals and specialists might work in a multidisciplinary team on problems like these.

Or, a person might need help to handle anxiety in situations where sensory experiences can be overwhelming or unpredictable. An example is going to someone’s home for dinner and having unfamiliar food. A psychologist can help in such cases.

Other support options might involve:

• equipment to handle particular symptoms – for instance, noise cancellation headphones, FM system in a classroom.
• medicines to handle particular symptoms like anxiety or sleep difficulties.

How the Tomatis® Method Can Help?

People irrespective of their age may suffer from a variety of difficulties associated with sensory processing. Tomatis® Method’s core speciality is to reinstruct the auditory processing, coordination and balance or connections between the brain, ear, and body.

The Tomatis® Method, an educational intervention and neurosensory program, uses primarily music (by Mozart and a few other composers) played over a player and special headphone. The filtered or modified music triggers parts of the ear that transmit information to the brain.

The auditory stimulation re-patterns the nervous system and retrains the brain, which results in improvement in cognitive, physical, and emotional regulation and interpersonal skills and sensory regulation.

The ear – a “sensory gate,” acts as an access to the brain to develop change. 

The Tomatis® Method provides the following benefits:

• Improves concentration, attention, memory, and focus
• Develops speech, language, socialisation and communication 
• Boosts learning skills such as comprehension and reading
• Enhances confidence and self-awareness
• Regulates sensory processing
• Decreases stress and anxiety
• Assist in better quality of life

Feel free to contact or reach out to us if you would like to speak with one of the Tomatis® experts in Australia and get an early diagnosis done to treat the issue as early as possible. Book for a 20 minutes free consultation with our expert, Francoise Nicoloff.