1. Sensory processing difficulties and autism are not the same thing
They are different conditions that can occur separately or together. A person can be autistic without sensory processing difficulties, and can have sensory processing difficulties without being autistic.
2. Sensory processing difficulties do not mean intellectual disability
Many people with these difficulties have strong intellectual abilities. Their brain and nervous system are simply overloaded by the signals they are trying to process. It becomes hard to find their way through this sea of sounds and sensations, and the brain seems to get stuck.
Neurotypical people can have sensory processing difficulties to varying degrees, too: finding strong smells, loud sounds, or bright light hard to tolerate, for example. Motion sickness is another example.
3. Can this change?
Yes. As the nervous system matures, some difficulties may ease. Sometimes, though, more specific support is needed: sensory integration.
4. How do we know whether a child or adult needs sensory integration sessions?
If their sensory differences cause no difficulty or discomfort for them or the people around them, they may simply be something to live with. Almost everyone has their own sensory preferences and sensitivities.
If these differences regularly cause stress, the person will probably benefit from targeted activities and an environment arranged to support them.
5. Does that mean we need a sensory room at home, or sessions in one?
No, not necessarily. And a children’s center having a “sensory room” doesn’t automatically mean the activities there are right for your child. Such rooms have become fashionable, sometimes as a way of making a center look impressive.
What matters much more is a good assessment. Ideally, it should be repeated every six months, because the child is growing and the way they process sensory information can change.
The next step is a plan of activities chosen for that particular child. This is called a “sensory diet.”
6. What is a sensory diet?
It is a program of activities and exercises chosen after assessment to fit the child’s individual needs. A program designed for one child won’t necessarily suit another.
Ideally, it takes the form of games and activities that fit easily into daily routines, without making life much more complicated for either the child or their parents.