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Tag Archive for: Sensory Sensitivities

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Sensory Sensitivity

In our previous post, Can’t Sit Still?  Could It Be Sensory Seeking? we discussed sensory processing with a focus on the sensory seeking child.

Today we are focusing on another sensory-related concern that leads parents to seek OT treatment for their child – children experiencing sensitivity to sensory input.   On the other end of the spectrum from sensory seeking is the sensory defensive child. Unlike sensory seekers who have high thresholds for sensory input, sensory sensitive children have very low sensory thresholds. Due to these low thresholds, they experience sensory input much more intensely or notice sensory input much more often than their peers. This means that sensory input that may not bother you and I (for example the feel of jeans, brushing our teeth, or the sound of an alarm going off) may be very aversive, distracting, threatening, or even painful for that child.

Take a look at our OT-V video which further discusses sensory sensitivity, how Occupational Therapists can assist children and their families, and tips for families dealing with sensory sensitivity.