Sensory Processing (& integration)

What is it?

These are the systems our body uses to make sense of the world around us.  We process information through our senses responding to the things we are experiencing.

The main 8 senses are:

• Sight
• Taste (gustatory)
• Smell (olfactory)
• Hearing (auditory)
• Touch (tactile)
• Proprioception (using our muscles to understand where our body is in space, i.e. tells us where our body is without looking)
• Vestibular (the sense of how the body moves against gravity, i.e. helps us with balance and movement)
• Interoception (how we feel inside, i.e. messages like hunger, temperature, pain etc.)

These last 3 lesser-known sensory systems: proprioception, vestibular and interoception, help us feel in tune with our world and to feel grounded as a person. 

Proprioception:  This helps give a sense of where the parts of our body are in relation to each other and their surroundings.  Our brains work this out using information from our muscles, joints, along with the sensation of touching things.  Children need to develop this sense to support them with their movement, e.g. to help with feeding themselves, to understand the ‘space’ they take up when finding a space to sit in without sitting on top of or bumping into someone else, or how tightly they need to hold the minibeast, or when pressing the pen onto the paper.

Vestibular Sense:  This lets us know if we are moving and, if so, in what direction and how fast.  Information is gathered mainly from the balance organs deep inside our ears.  We need to help the children develop this so they can move effectively and safely and balance and sit upright, e.g. when eating, riding a bicycle etc.

Interoception:  A wide range of information is sent to our brain from all over our body, giving information about levels of hunger and thirst, when satiated, pain or illness, body temperature, tiredness, etc.  This internal body sense also tells us about the changes in our heart rate, breathing, alertness and feelings like “butterflies” or a sinking feeling (often in our gut) which come with and signal strong emotions.  We need to help the children understand and interpret these feelings.

Learning how to process sensory-based information as it is received can be challenging for all but more challenging for a child with additional needs.  Our brain prioritises and filters important things and what needs to be ignored.  For instance, if we hear our name being called, we respond to this, even though there may be other sounds in the room that could distract us.  Sensory processing can vary tremendously from person to person. 

“Sensations are the foundations for learning and actions.  Differences in sensory processing can profoundly affect skills and abilities in daily life, play, and learning.”

(Sensory differences: Autism Toolbox, Scottish Government)

“You know your child best and will already know lots about their likes and dislikes.  Remember, understanding how your child processes sensory information is important.  Changes to the environment can help your child or young person to take part in activities.”

(Joining in with Sensory Differences, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde)

“It is important to recognise that difficulties interpreting sensory information can have an impact on how we feel, how we think and how we behave or respond…  If the sensory information is not processed smoothly, we might pay too much attention to the unnecessary sensory information or not enough attention to the necessary sensory information, to perform an activity, feel calm or pay attention.  This can cause us problems.  We may not be fully aware of what is happening, be distracted, uncomfortable, confused or perhaps easily upset because the information we are receiving is not clear enough for us to understand what is really happening.”

(Making Sense of Sensory Behaviour, Falkirk Council, 2019, p. 1)

 

Key messages:

• Practitioners have a sound understanding of the needs of children throughout their developmental stages.
• Practitioners have a sound understanding of sensory learning and attachment.
• There are positive and respectful relationships between practitioners, children and families.
• The setting provides a warm, nurturing, welcoming, and engaging environment.
• All practitioners use calm and respectful voices at all times and in all situations.
• There are opportunities to engage with and experience nature and the outdoors regularly.
• Everyone understands that supporting each of the wellbeing indicators is an essential aspect of fully implementing a nurturing approach.
• The setting values an ethos of inclusivity, nurture, and aspirations of contentment and happiness.
• Range of sensory experiences is offered (sensory diet).
• Practitioners support the development of self-regulation and executive function.
• Practitioners tune in to children’s interests.
• The practitioners know the child well and understand how to support interactions.
• Practitioners interact non-verbally when needed with individuals and respond to their non-verbal communication, e.g. sharing an experience, mirroring, parallel play.
• The practitioners work together to create enabling environments.
• Practitioners are open-minded to all possible opportunities for learning.
• Practitioners seek out further support if or when necessary.

 

Ways we can do this:

Sensory audits are carried out regularly to support developments.

Practitioners tune into children’s lives outside the setting, including family, friends, fascinations, and the wider world.

Care Plan+ (see the bottom of this page for more information) are used to share an understanding of the best ways to support the child between home and settings.

Practitioners co-regulate with children.

Calm down strategies are in place.

Practitioners use their knowledge of the child and their developmental stage to ensure interactions are relevant, appropriate and ensure progress for each child.

Practitioners know their children very well, their interests, skills, individual needs, and reflect on what and how they have learned.

There is an open-door policy encouraging all families to feel welcome and included.

The children’s sense of belonging, connectedness and wellbeing are high priorities.

Children are provided with strategies to make informed choices about their behaviours.

Practitioners mediate and assist children in negotiating their rights concerning the rights of others.

The team motivates, supports, and encourages children to succeed when faced with challenges, displaying encouragement and enthusiasm for children’s attempts, supporting risk assessment and risk-taking.

Practitioners acknowledge and respond to non-verbal responses.

Calm, respectful voices are used in ALL situations; being respectful is one of the eight indicators of wellbeing, which are vital to ensure that children grow and develop and are given the best possible outcomes for their life chances and wellbeing.

Children are given the time and space to develop their creativity and wallow in their play.

Areas are organised to be easily accessible to children, and they can select resources independently.

The environment is levelled to suit all abilities allowing the children to continue learning without an adult; this gives the child a choice about which resources they will use and how they will use them.

The practitioners support and encourage children to work creatively with open-ended resources, allowing them to experiment, take risks, problem-solve and use their imagination. 

Children are given choices and agency over the organisation of the setting and the experiences within it.  The child can decide when and how to participate in activities in various ways, e.g. during gather times or adult-directed activities.

The children’s voice is clearly heard and their ideas evident within the setting, how it is set up and run, with children’ opinions and ideas being listened to and acted upon.

Areas within the environment allow for quiet and group interactions.  Learning opportunities are planned to encourage sustained shared thinking and are set up to prompt practitioners in extending learning.

Practitioners maintain high expectations of each and every child’s capabilities.

Children are offered regular opportunities to reflect on their learning, share their ideas and achievements, and think about where their learning will go next.

If necessary, practitioners seek further support, e.g. CPD courses, professional reading, SMT input, and specialist services.

Examples of behaviours that may indicate sensory processing needs:

(Many of these behaviours are not uncommon, but sometimes they can be persistent and impact on quality of life)

Running out of busy places with lots of visuals and/or sounds present:  This may be a child who cannot cope with processing different things all at once. 

Seeking lots of physical movement throughout the day:  This may be a child who needs more information into their muscle and movement systems to tell them where they are in space. 

Sensitivity to light touch:  Your child may be very sensitive to unexpected or light touch and have an anxious response to it.

Seeking heavy touch and hugs:  Your child may seek heavy contact, for example, through hugs, to get more input to their touch system.  This can be calming for them. 

Difficulty with posture and coordination:  This may represent a child whose muscle and movement systems are not as efficient. 

Being overloaded by visual or sound input:  This may affect their ability to concentrate.”

NHS – Sensory Processing in Young People with a Learning Disability and/or ASD

 

 

Linked Areas of Practice 

Additional Needs

Child Development

Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC)

Health & Wellbeing

Inclusion

Personal Plans

Self-Regulation

Spaces

 

Tools  

Reflecting on Practice

SBC Guidance to support

National Guidance to support

Further Reading to support

Training to support

Children with Autism may display sensory processing/integration issues, however all children process their 8 senses differently and will have  different tolerance levels, needing more or less stimulation to satisfy them.