Understanding Sensory Integration

Sensory integration is an essential part of your development — it helps define everything from the way you see and hear things in the world, to the way that your body exists in space and more. Yet, research suggests that anywhere from 5% to 16.5% of people experience sensory processing challenges, especially in those with conditions like autism spectrum disorder.

What is sensory integration?

Sensory integration, also known as sensory processing, is the process by which the brain recognizes and responds to information our senses provide. So, this means how we process or integrate things that we see, taste, smell, touch, or hear — as well as the way that our body exists in space.

While there are eight senses that make up sensory processing, there are three systems in particular that are most affected by sensory disorders:

• Tactile: Our tactile system processes information from the receptors in our skin, giving us a wide variety of “touch” sensations, such as pressure, temperature, and pain.
• Proprioceptive: Our proprioceptive system involves our awareness of our own body through things like our muscles and joints, which tell our brains where we are in space.
• Vestibular: Our vestibular system processes our movement and balance using an intricate set of organs inside the inner ear.

What does sensory integration have to do with autism?

Research has shown that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may change how people process sensory information. In fact, hyporeactivity and/or hyperreactivity to sensory input are one of the criteria for a diagnosis of ASD, according to The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).

What are the symptoms of sensory processing challenges?

When someone has sensory processing difficulties, their symptoms can vary depending on what type of sensory challenges they experience.

Sensory modulation challenges

Sensory modulation disorder is usually characterized by either an oversensitivity or undersensitivity to sensory input — or a craving for sensory experiences.

Oversensitivity: If someone experiences oversensitivity, they are more likely to become overwhelmed by typical sensory sensations.

Undersensitivity: If someone experiences undersensitivity to sensory input, they experience a delayed or reduced response to input.

Sensory-seeking: Sensory modulation challenges can also cause sensory-seeking, which is an increased need for sensory experiences.

Sensory discrimination challenges

Sensory discrimination disorder is defined by difficulties interpreting different types of sensory inputs.

Sensory-based motor challenges

Sensory-based motor disorders are characterized by sensory challenges that lead to changes in body posture and body movement. Usually, this can cause symptoms such as difficulties with body movements, fine motor skills, and routines that involve moving the body a certain way.

With sensory-based motor disorder, the symptoms differ depending on the subtype:

• Postural dysfunction: This causes trouble stabilizing one’s body when moving or resting, leading to symptoms like lowered movement control, poor coordination, and difficulty with things like standing, sitting, bending, and opening joints.
• Dyspraxia: This causes trouble with motor planning and execution, leading to increased trouble learning or carrying out new tasks and decreased fine motor skills, which often causes a person to appear more “clumsy.”

What is the treatment for difficulties with sensory integration?

Ayres Sensory Integration (ASI) is one of the most well-researched treatment approaches for sensory integration challenges. Developed by Dr. A. Jean Ayres in 1989, ASI is a system that includes not only a theory of sensory integration but also tools to help diagnose and treat sensory processing disorders.

ASI, which is performed by trained occupational therapists (OTs), uses specific activities to help improve sensory integration. ASI works best for preschoolers (ages 3 to 5) and middle schoolers (ages 6 to 11) to help improve social communication, cognition, academic ability, motor ability, and more. It can also be effective for adolescents ages 12 to 14, especially for social skills, behavior, and motor skills.

In some cases, adults may also benefit from tailored ASI treatments — especially in the areas of motor planning, social interactions, and self-development.

Excerpted from “Understanding Sensory Integration” from Healthline. Read the full article for more details on the symptoms of sensory integration challenges, assessment tools, and treatment.

Source: Healthline | Understanding Sensory Integration, https://www.healthline.com/health/autism/sensory-integration | © 2023 Healthline Media LLC.

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