Sensory Modulation Disorder

Modulation of sensory input is critical affecting how one interacts with the environment and other people.Correct sensory modulation allows one to adapt to daily challenges and allows one the ability to stay regulated. A child with SMD routinely demonstrates inappropriate responses to sensory input and has trouble adjusting what one feels so they can act appropriately in context.SMD affects a child’s attention and emotional responses.

Sensory Over-Responsivity

  • Can appear in more than one sense. Gets “overloaded” easily.
  • Responds to sensory messages more  Can be “sensory avoider”, fearful,

intensely, more quickly and longer. cautious, negative, defiant.

  • SOR is the most common type of SPD. Challenged by transitions.
  • Friends afraid to play with them – their Extremely sensitive to environment.

reactions are so unpredictable.

Sources of negative reactions due to SOR:

  • tactile - light touch. auditory - sudden loud noises.
  • visual - bright/flashing lights/fluorescent. smell - certain foods cooking.
  • vestibular - fear of heights, elevators,  taste - spicy food, narrow preferences.

moving sidewalks, escalators, car sickness. proprioceptive - poor strength/endurance,

  • interoceptive - stomach aches, trouble with tires easily.

ability to judge when to use the bathroom.

Sensory Under-Responsivity

  • Presence of stimulation is NOT strong enough to elicit a response.
  • Unaware of sensation, may fail to notice bumps/bruises as well as cold/heat.
  • Takes longer to respond to sensory input.
  • Requires intense sensory input to move into action.
  • Socially withdrawn, self-absorbed, difficult to engage.
  • Quiet, self-contained.

Sensory Craving

  • Constantly on search for MORE sensations.
  • In your face - In your space.
  • In their friends faces and spaces.
  • Thrill-seeker, Troublemaker, Impulsive.
  • Will not accept “no more” resolving in meltdown.

Sensory Based Motor Disorder

Difficulty with coordination and movement resulting from underlying sensory processing dysfunction:

Postural Disorder

  • Poor core stability and strength, difficulty  Difficulty stabilizing body when still or

controlling body movements and managing moving,

muscle/joint movements. Fearful and uncomfortable.

  • Has difficulty executing movement due to  Poor self-esteem.

weak muscles and poor body awareness.oor self-regulation.

  • Poor muscle tone, “Loose and floppy” body.Frequently seen in combination with other
  • Often thought of as: weak, lazy or unmotivated. types of SPD.

Dispraxia

  • Trips and bumps into objects. Clumsy & awkward.
  • Messy, “un-kept” look. Smart.
  • Disorganized - has difficulty learning new  Low tolerance for frustration.

motor tasks. Self-conscious with low self-esteem.

  • Does not want to participate in sports.
  • Difficulty with fine motor tasks, poor handwriting.
  • Difficulty translating sensory information into physical movement, poor motor planning:
  • Coming up with a plan
  • Sequencing the steps to achieve goal
  • Doing the action

Sensory Discrimination Disorder

Difficulty interpreting sensory information. Has trouble giving correct meaning to sensory input.

  • Has trouble distinguishing between similar stimuli:
  • visual - b & d
  • auditory - cap & cat
  • tactile - penny & nickel
  • smell - garlic & cleaning product
  • proprioception - pushing hard vs. light
  • vestibular - moving up vs. down
  • interoception - stomach ache, mild vs. severe
  • May have excellent discrimination in one sense, but problems in other senses.
  • May have difficulty in more than 1 sensory system.
  • Often thought of as having behavioral problems.
  • Teacher may describe as slow and unmotivated.
  • Thought of as intellectually or cognitive inferior.

Examples of behavior responses:

  • tactile - slow to dress. taste - picky eater.
  • visual - poor reader. smell - refuses to go into restaurants.
  • auditory – can’t follow directions, proprioception - poor penmanship.

slowto respond. interoception - frequently in nurses office.

Overloaded, L.L.C. (2012)