Does Your Child Show Signs of SI Dysfunction?
While many children display these behaviors, consider whether your child shows them more often and more dramatically than other children of the same age do.
- Over- or undersensitive to touch, sounds, sights, movement, tastes, or smells
- Intense, out-of-proportion reactions to everyday experiences
- Resists changes in routines and moving from activity to activity
- Unusually high or low activity level
- Difficulty handling frustration
- Seems impulsive, with little or no self-control
- Problems paying attention and staying focused
- Dislikes getting “messy” (food, sand, glue, paint, lotion), especially on hands or face
- Bothered by certain clothing fabrics, seams, tags, waistbands, etc.
- Resists grooming activities such as brushing teeth, hair washing, or nail cutting
- Avoids touch-or needs it more than other children
- Unusually high or low pain tolerance
- Fearful of movement activities (swings, see-saw, etc.)
- Avoids or excessively craves slides, swings, bouncing, rocking, jumping
- Has poor balance, falls often, or runs awkwardly
- Seems weaker or less coordinated than other children his age
- Seems to walk on tiptoes
- Touches walls or furniture when walking
- Pushes, hits, bites, or bangs into other children although he/she isn’t aggressive
- Overly sensitive to noise (sirens, vacuum cleaner, etc.)
- Seems to hear things you don’t hear
- Doesn’t seem to hear you, although you know he can hear
- Gets dizzy easily-or never at all
- Squints, blinks, or rubs eyes frequently
- Has trouble reading
- Withdraws, “tunes out,” or cries in group situations
- Avoids foods most children of same age enjoy
- Craves or avoids particular food textures-chewy, crunchy, slippery, etc.
- Frequently chews on clothing or hair
- Difficulty with fine motor tasks-writing, buttons, stringing beads, using scissors, etc.
- Poor handwriting and drawing skills
- Speech-language, motor skill, or learning delays
- Inconsistent sleep and hunger patterns
Lots of kids show these signs for lots of reasons. Some of these behaviors are appropriate at certain ages. Most toddlers are pretty impulsive-that’s the terrific but “terrible” twos. But a 10-year-old who acts on every little impulse is a different story. A strong dislike of wool clothing, discomfort making eye contact with strangers, or fear of a goat at the petting zoo that bleats loudly and unexpectedly all fall within the range of so-called typical sensory sensitivity for a child so long as these sensory experiences do not interfere with day-to-day function. A child with sensory problems usually has maladaptive responses to everyday situations, consistently showing behaviors that aren’t age-appropriate and that can’t be dismissed.
Here is a checklist that will help you focus on your child’s unique sensory portrait. Because school presents a whole different set of sensory experiences, you might ask your child’s teacher to fill out this checklist too.
If your or your child’s teacher checked off a lot of “avoids,” “seeks,” or “mixed,” get an evaluation with an occupational therapist who is specially trained in assessing and treating sensory processing challenges.
The good news is that if your child has problems with sensory processing, there’s a lot you can do about it. An occupational therapist trained in sensory integration problems can evaluate your child, address his or her sensory issues, and show you ways you can help your child deal with and overcome such issues. Raising a Sensory Smart Child is filled with practical advice, solutions, and insights you can use to help your child at home, school, and play.