What is Sensory Processing?

We all experience the world through our senses. Sensory processing refers to the way a person notices, (perceives), understands/makes sense of (interprets) and acts (responds to) information in their environment. We all have different sensory preferences and needs - some people love the sand at the beach and others can’t stand it, some need silence to work, others need a little background noise. The perception happens in the body (skin, organs, etc) and is sent via the nervous system to our brain for interpretation.  This part is not a choice, it’s an automatic process happening within the nervous system. For the most part our response to sensory information is controlled by our frontal cortex, however sometimes we interpret the sensory input as a threat, and then we can have an adrenaline response to this information such as a fight, flight, freeze response.

For the most part we cannot change someone’s sensory processing, it’s part of who they are. However, as our brains develop throughout childhood, we are able to learn different ways to respond to sensory information, and therefore ones Sensory Profile might change. For example, babies may first pull away from the feeling of grass when first put down, however through fun, playful experiences their brain learns to ‘code’ the feeling of grass as a ‘safe’ overtime. Conversely, if one experiences a traumatic event, such as choking during a meal, it may then ‘code’ that texture as ‘unsafe’ and be resistant to trying that texture again.

We also develop in our ability to meet our own sensory needs overtime, for example many adults are able to recognise their need for noise or silence during work, and will adjust their working environments accordingly.

How does an OT help with Sensory Processing?

As an Occupational Therapist, I consider 3 main elements when working with clients to enhance their functioning in day to day lives - the environment (physical, sensory and social), the occupations or tasks they need or want to do and their personal characteristics (which includes their unique sensory processing abilities as well other characteristics such as communication, physical skills, cognitive abilities etc.).

Usually I will undertake a standardised assessment (e.g. the Sensory Profile Questionnaire) to understand my clients personal characteristics, however in intervention, my recommendations will largely relate to changing the environment or the task to allow the client to achieve success.