By now, many of us likely know someone who has sensory sensitivities. They might shudder at the sound of certain noises like silverware clanking together or avoid certain foods simply due to their texture. These dislikes are usually more obvious in adults who can verbalize their preferences and the reasoning behind them. However, many people don’t realize there are telltale behaviors that can point toward sensory sensitivities in younger children and toddlers.
When a child demonstrates a strong emotional response or aversion to something, this can be one of the first signs they may have Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). SPD is a condition that results when a person’s brain has difficulty interpreting certain sensory information. The world around us is rich with sensory input, including a variety of smells, flavors, sounds, imagery, and textures. That being said, there is some input that the majority of people find generally enjoyable (such as the sound of the radio) and some that is widely disliked, like the smell of natural gas.
Will a child with SPD behave in one specific way?
In the case of SPD, someone might strongly dislike one or more types of input. For example, if someone is sensitive to touch, they might struggle with the sensation of tags on their clothing, wearing tight pants, or even someone putting a hand on their shoulder. When someone has trouble processing this sort of information, it leads them to respond in a negative way. This is what we often see in toddlers as crying, screaming, running away, kicking, biting, pushing, and throwing things. There are other reasons young children might display these behaviors, but it is not uncommon for children with SPD to have these responses to sensory input.
But this isn’t the only presentation of SPD. There are some children with this condition that seek out sensory input because their brain does not register the input that they are getting. These children present in a very different way than children who are overly sensitive to input. Many times they can be described as children who never stop moving. Children such as this are often labeled sensory seekers, since they are often seen jumping, climbing, kicking, running, crashing, swinging, and engaging in other large movements. These are done in an attempt to get more stimulus, which satisfies the brain’s need for sensory input.
How can SPD impact a young child’s life?
When it comes down to it, both of these needs can get in the way of a child’s ability to function. Children who are over- or under-sensitive to certain types of input can have difficulty sitting during school, getting dressed in the morning, eating certain foods, tolerating bathtime, reading, holding a pencil to write, and more. This is why it’s important for parents and caregivers to be aware of what behaviors to look for so they can get their child the right type of treatment.
Treatment such as occupational and physical therapy can help children tolerate certain types of input. But it will also teach parents strategies to help their children function better. Depending on a child’s main concerns, this education might include increasing awareness of certain triggers and strategies regarding how to respond appropriately to help their child soothe. If a child is under-responsive to sensory input and responds with sensory seeking behaviors, therapists will teach parents about activities that can help them get the input they need in a more regulated, consistent manner.
What might it look like when a child is sensitive to touch?
If your toddler is sensitive to certain sensations, textures, or touch in general, they might be sensitive to tactile input. Children who are sensitive to tactile input often demonstrate strong responses and reactions to:
- Wearing socks and shoes
- Certain fabrics of clothing
- Putting on clothing with tags or labels on the inside
- Getting their hands dirty, messy, or wet (some children have problems with sticky textures such as glue, paint, or play-doh, while others might dislike dry substances such as sand)
- Being fed or eating certain textures of foods (this happens most often with lumpy foods such as mashed potatoes or yogurt, but it can also happen with fomods of more than one texture like salads or casseroles)
- Sitting for a haircut
- Being hugged or kissed (even sometimes light touch, like being patted on the shoulder, can be off putting to kids with tactile sensitivity)
- Having their teeth or hair brushed (or brushing their teeth or hair)
- Getting their nails clipped
- Water getting on their face and being poured on their hair or head
Children with tactile sensitivity commonly avoid these activities. However, there are occasions where a child will engage in these activities for a brief time but frequently wipe their hands off on their clothing or towels around them. If they have particularly messy hands with dirt or paint on them, they will usually ask their parents or teachers to wash their hands frequently.
What might it look like when a child is sensitive to noises?
When toddlers are sensitive to certain sounds or noises, it is known as auditory sensitivity. If your child has auditory sensitivities, they might dislike some of the following types of input:
- High-pitched sounds (vacuum cleaners, yelling, hair dryers)
- Unexpected noises such as alarm clocks, sirens, a phone ringing, and fireworks
- Loud music or music with a lot of bass
- Low background noises (sometimes those that are nearby or farther away) such as a lawnmower running outside, dogs barking in the distance, a fan whirring in the other room, the idle hum of a refrigerator, or the sound when an air conditioner turns on
Children with auditory sensitivity will likely startle easily and might jump in response to these noises. It’s not uncommon for this to occur with sounds that no one else but your child hears. In response, children who are sensitive to noise might yell, cover their ears, or run to another room to try and get away from the source of the sound. Some children with auditory sensitivity might not respond in any of the above ways. Instead, they might struggle to focus on reading, homework, or other tasks they are engaged in when the noises begin.
What might it look like when a child is sensitive to tastes?
Children who have taste sensitivity often struggle with processing various types of flavors and tastes associated with foods. As a result of this sensitivity, children who are defensive to taste (or gustatory input) might:
- Prefer bland or unseasoned foods such as crackers, cookies, chips, plain noodles or pasta with butter (or no seasoning), bread, and rice
- Dislike the taste of toothpaste or mouthwash or brushing their teeth (especially if it involves using an electric toothbrush)
- Tantrum at the dentist or be fearful of these visits
- Avoid foods that are spicy, too salty, too sweet, overly hot or cold, have condiments on them, or generally have a lot of flavor
- Drool frequently (and often not realize they are doing it)
If parents identify a child as a picky eater, usually the first concern that comes to mind is that they don’t like the textures of certain foods. However, many parents and caregivers don’t consider that children might dislike the way the food tastes.
What might it look like when a child is sensitive to smells?
Just as a child can be sensitive to certain tastes, they can also struggle to tolerate certain aromas. When someone traditionally thinks of smells people do not enjoy, their mind often goes to things like spoiled milk or gasoline. However, it’s not unheard of for children to have trouble tolerating any smell – whether it’s considered strong or not. This includes scents that people usually prefer. Children who have difficulty tolerating certain smells (or olfactory input) might:
- Plug their nose or gag in response to strong smells
- Dislike certain foods or food items (such as garlic, vinegar, eggs, fish, cheese, or broccoli) simply due to how they smell
- Avoid contact with people who are wearing scented lotion or soap, perfume, cologne, and even mild scents such as baby powder
- Dislike being in the car if there are air fresheners or it has been freshly cleaned
- Prefer not to wear clothing that smells of detergent or fabric softener
- Leave the room if it smells of candles, essential oils, potpourri, or scented odor-eliminating products
At times, it can be hard to tell if a child dislikes the texture or smell of something, especially if it comes to food. This is a good opportunity to engage your child in conversations to get to the root of the concern. While this may be difficult, especially if children have delayed speech, you can use gestures and ask very simple questions (“Bad smell or bad taste?”) to try and get to the bottom of it.
In the event your child has difficulty with smells outside of mealtime, parents should look for signs of plugging their nose, wrinkling their face, and potentially gagging. If a child is gagging in response to something like lotion or body wash being applied to them, it’s more likely that their issue is with the smell rather than the texture.
What might it look like when a child is sensitive to visual input?
Children who are sensitive to visual input, imagery, bright colors, and lots of moving pictures can present with a lot of visual fatigue. Depending on the child, this might present as:
- Rubbing their eyes, squinting, blinking a lot, or reporting a headache during or after watching TV, a tablet, reading, or writing
- A persistent fear of the dark (this might be normal for toddlers, but it will be a cause for concern if it continues as they age)
- Having trouble telling the difference between certain objects, shapes, letters, and numbers
- Moving slowly when on patterned or unfamiliar floors, carpets, or stairs
- Someone who doesn’t pay attention, simply because they often lose their place when reading or writing
- Losing items often, especially when they are located in very close proximity or in plain sight
- Having poor eye contact (often because this is difficult for them to sustain)
- Clumsy or having “butter fingers”
- Avoid brightness such as light rooms, vivid colors, loud patterns, etc.
- Getting easily distracted when asked to look at videos, pictures, or anything else for an extended period of time
- Having difficulty with activities like puzzles, word searches, scavenger hunts, and object finds
Sometimes children who are clumsy or walk slowly on certain surfaces will not have visual concerns, but they will struggle with sensation related to movement. You can often tell the difference between these sensitivities because children with visual concerns might get used to the imagery in familiar spaces and perform better there than at school or in public places. However, children with movement sensitivity often struggle in many areas of their life during any activity that requires big movements such as walking, running, climbing, jumping, hopping, or playing sports.
What might it look like when a child is sensitive to movement?
While movement is not commonly known as one of the major senses, it is an important source of information for our brain. The vestibular system is what helps our brain register movement and keep our balance in the process. This is especially crucial when a child is young, since a toddler’s body moves around a lot while they are actively exploring their surroundings. That’s why it’s often noticeable if they struggle with large movements that other kids are easily able to do. A child who has movement sensitivity or an overly sensitive vestibular system will often:
- Experience nausea, dizziness, and clumsiness in response to swinging, rocking, jumping, climbing, hopping, and walking
- Have trouble or become fearful of going up and down stairs
- Refuse to go up and down stairs without holding a railing or a parent’s hand
- Have difficulty engaging in sports or playground games during recess
What might it look like when a child is sensory seeking?
As we’ve mentioned, there are many signs that a child is overly sensitive to certain types of sensory input. There are also clear signs that a child is sensory seeking, meaning their brain is not properly registering the sensory input from their environment. Most people find it harder to identify children who are sensory seeking, mainly because people think they are just very active or “being kids.” But the behavior goes far beyond that. Children who are sensory seeking often look for input in all of the senses, depending on which ones their brain has trouble processing. Sensory-seeking children might engage in some of the following behaviors:
- Getting their hands dirty whenever possible
- Making a mess in a playroom (dumping toys, sorting through piles, combining containers of play-doh, etc.)
- Continually going on amusement rides that spin
- Engaging in daring activities like climbing trees, walking around in high places, swinging from things that aren’t intended to swing
- Jumping, climbing, hopping, swimming, running, and crashing into things
- Bumping into people or pushing, kicking, and biting them
- Biting, licking, or chewing edible and inedible objects (pencils, toys, fingers, pacifiers, etc.) whenever possible
- Fidgeting when asked to sit (tapping feet, bouncing in their chair, falling out of their chair, spinning around)
- Asking for big hugs/squeezes or giving them to others
- Fixating on or frequently looking at shiny, bright, moving objects
- Being seemingly transfixed by electronic screens (phones, tablets, TVs)
- Enjoying and looking for strong, pungent smells
- Engaging in wrestling and other forms of rough play
Children who are truly sensory seeking differ from kids who are simply active. Those who engage in sensory seeking behaviors are usually so active that they have trouble sitting through class, interacting with other children appropriately, or learning to take care of themselves.
While it’s important for parents to stay alert and recognize the above signs in their child, the best way to address these concerns is by talking to their child’s doctor. Pediatricians can offer a referral for an occupational therapy evaluation to determine your child’s specific areas of concern. Therapists will then use the information from this evaluation to develop a treatment plan that addresses sensory concerns that are present. During sessions, occupational therapy intervention consists of activities and exercises that provide children with the input they need to better regulate their sensory systems. These are complemented by functional activities that a child struggles with, such as writing, coloring, getting dressed, using the bathroom, and more. However, therapists must also provide education to parents so they can guide children through additional activities at home. This will further encourage children to regulate their sensory responses and self-soothe so they can properly function at school, at home, and in social settings.
