"He never seems to stop running around..."
Let me briefly explain our sensory systems...
We have 7 senses in our bodies - the 5 common ones you probably can name: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch - and there are two more we don't talk about as often: proprioception and vestibular. Proprioception is knowing where we are in space. We don't have to watch our feet move to know we are walking, we don't have to look in a mirror when eating to know where our mouth is. Our brain just knows how our body is supposed to move. Vestibular is knowing where we are in relation to the world, or balance.
Imagine each of these senses has its own cup. When we receive a sensation (like a light comes on) our "sight" cup fills up with water - we register something has taken place that involves that sense. Now, everyone's cups are different sizes, and each sense can have its own size cup. Some people are very ticklish, which means they have a small "touch" cup - a little bit of input fills the cup all the way. Others are not as ticklish, meaning they have a big "touch" cup - a little input doesn't fill the cup very full. Someone with a small "taste" cup might be a very picky eater, while someone with a large "taste" cup might crave flavorful, spicy foods.
The following is a list of different types of sensory imbalances in children. These kids may have some cups that are very small which causes them to get overwhelmed easily, or they may have some senses with large cups and they need a lot of stimulation to feel "full."
Imagine each of these senses has its own cup. When we receive a sensation (like a light comes on) our "sight" cup fills up with water - we register something has taken place that involves that sense. Now, everyone's cups are different sizes, and each sense can have its own size cup. Some people are very ticklish, which means they have a small "touch" cup - a little bit of input fills the cup all the way. Others are not as ticklish, meaning they have a big "touch" cup - a little input doesn't fill the cup very full. Someone with a small "taste" cup might be a very picky eater, while someone with a large "taste" cup might crave flavorful, spicy foods.
The following is a list of different types of sensory imbalances in children. These kids may have some cups that are very small which causes them to get overwhelmed easily, or they may have some senses with large cups and they need a lot of stimulation to feel "full."
Sensory Sensitivity: (Small cup)
Behavior deteriorates when the schedule changes
Startles easily at sound, lights, and/or movement that others may not notice
Distracted and/or has difficulty eating in noisy environments
Becomes agitated when having hair washed
Becomes anxious when walking or crawling on certain surfaces (ex. grass, sand, carpet, etc.)
Becomes upset if own clothing, hands, and/or face are messy
Becomes upset when placed on back to change diapers
Fearful of own feet being off the ground (ex. doesn't like climbing, swinging, jumping)
Has poor balance
Sensory Avoiding: (Small cup)
Avoids playing with others and often withdraws from situations
Does not enjoy looking at books
Resists being held and/or cuddled
Avoids/becomes upset by rough or cold surfaces
Refuses all but a few food choices and resists trying new foods
Sensory Seeking: (Big cup)
Enjoys making sounds with his/her mouth
Finds ways to make noise with toys
Prefers fast-paced, brightly colored objects (ex. TV shows)
Enjoys playing with food
Seeks opportunities to feel vibrations
Enjoys physical and/or activities
Lick/chews nonfood objects
High pain tolerance
Fidgety and unable to sit still - seeks movement like spinning, jumping, bouncing, etc.
Can be a "thrill seeker" and act reckless
Low Registration: (Big cup)
Caregiver has to speak loudly and/or touch child to gain attention
Avoids eye contact
Does not recognize self in the mirror
Bumps into things
Requires extra physical support for sitting
Seems unaware of food/liquid left on lips and hands
Behavior deteriorates when the schedule changes
Startles easily at sound, lights, and/or movement that others may not notice
Distracted and/or has difficulty eating in noisy environments
Becomes agitated when having hair washed
Becomes anxious when walking or crawling on certain surfaces (ex. grass, sand, carpet, etc.)
Becomes upset if own clothing, hands, and/or face are messy
Becomes upset when placed on back to change diapers
Fearful of own feet being off the ground (ex. doesn't like climbing, swinging, jumping)
Has poor balance
Sensory Avoiding: (Small cup)
Avoids playing with others and often withdraws from situations
Does not enjoy looking at books
Resists being held and/or cuddled
Avoids/becomes upset by rough or cold surfaces
Refuses all but a few food choices and resists trying new foods
Sensory Seeking: (Big cup)
Enjoys making sounds with his/her mouth
Finds ways to make noise with toys
Prefers fast-paced, brightly colored objects (ex. TV shows)
Enjoys playing with food
Seeks opportunities to feel vibrations
Enjoys physical and/or activities
Lick/chews nonfood objects
High pain tolerance
Fidgety and unable to sit still - seeks movement like spinning, jumping, bouncing, etc.
Can be a "thrill seeker" and act reckless
Low Registration: (Big cup)
Caregiver has to speak loudly and/or touch child to gain attention
Avoids eye contact
Does not recognize self in the mirror
Bumps into things
Requires extra physical support for sitting
Seems unaware of food/liquid left on lips and hands