Sensory Seeking vs. Sensory Avoiding in Children

Understanding Sensory Processing

Sensory Seeking Behavior

In the realm of sensory processing, sensory seeking behavior entails actively pursuing sensory experiences to fulfill one's sensory needs. Individuals exhibiting sensory seeking tendencies often have an undersensitivity to sensory input, prompting them to seek out more stimulation to feel satisfied. These seekers may gravitate towards loud noises, engage in rough play, frequently touch people or objects, or chew on non-food items like shirt sleeves or collars [1].

Most sensory seekers lean towards being undersensitive, displaying a high tolerance for pain and a preference for strong sensations. They may exhibit behaviors like walking with heavy steps, enjoying rough physical activities, jumping, bumping into objects deliberately, or producing loud sounds. These actions serve the purpose of seeking sensory input to regulate their arousal levels and enhance focus.

Sensory Avoiding Behavior

Conversely, sensory avoiding behavior involves a reluctance to engage with sensory stimuli perceived as overwhelming or distressing. Individuals with sensory avoiding tendencies are hypersensitive to sensory input, experiencing it more intensely than others. This heightened sensitivity often results in a desire to avoid sensory-rich environments to prevent feelings of discomfort or anxiety.

Sensory avoiders may demonstrate behaviors such as covering their ears in response to loud noises, feeling overwhelmed in crowded places, avoiding swings and playground equipment, struggling with spatial awareness, or seeking solitude in quieter settings. These individuals are selective about sensory experiences, displaying discomfort with certain textures, tastes, or physical contact like hugs or kisses. Such behaviors stem from an innate aversion to intense sensory input, leading to a preference for calm and predictable environments.

Identifying Sensory Needs

Understanding the diverse sensory needs of children is crucial in providing appropriate support and interventions. This section delves into the coexistence of sensory seeking and sensory avoiding behaviors, along with the factors that influence these behaviors.

Coexistence of Seeking and Avoiding

In individuals with sensory processing differences, such as those with autism, sensory seeking and sensory avoiding behaviors can coexist, creating a complex interplay in how they perceive and respond to sensory stimuli. Some children may exhibit a combination of these behaviors, with their responses varying based on their level of arousal or ability to self-regulate [1].

It's important to recognize that children's sensory preferences are unique, and they may display sensory avoiding, sensory seeking, and under-responsive behaviors depending on their interactions with sensory input. While there may be a misconception that children who are sensory avoiders in certain areas would avoid all sensory input types, the reality is that they could avoid or crave different activities within the same sensory systems.

Children's responses to sensory input can be dynamic and influenced by various internal and external factors. By recognizing the presence of both sensory seeking and sensory avoiding behaviors, caregivers and professionals can tailor their support to address the individual needs of each child.

Factors Affecting Sensory Behaviors

Several factors can impact a child's sensory behaviors and responses. These factors play a significant role in understanding and managing sensory needs in children with autism spectrum disorder:

• Arousal Level: The child's arousal level can influence whether they seek or avoid sensory input. Children may seek sensory stimulation when under-aroused and avoid it when over-aroused.
• Self-Regulation: The ability to self-regulate plays a crucial role in determining how children respond to sensory stimuli. Some children may struggle with self-regulation, leading to fluctuating sensory-seeking and sensory-avoiding behaviors.
• Environmental Stimuli: The sensory environment, including noise levels, lighting, textures, and smells, can trigger sensory seeking or avoiding behaviors in children. Creating a sensory-friendly environment can help regulate these responses.
• Past Experiences: Previous encounters with sensory input can shape a child's preferences and aversions. Understanding a child's history can provide insights into their sensory behaviors.
• Individual Sensory Thresholds: Each child has unique sensory thresholds, determining their tolerance levels for different stimuli. Factors like genetics and neurological differences can influence these thresholds.

By considering these factors and recognizing the coexistence of sensory seeking and avoiding behaviors in children, caregivers and professionals can develop tailored strategies to support children in managing their sensory needs effectively.

Strategies for Managing Sensory Needs

Navigating the complexities of sensory processing differences in children involves implementing effective strategies to address sensory seeking and sensory avoiding behaviors. Creating a supportive environment, incorporating sensory diet techniques, and seeking professional guidance are key components in managing sensory needs.

Creating a Sensory-Friendly Environment

In individuals with sensory processing differences, sensory seeking and sensory avoiding behaviors can coexist, contributing to a unique sensory experience. Establishing a sensory-friendly environment is essential to accommodate varying sensory preferences and promote overall well-being. By understanding the individual's sensory profile, caregivers and educators can tailor the environment to minimize sensory triggers and enhance comfort and engagement.

Implementing Sensory Diet Techniques

For sensory seekers, who often require increased sensory input to regulate their sensory systems, incorporating sensory diet techniques can be beneficial. Activities focusing on vestibular and proprioceptive input, such as swinging or heavy work tasks, can help individuals better organize their sensory experiences. A personalized sensory diet can be integrated into daily routines at home and school to support sensory modulation and self-regulation.

Professional Help for Sensory Processing

When managing sensory needs in children with sensory processing differences, seeking professional help from occupational therapists specializing in sensory processing disorders is invaluable. These professionals are trained to assess individual sensory profiles, develop tailored intervention plans, and provide guidance on integrating sensory strategies into everyday activities. Occupational therapy interventions can enhance sensory processing abilities, improve self-regulation, and support overall sensory well-being.

By integrating these strategies into daily routines and environments, caregivers, educators, and therapists can create a supportive framework that empowers children with sensory processing differences to navigate their sensory experiences effectively and thrive in their daily endeavors.

Sensory Processing in Children

Understanding the intricacies of sensory processing in children is essential for parents and caregivers. Children exhibit a wide range of sensory preferences, which can manifest as sensory seeking or sensory avoiding behaviors. Let's delve into the variations in sensory preferences and the overlapping responses observed in children.

Variation in Sensory Preferences

Children demonstrate diverse sensory processing preferences, with some leaning towards sensory seeking behaviors and others displaying sensory avoiding tendencies. Sensory seeking individuals have a heightened need for sensory input and actively seek out various sensory experiences, such as loud noises, bright lights, rough textures, strong smells, or intense tastes, to fulfill this need [4].

In contrast, sensory avoiding children may be hypersensitive to sensory input, becoming overwhelmed and reactive to stimuli in their environment. This heightened sensitivity can lead to discomfort, anxiety, and an avoidance of certain sensory experiences that others might find tolerable.

Overlapping Responses in Children

It's important to recognize that children may exhibit overlapping sensory responses, encompassing aspects of both sensory seeking and sensory avoiding behaviors. This coexistence of seeking and avoiding behaviors highlights the complexity of sensory processing and the individualized nature of each child's sensory needs.

Children who display overlapping responses may present unique challenges in terms of sensory regulation and may require tailored interventions to address their specific sensory preferences and sensitivities. By acknowledging and understanding the varied sensory processing profiles in children, caregivers and educators can implement strategies to support each child's sensory well-being effectively.

By gaining insights into the variation in sensory preferences and recognizing the overlapping responses in children, caregivers can better navigate the intricacies of sensory processing in the pediatric population. Embracing these differences and implementing individualized approaches to meet each child's sensory needs can significantly enhance their overall well-being and quality of life.

Impact of Sensory Seeking

Understanding the impact of sensory seeking behaviors in children is essential in providing effective interventions and support. Occupational therapy plays a key role in addressing sensory seeking behaviors, along with recognizing the behavioral symptoms exhibited by sensory seekers.

Occupational Therapy Interventions

Occupational therapy interventions for sensory seekers focus on providing sensory input that helps regulate their sensory systems. Children who exhibit sensory seeking behaviors often require higher levels of input to organize their sensory systems. Occupational therapists may recommend activities that involve vestibular and proprioceptive input to help calm and organize a sensory seeker's system. These activities can be integrated into daily routines at home, school, and during functional tasks to provide the necessary sensory input for the child's needs. To explore sensory seeker-friendly activities and strategies, consider visiting The OT Toolbox.

When working with sensory seekers, incorporating heavy work activities can promote emotional balance and help address their sensory needs. By tailoring sensory diets to individual requirements and utilizing various sensory integration techniques, occupational therapists can create a structured approach that meets the unique sensory seeking needs of each child. To explore more activities and routines for sensory seekers, you can refer to insights from Harkla.

Behavioral Symptoms in Sensory Seekers

It is important to recognize the behavioral symptoms commonly observed in sensory seekers. Changes in routines, exposure to different environments, foods, or sensory stimuli, especially during challenging situations like the holiday season, can trigger stress, anxiety, seeking behaviors, and potential sensory overload in children with sensory seeking tendencies. Disruptions in routines, exposure to unfamiliar smells, sounds, and textures can intensify sensory challenges in sensory seekers. Providing a supportive and understanding environment during these times is crucial for ensuring the well-being of children with sensory seeking patterns. For additional insights on managing challenging behaviors associated with sensory seeking, consider exploring resources from The OT Toolbox and Harkla.

By understanding the impact of sensory seeking behaviors and employing appropriate occupational therapy interventions, caregivers, educators, and therapists can effectively support children with sensory processing challenges in navigating their sensory experiences and behaviors.

References

• [1]: https://www.understood.org/en/articles/sensory-seeking-and-sensory-avoiding-what-you-need-to-know
• ‍[2]: https://www.abtaba.com/blog/sensory-seeking-sensory-avoiding
• ‍[3]: https://www.growinghandsonkids.com/sensory-avoiding-vs-sensory-seeking-behaviors.html
• ‍[4]: https://www.theottoolbox.com/home-ideas-sensory-seekers/