A Closer Look @ Sensory Regulation
Regulation is a very big topic which will need to be unpacked over several “quick reads”. As children, we learn about the five senses (sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch). Occupational Therapists (OTs) consider other senses including: vestibular, proprioception and interoception.
Sensory regulation is a person’s ability to process the constant stream of information they receive from their environment and their bodies. This information is captured by our eight senses and taken to the brain to make sense of it.
We all experience the world around us differently – that’s why some of us can’t concentrate in a noisy environment, find certain food textures impossible to eat or that certain materials are uncomfortable to wear.
When our bodies don’t capture the information correctly or when our brain can’t make sense of the information and figure out a suitable response to it – this will result in regulation difficulties. Self-regulation is being able to process all the information around us and adjust our bodies to be in the correct alertness for the task or situation. When we are at the correct level of alertness, we can concentrate and function in a way that fits appropriately with the environment and task.
The take-home message from this post is that we all experience the world around us differently – our bodies understand the same sensory information differently. The next time your family climbs into the car – the radio volume of 20 may be just right for some, too loud or too soft for others. Think of Goldilocks tasting the three bears’ porridge, chairs and beds.
Kelly Slater
Occupational Therapist