Sensory differences

About sensory differences

Sensory differences refer to the way children perceive, process, and respond to sensory information from their environment. This includes input from the senses, touch, sound, sight, taste, smell, as well as body-based senses such as proprioception (body awareness) and vestibular input (balance and movement).

Sensory differences don’t always equate to sensory challenges requiring the involvement of an occupational therapist, and challenges don’t always require direct sensory interventions.

When might sensory differences be a problem?

Here are some common examples of when sensory differences are limiting function or participation in meaningful everyday activities

• Dressing difficulties: A child refuses to wear certain clothes due to textures, seams, or labels, leading to distress and delays in getting ready.
• School participation: Struggles to concentrate in a noisy classroom, becomes overwhelmed, or avoids activities like PE, art, or group work.
• Personal care: Difficulty tolerating tooth brushing, hair washing, or nail cutting, causing anxiety and impacting hygiene routines.
• Play and social interaction: Avoids playground equipment (for example, swings) or seeks excessive movement, making it hard to engage with peers.
• Safety awareness: Reduced response to pain or danger (for example, not noticing injuries or seeking risky sensory input like climbing unsafely).

What we can offer

We offer a universal support for people supporting children with sensory differences. This includes a range of resources that aim  to educate and empower parents, carers or nurseries to identify the child’s sensory differences, enabling them to learn how to support their child to manage their sensory needs to be able to function in everyday life, this is achieved through the presentations.

We also accept referrals for children who are having difficulties engaging and participating in everyday occupations (for example, play, learning and self care). Unfortunately, we cannot accept referrals for sensory assessments, sensory integration or for sensory differences without specific functional or participation difficulties and identified occupational therapy goal .