Children can be under sensitive (doesn't get enough sensory input) or over sensitive (gets too much sensory input). These behaviours can vary depending on the sensory system affected.
Sight
Under responsive:
- Needs lots of visual stimulation
- Enjoys bright environments
- Watches lights or reflective surfaces
Over responsive:
- Dislikes bright light
- May want to wear a cap or keep their hood up
- Can become overwhelmed by too many lights or colours
Smell
Under responsive:
- Seems unaware of strong smells
- May seek out strong smells (for example, smearing)
Over responsive:
- Notices smells that others don’t
- Smells can cause stress or make it hard to focus
- Bothered by everyday household scents, perfume, or aftershave
Hearing
Under responsive:
- Talks loudly
- Enjoys loud noise
- May not pick up usual auditory cues (for example, not responding when their name is called)
Over responsive:
- Avoids loud noises
- Covers ears
- May feel anxious before loud noises happen
- Distracted by background noise
Taste
Under responsive:
- Eats or mouths non‑food items
- Craves strong flavours (for example, spicy or salty foods)
Over responsive:
- Dislikes strong tastes
- Prefers foods at a consistent temperature
- May gag on certain tastes
- Struggles to try new foods
- May be a fussy or picky eater
Touch
Under responsive:
- May appear heavy‑handed
- Enjoys messy play and different textures
- Touches things frequently
- May walk on their toes
Over responsive:
- Seeks hugs or touch only on their own terms
- May appear to overreact to touch
- Bothered by certain fabrics or clothing labels
- May walk on their toes
Proprioception
(Knowing where your body is in space without looking)
Under responsive:
- Frequent bumps, trips, or falls
- May appear poorly coordinated
- Leans on furniture or other people
- Relies heavily on vision for movement (for example, watching their feet on stairs)
Vestibular
(Balance and spatial orientation)
Under responsive:
- Finds it hard to sit still
- Seeks movement
- Runs rather than walks
- Enjoys spinning or being upside down
Over responsive:
- Struggles with movement (for example, in cars or on escalators)
- Becomes dizzy easily
- Finds busy places with lots of movement difficult
Interoception
(Understanding signals from inside the body)
Under responsive:
- May not notice when hurt or unwell
- May not recognise hunger or fullness
- Poor awareness of needing the toilet
- May not notice being too hot or too cold
Over responsive:
- May frequently report pain or be very sensitive to it
- Strong hunger signals and difficulty waiting for food
- Struggles to cope with being too hot or too cold
Children may be too sensitive to some types of sensory input and less sensitive to others. This can affect how they behave and respond to everyday situations.