sensory defensiveness??

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Sensory defensiveness

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Sensory defensiveness is a condition defined as having " a tendency to react

negatively or with alarm to sensory input which is generally considered harmless

or non-irritating " to neurotypical persons.[1]

It is not uncommon for individuals to have a few mild sensory defensive traits.

However, when multiple defensive traits impact the person's day-to-day life,

that person is considered to be Sensory Defensive.

Contents [hide]

1 Symptoms

2 Causes

3 Effects and treatment

4 Component of other disorders

5 References

6 Further reading

[edit] Symptoms

Common symptoms of sensory defensiveness include intolerance of high-pitched

noises, intolerance of chewing sounds, intolerance of overhead lights

(especially fluorescent lighting); experiencing a feeling of being attacked upon

being touched (especially from light touch or sudden touch); intolerance of

certain types of fabrics in contact with the skin; becoming nauseated upon

smelling something that does not smell bad to neurotypical individuals;

difficulty maintaining eye-contact; severe intolerance of foods due to taste,

texture, or temperature; and generally becoming overwhelmed when exposed to a

lot of sensory stimuli at once.

Intolerance in this context should not always be taken as unwillingness to be

subject to the sensory stimuli in question; rather, intolerance is an inability

to process the sensory stimuli in any way other than as over-stimulating,

because the sensory stimuli provokes a fight-or-flight reaction. This is also

known as sensory overload.

Sensory defensiveness can vary between individuals:

The senses that are problematic for one person may not be so for another.

(Commonly, individuals report major issues with two or three senses and minor

issues with the other senses.)

How easily and the way in which a particular sense bothers individuals varies

(e.g. high-pitched noises may annoy someone, or they may hurt his/her ears;

touch may provoke anxiety, or it can be painful).

Stress of any kind usually increases sensitivity to sensory stimuli. (Stress due

to reactions to sensory input can cause a chain reaction, leading to a meltdown,

as described below.)

The triggers for a particular sense vary between people (e.g. one person may be

sensitive to the texture of mushy foods, while another may be sensitive to

crunchy foods).

[edit] Causes

There are believed to be multiple etiologies for sensory defensiveness,

including genetic factors, environmental conditioning, drug or alcohol abuse,

sexual abuse, or premature birth. [2] Those diagnosed with attention deficit

hyperactivity disorder report much higher than average rates of hypersensitivity

to sensory stimulus.[3]

[edit] Effects and treatment

Sensory overload can lead to what is commonly termed a " melt-down " . This may

look much like a tantrum, or a person may undergo dissociation, which causes

him/her to withdraw into himself/herself. Individuals will often cope with their

sensory difficulties by avoiding those situations that cause them irritation.

Occupational therapists often prescribe " sensory diets " . This is a therapy that

is tailored to the individual in which he/she gets to experience calming sensory

stimuli that help to balance his/her sensory system. Snoezelen rooms, in which

sensory experiences can be controlled and explored, are sometimes used.

Individuals will often naturally create or find their own calming sensory

stimuli (stims) or sensory diets.

The other side to these issues is that many people report a positively

heightened awareness of their senses, under the right conditions. They also

promote " stims " , which can include music, exercise, and any other pleasing

sensory stimulation, as natural means of reducing stress.

[edit] Component of other disorders

Sensory defensiveness is a part of Sensory Integration Dysfunction. Sensory

Integration Dysfunction is considered a symptom of the autism spectrum, but a

person does not have to display other autistic traits to have sensory

defensiveness or sensory integration dysfunction. Sensory integration

dysfunction and defensiveness are also common with developmental dyspraxia,

cerebral palsy,[4] and fetal alcohol syndrome.[5]

Interesting that it is on the autism spectrum and how you don't have to have all

your senses exagerated.. Meltdowns, etc. Perhaps a new term that may lead us to

others suffering?