As an educator, I would often encounter students who presented challenging behaviors in the classroom. These behaviors would seem to appear for no apparent reason. I could not determine a function or antecedent and I was confused and frustrated. It hurt me to know that my student needed something that I did not know how to provide. I ended up having a conversation with the Occupational Therapist (OT) for the school and she asked me if the student was a sensory seeker. Of course, my answer was “I don’t know”. I immediately hopped on Google and went down a rabbit hole of sensory processing. I learned to look at my students’ challenging behaviors and determine if it is a challenging behavior or a sensory issue.
What is sensory processing disorder?
Sensory Processing Disorder, or SPD, is a condition that alters the way the brain processes sensory information. Essentially, this condition affects the way a person’s brain receives stimuli from the five senses…well, eight senses. To most people, it looks like a person with SPD is overly sensitive to common stimuli.
I was always taught that there were five senses. Sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste. While in the middle of my deep dive into SPD, I learned three extra senses must be considered when determining if a behavior is a sensory issue.
Classic Senses
- Tactile: This sense lets us know that we are touching something and how what we are touching feels (soft, hard, furry, rough). Often individuals with tactile SPD may have a hard time touching or feeling certain textures and they do whatever they can to make sure they do not feel that sensation. On the other hand, some individuals need to feel certain textures and they will do whatever they can to feel that sensation.
- Auditory: Auditory receptors identify sounds that we hear. They let us know if a sound is too soft or too loud. Individuals with an auditory SPD may put their hands over their ears when a sound is too loud or if there is too much sound going through their receptors at the same time.
- Visual: Visual receptors alert us to color, shape, and form. Some individuals with visual SPD may be sensitive to bright light, spinning objects, or flashing lights. Others may enjoy these same visual stimuli.
- Gustatory (Taste): These receptors are located on the tongue and they alert us to sour, sweet, salty, and spicy flavors. Individuals with gustatory SPD may present as picky eaters because there are some tastes that they cannot tolerate. On the other hand, some individuals may crave or like certain foods.
- Olfactory (Smell): These receptors help distinguish between different smells. Individuals with olfactory SPD may be either sensitive to or partial to certain odors.
Hidden Senses
- Vestibular: Vestibular receptors are located in the inner ear and alert us to balance and movement. An individual with vestibular SPD may rock, swing, or bounce. They are usually movement seekers.
- Proprioception: Proprioceptors are located in the muscles and joints. They alert us to our body and the way we move in a space. Individuals with proprioceptor SPD may seek pressure or rough play.
- Interoception: Interceptors are responsible for alerting us to what is going on in our bodies. They tell us when we are hungry or full or when we need to use the restroom. Individuals with interoception SPD may be bedwetters or they could be unaware of pain sensations.
How to differentiate between behavioral and sensory reactions
Behavioral reactions are usually based on the individual either wanting something or not wanting something. This could be a task, a demand, or attention.
Some examples include:
- Causing minor or major classroom disruptions
- Taunting/teasing peers
- Making rude/disrespectful remarks toward peers or adults
- Becoming verbally or physically aggressive with peers or adults
Sensory reactions are a response to feeling overwhelmed by something. This could be a situation, the environment, or a sensory input.
Some examples include:
- Chewing on objects or clothing
- Rocking back and forth
- Struggling to stay seated
- Fidgeting
- Rubbing certain textures or not being able to touch certain textures
- Skin picking
- Flapping hands
I know that addressing challenging behaviors in the classroom can be quite a challenge, especially when it seems that the behavior has no function or trigger. When this problem does arise, remember to take a minute to determine whether the behavior is a behavioral reaction or a sensory reaction. Taking this step helps determine the best way to respond to the student’s behavior.
Chundra Steele lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but is from Mississippi. Chundra holds a bachelor’s in English and Modern Foreign Language from Jackson State University and a master’s in educational leadership from Concordia University in Portland. She also received her Alternative Certification in Special Education from Southern University in Baton Rouge. She has been in education for 18 years and loved every minute of it. Chundra is a Certified Autism Specialist and the Autism Program Facilitator for her Baton Rouge, LA school district. Working with students with disabilities has always been her passion, especially those on the spectrum.
The post Identifying Sensory Issues vs. Challenging Behaviors in Autistic Children first appeared on Organization for Autism Research.
