Understanding Sensory Overload in Autism Imagine Alex, a teenager on the autism spectrum, attending a school assembly. The loud chatter, bright lights, and crowded space quickly become overwhelming. Within moments, Alex’s heart races, their hands cover their ears, and they feel the need to escape. This is sensory overload—a common but often misunderstood challenge for
A Review of Tools for Identifying Sensory Needs Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) can create unique challenges in how people understand and react to sensory input, impacting everyday life in different ways. As a result, to help identify and understand SPD, there are various checklists available for parents, teachers, and professionals. This blog reviews some of
Understanding Hypersensitivity: How Sensory Sensitivity Impacts Daily Life Hypersensitivity, in the context of sensory processing, refers to heightened sensitivity to everyday stimuli such as bright lights, loud sounds, or the texture of fabrics. For instance, this type of hypersensitivity is not allergic hypersensitivity, which is an immune system response to allergens. Sensory hypersensitivity affects how
Being a caregiver for another person, be they a child or an adult, can add anxiety and stress. Caregiving responsibilities require a significant amount of organization and planning, along with additional emotional resilience and physical energy. Ultimately, any caregiver can experience difficulties coping. Additionally, if you have sensory sensitivities, these feelings and managing the caregiving
From Everyday Errands to Sensory Overwhelm: How the Pandemic Changed Our World Remember the pre-pandemic grocery run? A quick dash in and out of the store, grabbing essentials without a second thought. Something that we have all returned to, today! Now, cast your mind back to your first foray into the grocery store during the
This documentary about sensory-friendly really challenges my thinking. Hi! I am Sydney-Ellen Cooke, an occupational therapy student working for Sensory Friendly Solutions while I complete my University Master’s Degree in Canada to become an occupational therapist. As an occupational therapy student, I often hear the words “sensory-friendly”. However, until recently, I never fully understood what
Sensory Sensitivity: A Spectrum We All Share We navigate the world through a symphony of sights, sounds, smells, and textures via our senses. But for some, this sensory experience can be turned up a notch, or even muted entirely. Furthermore, Sensory sensitivity can affect people from all walks of life, creating challenges that can impact
Beyond Busy, Noisy and Bright: Why Being Sensory-Friendly Matters Imagine this: a bustling museum filled with chattering crowds, flashing lights illuminating vibrant exhibits, and a cacophony of sounds – footsteps echoing, children giggling, and tour guides explaining historical artifacts. This exciting environment might be a dream come true for some, but for others, it could
A Complete Guide to Understanding Sensory Sensitivity, Overload, and Processing Our senses are how we experience the world, but for some, these experiences can feel overwhelming or confusing. For example, this is often linked to sensory disorders, where the brain struggles to process sensory information. So, whether you’re a parent, caregiver, or individual seeking clarity,
What Is Sensory Overload and Why Does It Happen? Have you ever walked into a bustling restaurant where the clatter of dishes, overlapping conversations, and flashing lights instantly made you want to retreat? Or been in a grocery store where bright overhead lights, colorful displays, and constant motion left you tense and disoriented? Importantly, these
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