Sensory Integration Disorder Symptoms: A Guide for Parents
Sensory integration disorder (SID) is a condition that occurs when a child has difficulties processing and organizing sensory information received from the outside world. This disorder can affect the child’s daily life and overall development. It is very important for parents to recognize this in their children for early diagnosis and intervention. There are some clear signs that may indicate sensory integration disorder. Here are the symptoms parents should pay attention to:
1. Sensory Over-Responsivity
Children with SID often overreact to stimuli in their environment. This over-sensitivity may involve touch, sound, light, smell, and other senses.
- Tactile Sensitivity: The child may be disturbed by clothing tags, fabric textures, or someone touching them. For example, they may avoid tight clothing or refuse to wear shoes.
- Sound Sensitivity: Some children are extremely bothered by loud sounds (such as vacuum cleaners, sirens) and may try to avoid them by covering their ears.
- Sensitivity to Light and Smell: Bright lights, fluorescent lamps, or certain smells may disturb the child and cause them to avoid such environments.
2. Sensory Under-Responsivity
Some children, on the other hand, may show under-responsivity to sensory stimuli and need more input. In this case, they may appear overly active because they feel the stimuli from the outside world are insufficient.
- High Need for Physical Activity: They may constantly want to move, climb on things, or hit objects hard.
- Low Pain Response: The child may seem to feel less pain than expected for minor injuries or falls and may show little or no reaction to such events.
3. Motor Coordination Difficulties
Sensory integration disorder can also affect a child’s motor skills. Both fine motor skills (handwriting, buttoning clothes) and gross motor skills (running, jumping) may be impacted.
- Poor Balance and Coordination: Children may frequently lose their balance while performing simple motor tasks. They may find it difficult to walk on balance beams or struggle with sports activities.
- Fine Motor Difficulties: They may show signs such as difficulty holding a pencil correctly while drawing or coloring, or trouble grasping small objects.
4. Sensory Withdrawal or Avoidance Behaviors
In some cases, children with SID may avoid social environments when exposed to too much sensory input.
- Avoidance of Social Interaction: In crowded places, especially where there is intense sound, smell, or light (shopping malls, parks), they may feel uneasy and try to escape from these environments.
- Withdrawal: When the child feels overstimulated, they may withdraw, avoid social interaction, or show intense emotional reactions.
5. Sensory Seeking
Some children may constantly seek more sensory experiences.
- Need for Spinning and Jumping: The child may show an excessive interest in spinning movements or jumping games. They may become almost “dependent” on activities such as spinning chairs or trampolines.
- Rough Play: Preferring games that involve more intense physical contact or constantly pushing and pulling others can be a sign of sensory seeking.
6. Sensory Avoidance
These signs show that when children struggle to process sensory information, they may overreact. To protect themselves from excessive sensory input, they may try to avoid it.
- Avoidance Behaviors: For example, they may refuse foods with certain textures at mealtimes or stay away from toys with different tactile qualities.
7. Sleep and Eating Problems
Children with SID often have difficulty falling asleep or maintaining regular sleep. They may also be very selective eaters.
- Food Selectivity: The child may avoid foods with certain textures or only eat a very limited range of foods.
- Sleep Problems: Because they are overly stimulated, they may have trouble falling asleep or wake up frequently during the night.
8. Behavioral Symptoms
Children with sensory integration disorder often display behavioral problems due to their difficulties with sensory processing.
- Frequent Irritability or Aggression: They may show intense emotional reactions even to small stimuli. For example, a light touch may be enough to make them angry.
- Attention Difficulties: They may struggle to focus on a task at home or at school and may constantly be on the move.
Sensory integration disorder is a condition that can affect children’s daily life and social relationships. It is very important for parents to recognize these symptoms early for the child’s development. If you observe some of the signs mentioned above in your child, you can seek more information and support from a child development specialist, occupational therapist, or child psychologist.
Early intervention can make a significant difference in your child’s life.