Sensory Information

Auditory (Hearing)

This system is responsible for hearing, detecting sounds, sound frequency, sound loudness and interpreting language.

We use auditory information to discriminate and associate sounds, to decode sounds and to remember what was heard. Some children and young people find noisy environments and situations very challenging, e.g. the lunch hall, a swimming pool, the level of classroom noise, the bell / fire alarm, sudden traffic noise. They appear not to be able to filter or block out everyday sounds that others appear not to notice, and they may respond inappropriately to ‘normal' levels of noise. Others may just not be aware of noises, they appear disconnected from their environment, and you may have to make multiple attempts to gain their attention.

Please click here to access the Sense of Hearing Questionnaire

To view a poster of the auditory sense click here

Visual (Sight)

This sensory system is responsible for seeing and detecting objects, shapes, colours, orientation and motion. We receive this visual information, interpret it and use our cognitive skills to analyse it. Physical aspects of the visual system which takes in information includes visual acuity (detect and perceive detail), visual contrast (quality of vision), visual fields (physical space the eye can see from a given position) and visual efficiency skills (eye movements – for focussing, tracking, and binocular vision).

Visual attention is the ability to focus visually on a task. This needs the child to be alert to learn, to be able to sustain and focus on the task, to allow information to be processed and to attend selectively to relevant visual information while disregarding irrelevant items.

Please click here to access the Sense of Vision Questionnaire

To view a poster of the visual sense click here

Tactile (Touch)

This system helps us process touch sensations to or from our body, they detect light touch, deep pressure, texture, temperature, vibrations and pain. There are two parts to the tactile system, one relates to light touch, the other to deep pressure. The two systems should work in harmony and balance and allow us to distinguish between touch which is harmful and touch which is friendly/helpful. The touch system helps to focus attention, influences body awareness and motor planning.

Please click here to access the Sense of Touch Questionnaire

To view a poster of the tactile sense click here

Olfactory (Smell)

This system helps our body detect and discriminate between different odours, and helps determine the importance of odours and signal to the brain about the significance. It helps humans understand which smells are strong, faint, pleasurable, foul, and even dangerous! Although this system plays an important role in our ability to sense smell, it also is closely related to our limbic system, which is responsible for emotions, behaviour, and memory and as well as our sense of taste, which help to create all the flavours that we taste in the food that we consume.

Please click here to access the Sense of Smell and Taste Questionnaire

To view a poster of the olfactory sense click here

Gustatory (Taste)

Our Gustatory sense helps us to detect between safe and harmful foods, it also helps to signal our need for hydration. We can commonly identify at least five different taste sensations: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and savoury.

In the mouth, these tastes, along with texture, temperature, combine with smell to produce a perception of flavour. It is flavour that informs us if we are eating a pear or an apple. Some people are surprised to learn that flavours are recognised mainly through the sense of smell. If you hold your nose while eating chocolate, for example, you will have trouble identifying the chocolate flavour - even though you can distinguish the food's sweetness or bitterness.

Please click here to access the Sense of Eating Questionnaire

To view a poster of the gustatory sense click here

Vestibular (Balance)

The vestibular or balance system is located in our ears and influences our balance, eye movements, posture, muscle tone and attention. It is the system which gives us security to move through space and gravity. It also tells us about the movement, rotation and position of our heads in relation to gravity.

Please click here to access the Sense of Movement and Balance (Vestibular) Questionnaire

To view a poster of the vestibular sense click here

Proprioception (Movement)

This sense helps us to understand our location, position and orientation when we move our body, joints and muscles. It helps us to know where our body parts are in relation to our other body parts, and the area around us; it also tells us how much force or effort we need to move our body parts, and it helps our movements to be smooth and co-ordinated. This system assists us to modulate responses which helps to focus and regulate arousal.

Please click here to access the Sense of Body Awareness (Proprioception) Questionnaire

To view a poster of the proprioception sense click here

Interoception (Internal)

Our interoceptive system gives us the ability to feel what is happening inside our body. It has special nerve receptors all over our bodies including our internal organs, bones, muscles and skin. These receptors send information to the brain which uses it to determine how we feel. The purpose of the interoceptive system is to help our bodies stay in a state of optimal balance known as homeostasis. If the body needs energy, you feel hungry, so you eat. If the body is fatigued, you feel tired, so you sleep. Hunger, thirst, fatigue, need for the bathroom, body temperature, nausea, pain, heart rate… all of these conditions are sensed by the interoceptive system. As if that role wasn’t enough, the interoceptive system is also responsible for allowing us to feel our emotions.

To view a poster of the interoception sense click here