Are your classroom rules of not blurting out or interrupting being

broken non-stop throughout your day? Yeah, me too. That is what

led me to find guaranteed ways to stop students from blurting out
in class that you too will be able to add to your classroom
management bag of tricks because they are so easy to
implement.

First, let me say that I geek out on reading research on classroom

management strategies and techniques. All of the classroom
management ideas I share today are research-based and/or tried
and true from my own elementary classroom. If you have any to
add please share your favorite strategy for stopping students from
blurting out at the end of this post.

Most of our classroom’s day is spent talking, collaborating, and

engaging in meaningful conversation. Encouraging students to
share their thinking is vital, however, there are also times that
should be spent listening. To us, it’s obvious. You shouldn’t have
to tell your students it’s wrong to blurt out in class during
inappropriate times. Unfortunately, we do. We can either address
that blurting out is wrong now, or spend the remainder of the
school doing it.

I introduce why it’s wrong with a good picture book.

My top 3 favorites are:

Then we create a blurt chart of why it’s wrong to blurt out during
class during inappropriate times. Our blurt chart is called, “Blurts
Hurt.” Students add their reasons and we come to a class
consensus that we should not blurt out. (We also have a separate
discussion on why it’s important to participate and learn how to
collaboratively talk with one another.)
Once the students understand the why, we then discuss the “But
what if…” questions so that I can set clear classroom
expectations when it comes to behavior. We go over this “If-then”
blurt chart:
Sometimes I have just one kid who needs the expectations set
specifically for them because the rest of the class just “gets it.” In
those cases, I make a mini-expectations chart:
Now that the expectations and classroom rules are set, it’s time
for students to understand what will happen if they do blurt out in
class. I usually tell my students the first week of school about our
consequences for classroom rules, but for my frequent blurter, I
create a consequence card so that they know that I am serious.
When I was a brand new teacher, I would just constantly repeat
myself heck I still catch myself sometimes. And that pretty much
was the “consequence” if a kid blurted out. They’d just have to
hear me nagging. This consequence card holds me and the
student accountable. Your consequences may look different than
mine and that’s just fine! The key is to STICK to whatever
consequences you set. If you find that your consequences are
unrealistic for you to stick to, then you need to tweak them. We,
teachers, lose control of our classrooms the minute the students
stop taking you and your word seriously. They will test your limits
and see if you actually follow through with your consequences,
trust me! Here is an example of a consequence card I used on
one of my second graders:
You will read more about my blurt box as you continue to scroll. A
teacher talk is me sitting down with the student during their free
time and discussing what they did, why they did it and a plan to
make it better. Sometimes it also involves the student
practicing the desired behavior.

Here is another flow of consequences for blurting out in class:

Including our whole class visual reminders, I also give students
who desperately need reminders something visual that I can go to
their desk and point to when they working. For example, this chit
chat mat slides from yes to no throughout the day, depending on
our current voice level expectation:
This is my FAVORITE part. I am all about helping students
improve their behavior. Here are some quick behavior
interventions I do to help my main kiddos who blurt out during
class.
These are talkin’ tokens. Give your student as many pre-
determined talkin’ tokens as you’d like (3-4). This will help them
become more thoughtful about what they contribute and serve as
a visual reminder to raise their hand. If they are in a group setting
and dominate the conversation, they can also use these. Each
time they talk- including blurts- they give you (or a peer) the talkin’
token. Once they’re out, they’re out! Of course, if you notice that
they are doing well you can give them extra tokens.

This is helpful for the kid who blurts out before anyone else even
has time to think of the answer. It is their own personal wait time
card. The student is given this card during whole group lessons.
With a finger, clothespin, or paper clip, they will keep track of how
many students have participated before their can raise their hand
and contribute their thoughts/answers. This helps the student
practice self-control while still being encouraged to participate.
This helps the student set personal goals on how to reduce
his/her number of interruptions. Sometimes the student is
astonished by how many times he/she is interrupting during a
single class period. Remember the goal is to help turn this
behavior into a positive one. Be encouraging and not shameful.
Remind them that having lots of ideas to share is a GOOD thing
and that it is important to do it in a respectful way.
This is an example of behavior bingo being used for one
individual. He keeps the chart on a clipboard. Each time I catch
him raising his hand, he gets to pick a box to write his name in. At
the end of the day (or week) he draws a bingo chip card. If for
example, he drew B2, he would win a behavior incentive such as
lunch with me. Obviously, the more good he does, the more likely
the chance that he will win. This exact chart can be used with a
whole class too!
As you track their improvement, hold your kiddo who blurts out
accountable by having them keep track of their own behavior.
Focus on the positive behavior by giving a hole punch every time
they remember to raise their hand. For example, if you are
teaching a math mini-lesson for 15 minutes and the student
remembers to not blurt and/or raise their hand, then that would be
a punch. This will reinforce the positive behavior.

I send praise notes and emails most often since I have a very
email-y group of parents, but I also call home to let parents know
when their kid is improving in their behavior, not just when he/she
is misbehaving. I think it’s important to share your students’
behavior goals with their parents so that they can support their
children at home.
Make sure his chair is a good fit for him. When he’s sitting at his desk, he should be able
to put his feet flat on the floor and rest his elbows on the desk.

 For the child who needs to move a bit, you might try an inflated seated cushion or
a pillow from home so he can both squirm and stay in his seat.
 Some kids are better off if they sit close to the teacher. However, if your child is
easily distracted by noise, he may end up turning around often to where the noise
is coming from.
 If possible, eliminate buzzing and flickering fluorescent lighting.
 Make sure he’s not sitting next to distracting sources of noise.
 Have the OT work with him on knowing where his body is in relation to other
people and things and the idea of personal space.
 Provide sensory breaks such as walking in circles, jumping on a mini-trampoline
and sucking on sour candy so he gets the input he craves and doesn’t bump into
others.
 Allow for fidgets and chewable items, available in OT catalogues, to provide input
 Have the OT work with him on both gross and fine motor skills so he’s more
confident, whether he’s in gym class or taking notes
 To avoid meltdowns or bolting, allow him to skip school assemblies, or sit near a
door so that he can take breaks in the hallway with a teacher when he starts to
feel himself getting overwhelmed.
 If the cafeteria is too stimulating, see about having him and one or more lunch
buddies eat in a quieter room with a teacher or aide.
 Have a clear visual schedule posted with plenty of preparation for transitions.
 Hand fidgets that keep hands busy and out of trouble, such
as poking the child next to him.

 A Time Timer can help students “keep it together” by giving

them a visual cue about how much longer they are
expected to be quiet or focus on a given task.

 Tests, Classroom Assignments, and Organization

 Test accommodations. A child with sensory challenges may need
to take tests in a separate room with fewer children around (to
reduce distractions), be given extended time (if she processes
information slowly), and be allowed to record answers in any
manner (for example, answers may be typed or dictated to
someone else).
  Accommodations for instructions. A child may need instructions or
the day’s schedule to be provided verbally and visually, either
written on the board or in writing. This is particularly true for
students with auditory and visual processing difficulties.
 Organizational help. Children with poor sensory processing are
often disorganized in terms of time, space, and objects. Providing
accommodations to help him stay organized is not “enabling” him
any more than giving a nearsighted child prescription eyeglasses.
Over time, the child can be taught, step-by-step, how to become
better organized. In the meantime, he may need more help than
the average child to stay organized so he can get his schoolwork
done on time, according to the directions. Here are some tips:
 Backpack and homework check. The teacher or aide helps your
child to check his backpack at the end of the day to be sure no
items are left behind. He’s given an assignment notebook, which
is broken down by subject matter and has room for short notes
between teacher and parent. Both teacher and parent sign off on
the assignment notebook daily.
 Back ups. Your child is able to keep a second set of books at
home. If the teacher has an online class page, she can upload the
directions for multipart assignments with multiple deadlines. At the
beginning of the year, obtain phone numbers and email addresses
of other parents who may be able to lend books or provide
assignment directions in a pinch.
 Concentration accommodations. Your child may sit at a desk by
himself instead of a table when working on multi-step, complex
assignments, for better concentration.
 Visual accommodations. Your child may wear any prescribed
eyewear, including colored lenses and sunglasses indoors, that
has been determined necessary. He is to be provided with written
directions, in a form he can easily read (for example, black on
white paper rather than colored markers on a white board).

Difficulties with specialty classes. The routines and environments in special

classes such as physical education, art, music, and computer lab can be
challenging. Such classes often involve extra background noise (e.g.,
classmates talking and moving at once) as well as unpleasant odors (e.g., arts
and craft supplies) or irritating sounds (e.g., musical instruments or off-key s
Visual Ideas

 Limit the amount of visual material hanging from ceiling

or walls.
 Store manipulatives inside containers.
 Organize and label all material to identify where they
belong.
 Put pictures on containers for students with poor visual
memory.
 Use picture templates of where items belong in places
(i.e. desk, room).
 Tape a number or letter line onto student’s desk.
 Provide primary lined paper or graph paper to help with
spacing.
 Keep amount of visual information on worksheet to a
minimum.
 Use a lamp instead of overhead fluorescent lighting.
 Use a touch screen instead of computer mouse.
 Use computer software to organize material.
 Allow student to sit with back to teacher (i.e. look at a
solid wall).
 Have student write notes and use a peer’s note as well.

Auditory Ideas

 Minimize verbal directions.

 Use ear plugs or head phones.
 Allow time for student to listen to favorite music (i.e.
classical, Dixie).
  Use more visuals with pictures or words.
 Use social stories about what might happen or sounds
that can be heard in the room.
 Desensitize a student to an area by slowly integrating
him or her on numerous visits.

Tactile Ideas

 When a student says a touch "hurts" or pulls away,

acknowledge their pain and stop touching.
 Experiment with types of clothing that are comfortable
(i.e. terry cloth, all cotton, several times washed, no
labels).
 Provide easy access to small hand fidgets (i.e. squishy,
soft, textured, soft).
 Allow student to sit in a bean bag chair.
 Refer to occupational therapist for further ideas (i.e.
weighted vest, utensils, "brushing").

Taste and Smells Ideas

Taste
 When rewarding student with food or cooking time, use
food they already like.
 Keep all poisonous substances locked up safely.
 Talk with nutritionist about diet.
Smells
 Have a scented lamp, candle, lotions, liquid soap,
scented markers or stickers available to smell to calm
student.
  Be aware that if you have a scented object, the student
may act adversely to that particular smell.
 Keep Kleenex tissue readily available.
 Use minimal amounts of perfume or cologne.
 Be aware of soaps or detergents use - Use scent free
laundry products.

Proprioceptive Ideas

 Engage student in up and down movements (i.e.

jumping rope, bouncing a ball, trampoline) to wake up
student.
 Back and forth movements (i.e. swinging, sitting in
rocking chair) may help calm student.
 Use stress balls, theraputty and fidget toys.
 Allow chewing on crunchy, chewy items (i.e. bubble gum
in freezer, licorice sticks, pretzels, carrots).
 Designate an area in the room to stomp feet or pace.
 Never take physical education or recess away from a
student (i.e. need deep pressure activities like running,
jogging).

Vestibular Ideas

 Create heavy work activities (e.g. take down chairs in

computer lab, take garbage out at lunch, take a pile of
encyclopedia to library).
 Slowly move from extreme positions (i.e. sitting on floor
to standing).
 Slow down our own movements.
  Use bands across front legs of desk.
 Have student sit on wiggle cushion or ball.
 Allow frequent breaks throughout the day.
 Have student jump on trampoline.
 Use sticker or stamps to identify left/right.
 Play games using repetitive alternating and rhythmic
movement.
 Reinforce dominant hand use.
 Play on merry go round, ride roller coasters, hang
upside down, play team sports, swim, twist chains of a
swing and untwisting, go sledding, slide down water
slides.

inging).
Solutions in the Classroom

Kids with ADHD need classroom behavior reminders to stay on track. But reminding them
verbally in front of other students may damage the fragile self-esteem of a child with ADHD.
Instead, try visual reminders as part of a secret “contract” you set up with the student.

— Have a secret signal. Decide on a gesture or signal that will convey to the student that he is
interrupting and needs to stop. For example, one teacher had success with a “wind it down” hand
signal in the shape of a descending spiral staircase.

— Post a list of rules. Be sure each ADHD student is familiar with the class rules and can
clearly see them from his seat. You can also try highlighting “No Interrupting” on the list for an
added reminder.

— Have an on-desk reminder. Tape a note to the child’s desk with the letters “N.I.” written on
it to stand for “No Interrupting.” None of the other students need to know that the initials don’t
mean something like “New Inventions.”

[Free Handout: Solving Challenges in the Classroom]

— Keep a visual count. Show the student how much he’s been interrupting by calling attention
to it through visuals. One teacher uses an abacus where she can silently slide over a bead every
time her ADHD student talks out of turn. No one else knew what she was counting and this
repetitive visual cue helped the ADHD student curb his behavior.
Solutions at Home

— Do “No Interrupting” training. Tell your child that you’re going to be doing an activity that
can’t be interrupted (say, talking on the phone). Set your child up with a task that will hold his
attention while you’re talking, and then take breaks every few minutes to visit with your child
and praise him for not interrupting. You also can do a little behavior therapy by using the abacus
method, but as part of a reward system.

— Add incentives. Begin the week with a pot of $5. Assign a value — say 10 cents — to each
bead on the abacus or other visual counter. Each time you have to slide a bead because of an
interruption, 10 cents should be removed from the pot. At the end of the week, your child gets to
keep what’s left.

If your child doesn’t respond well to the “negative” method, reverse the system to provide
positive rewards. Slide a bead for every time your child does not interrupt, to reinforce good
behavior. At the end of the week, the child keeps what’s been earned.

Researchers shy away from calling children psychopaths; the term carries too
much stigma, and too much determinism. They prefer to describe children like
Samantha as having “callous and unemotional traits,” shorthand for a cluster
of characteristics and behaviors, including a lack of empathy, remorse, or
guilt; shallow emotions; aggression and even cruelty; and a seeming
indifference to punishment. Callous and unemotional children have no trouble
hurting others to get what they want. If they do seem caring or empathetic,
they’re probably trying to manipulate you.
Sensory Differences

Overview

Every day we are exposed to thousands of sensory experiences that come to us

through our senses of vision, hearing, touch, movement, smell, taste, and
proprioception (our sense of position in space). There are birds chirping, horns honking,
air conditioners running, and lights humming. Our clothes have different textures; we get
into cars and move forward, stop, start, and turn; and we smell foods, perfumes, and
deodorants.
Among all these experiences, most of us are able to tune out the things that are
irrelevant to what we are currently engaged in and tune into the things we need in order
to be able to navigate and respond to our environment. However, some individuals with
autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often react differently. Some find these experiences to
be confusing and overwhelming, while others may be unresponsive to these
experiences in a way that may be different from most individuals.

In this module, you will learn about the senses and how our bodies use sensory
information to contribute to and support critical life functions such as our ability to
recognize and react to danger, regulate our level of alertness, and facilitate our
engagement in meaningful life activities. We will then focus on the sensory differences
that may be present in persons with ASD and how they may impact their day-to-day
behavior and performance.

Pre-Assessment
Pre-Assessment
Our senses give us the information we need to function in the world.

Select an answer for question 420

A child with sensory processing disorder has the ability to effectively and efficiently
organize sensory information.

Select an answer for question 421

A child that is under responsive to touch may

Select an answer for question 422

A child that is over responsive to touch may

Select an answer for question 423

A child that is over responsive to visual experiences may

Select an answer for question 424

An individual who is under responsive to sound may

Select an answer for question 425

Being overly responsive to smells might be demonstrated by which of the following
behaviors in an individual

Select an answer for question 426

All individuals with ASD have auditory sensory issues.

Select an answer for question 427

Individuals with ASD who exhibit sensory processing difficulties can have more than one
sensory area affected.

Select an answer for question 428

Defining Sensory Differences in

Individuals with ASD

Do you enjoy...

the smell of new shoes?

the sound of rain hitting the roof?

the feel of new clothing?

the taste of Italian food?

the sights and sounds of fireworks?

riding in a car?

For most people, these sensations are pleasing or at least fully acceptable. However,
some individuals with ASD find these experiences overwhelming, others may not even
take notice of them, and still others may struggle with feeling overly sensitive to these
activities on some days and under-sensitive on other days. Abnormalities in processing
incoming sensations such as light, sound, touch, taste, pain, smell, movement, or
temperature are reportedly experienced by 70-80% of the ASD population (Harrison &
Hare, 2004; Myles, Cook, Miller, Rinner, & Robbins, 2000; Volkmar, Cohen, & Paul,
1986). In some, the differences affect only one sensory area, while in others multiple
senses are impacted.

Our Seven Senses

Most people are familiar with at least five basic senses. These senses are hearing
(auditory), seeing (visual), touch (tactile), taste (gustatory) and smell (olfactory). Each
of the senses has receptors that are located in specific places within the body.
Receptors are nerve endings in the body that receive the messages from our various
senses, which they transfer to the appropriate pathway to send the information to the
brain. The brain then uses the information to tell our bodies how to respond. The two
other senses are vestibular and proprioception. All seven senses will be discussed
within this section of the module.

Five of Our Senses

Let's look more specifically at each of these five senses and how they contribute to our
daily functioning and life skills.

Tactile/Touch
The skin is one of the largest sensory receptors in the human body. The skin is filled
with touch receptors that are activated when contact is made with the skin. There are
many different types of touch receptors, including those for pressure, temperature, and
pain, as well as different types of touch sensations. A large concentration of receptors
for the sense of touch are located in our mouth, hands, and the soles of our feet.
Behaviors such as mouthing objects and chewing hands are probably related to the
large number of receptors in these areas.

The tactile system is comprised of two distinct systems-protective and discriminative.

The protective system tells us when we are in contact with something dangerous, and
can cause a flight, fright, or fight response. This type of response makes our hearts beat
faster and our breathing quicken, and gives us a feeling of being afraid. It can also
make us feel angry like we want to fight, or make us feel like we want to run or move
away from the sensation. For example, if we feel a light unexpected touch it may make
us jerk our body away from the source of the touch wondering if a spider or other
poisonous insect has landed on us. The protective system is the most primitive of the
two tactile systems and is necessary for basic survival.

The other system, the discriminative system, allows us to determine where we are being
touched and what is touching us. It contributes to our ability to identify objects by size
and shape without the need to look directly at an object. For example, in the morning
when our alarm sounds, we are able to keep our eyes closed for just a few more
minutes but still locate the alarm to shut it off by feeling around on the bedside table,
locating the alarm, and finding the button to turn it off.

Accurate discrimination requires that we register sensory input without sensory

defensiveness. In other words, we need to be able to touch and explore objects in detail
without feeling like we are afraid, angry, or need to pull away. Thus, it is this
discriminative exploration that allows us to gain knowledge about objects and people in
our environment.

A tactile system that is functioning effectively allows us to experience cuddling as

enjoyable, and as a result allows young children to develop attachments to their
caregivers. It plays a role in our ability to understand our personal space in relation to
others impacting our social interactions, and as adults it can impact our ability to
develop intimate relationships.
Visual/Sight
The receptors for vision are located in the eye, specifically the retina, and they are
activated by light. The function of the eye is to give us information about objects and
people around us, such as multidimensional awareness, patterns, and colors. Vision
also provides us with an awareness of our surroundings beyond arm's reach, such as
distance, proximity, and depth perception.

Effective visual processing helps us to identify and interpret the physical features of
people, events, and objects, as well as to navigate our environment safely. It also plays
a role in the development of pattern recognition, which contributes to our early ability to
recognize others. Pattern recognition also makes things memorable, which helps us to
learn and retain information.

Auditory/Hearing
The hearing receptors are located in the structures of the ear, and are activated by
vibrations produced by sound. They process sound so that speech, music, or noise can
be distinguished and interpreted by the brain.

Hearing provides the basis for developing oral language skills. Being able to hear the
sounds allows us to imitate and play with sounds to develop our own language skills. It
is the effective development of these oral language skills that provides the foundation
for spelling and grammar, which contributes to the later development of written
language as well.

Olfactory/Smell
The smell receptors are located in the nasal cavity, and are activated by chemicals
called odors. The function of the sense of smell is to assist us in discriminating people
and things. They also help to alert us to volatile and dangerous substances, such as
poisons, leaking gas, or smoke. In addition, our sense of smell has a strong connection
to long-term memory.

Gustatory/Taste
The receptors for the sense of taste are located on the tongue. The human tongue
detects only four or five basic taste components, sweet, sour, salty and bitter, with the
taste of savory recently added to the list by some scientists. So you might wonder how it
is possible that we can taste and identify so many different foods. Whereas the human
tongue can distinguish only among four or five distinct qualities of taste, the nose can
distinguish among hundreds of substances, even in minute quantities. It is the work of
the tongue and the nose together that allows us to enjoy and identify different flavors.

Our Two Additional Senses

We have just discussed five senses that are familiar to most people, but there are two
additional senses that are important to include because they provide major contributions
to our ability to move about and interact effectively with our environment. These two
senses are the vestibular system and the sense of proprioception. These senses work
together to shape our motor movements and to help us understand where our bodies
are located in space. Let's look at these two senses.
Vestibular
The vestibular receptors are located in the inner ear, and are activated by movement of
our head. We have probably all had the sensation of lifting our head too quickly and
finding the room briefly spinning. That is the work of the vestibular receptors. The
vestibular system gives us information about where we are in space, as well as how fast
and in what direction we are moving. It also contributes to our posture and overall
muscle tone.

When we are infants, an effective vestibular system allows us to find gentle rocking
soothing. Later, it helps us to maintain our balance when we walk, jump, run, and climb
so we can feel confident and safe to engage in these activities. It also allows most of us
to ride in cars, planes, trains, and boats without feeling uncomfortable.

Proprioception
Proprioception provides information about our position in space and general body
awareness. The receptors for this system are located in the joints, tendons, and
muscles. They are activated by bending, straightening, compressing, pulling,
contracting, and stretching the receptors.

This sense contributes to an infants' knowledge about their body position so they can
mold to a caregiver's body to cuddle. As children get older, proprioception contributes to
the development of coordinated crawling, walking, and running as well as our ability to
imitate body movements. As adults, we rely on the sense of proprioception to help us
participate in sports, dance, and other life activities requiring coordinated movement.
Propriception is critical for the development of motor skills and motor planning, or in
other words, our ability to move our bodies in a coordinated fashion in all of our life
tasks and activities.

Sensory Processing
What is Sensory Processing?

Sensory processing refers to the ability to take in the information we receive from our
senses, both external and internal, and then use that information to function effectively.
Specifically, our bodies send information from the senses to our brains through neural
pathways, which are much like roads. Once the information reaches the brain, it is
interpreted, and we can then act on the information.

Effective sensory processing allows the brain to locate, sort, and make sense of
incoming sensory information. The brain helps to decide if the input is something that
should make us be afraid and move away, if it is information we need to function in the
environment, or if it is something we should just disregard as not important to either of
those functions. In short, effective sensory processing provides us with protection from
danger, and helps us to attend, be appropriately alert, and engage in meaningful
activities.

We need a certain amount of sensory input to maintain life functions. It is that "just right"
amount of sensory input and our brain's processing of it that makes us appropriately
alert so we can engage in meaningful life activities during the day and yet allows us to
peacefully sleep at night. If we experience extreme sensory input for extended lengths
of time, it can have detrimental effects on our well-being, making us feel overwhelmed
and frightened, leading to behavior that is either frenzied or causes us to shut down.
Conversely, too little sensory input can make us dull, lifeless, and disengaged.

What is Sensory Processing Disorder?

Sensory processing disorder refers to the inability to modulate, discriminate, coordinate,
or organize sensations effectively. It can affect the way we learn, our behavior,
movement, relationships, and how we feel about ourselves. When a person has a
sensory processing disorder, she processes sensory input from the senses in a way that
is different from most people. Some people are overly responsive to sensory input such
that they often do not filter routine experiences and, therefore, interpret sensory
experiences as painful and overwhelming. Others seem relatively under-responsive to
sensory input and, therefore, don't appear to notice when they are injured, for example.
Still others have difficulty regulating their responses to input so their behavioral
responses are unpredictable from hour to hour and day to day. For example, in the
morning a person may fall and injure himself without noticing but by the afternoon he is
agitated over the small tag in the back of his shirt, demanding that someone remove it
because it hurts.

Overly Responsive to Sensory Input

Let's talk about different types of sensory processing difficulties. There are several
theories and frameworks for identifying sensory processing disorders; we will look at the
core issues. As mentioned earlier, most of us can filter out the sensory experiences we
receive during the course of our days using what we need and disregarding the rest, but
some individuals are not able to filter out the stimuli, and the impact of this perceived
intense input can be frightening, tiring, and anxiety-producing. We say these people are
over-responsive to sensory input. They may be sensitive to only certain types of
sensory experiences or to all types of sensory experiences. Some are sensitive to just
touch whereas, others may be sensitive to all of the sensory areas, including touch,
smell, movement, vision, hearing, taste, and body position.

For the latter group, a small amount of sensory input can create feelings of being
overwhelmed and elicit responses such as shutdown. They may exhibit behaviors such
as distractibility or hyperactivity, or the opposite-limited and constrained actions. These
individuals may also be irritable, impulsive, defensive, defiant, overly reactive, anxious,
demanding routine and/or rituals, resistant to change, have negative attitudes, or
demonstrate emotional outbursts.

Here are some examples of behaviors we might see in the various senses if an
individual is overly responsive to sensory input.
Tactile (Touch)

o doesn't like certain types of clothing materials/designs/tags

o may remove socks and shoes frequently

o becomes irritated when bumped by other or if others are in close proximity

o dislikes being dirty

o resists tooth brushing

o doesn't like certain textures and temperatures of food

Visual (Sight)

o squints or complains about typical indoor lighting

o may like to wear sunglasses indoors

o may prefer cooler colors (blues, greens, etc.)

o may be confused by complex visual designs

Auditory (Hearing)

o dislikes the sounds of a toilet flushing

o holds hands over ears when hearing what seems like normal noise to others

o may be fearful of the vacuum cleaner

o finds car horns and outside noises painful and frightening

o dislikes fire drills, possibly responding with major behavioral meltdowns

o prefers to wear headphones with selected music rather than dealing with
environmental sounds

Gustatory (Taste)

o has limited tolerance for eating a variety of foods

o prefers bland food with little taste

o dislikes the taste of toothpaste

Olfactory (Smell)

o doesn't like the smell of perfumes/deodorant/food cooking

o notices smells in the environment more than others

o may gag as a result of smelling certain odors

Vestibular/Proprioception

o is fearful of movement activities

o prefers to keep feet on the ground

o dislikes riding toys or extended car rides

o may be delayed in typical motor milestones

Under Responsive to Sensory Input

Other people are under-responsive to sensory input and, therefore, need a large
amount of sensory input to be able to attend and respond. For example, they may not
respond when their name is called out due to poor auditory processing. They may have
difficulty sitting appropriately in their seat, holding on to their pencil, or completing
simple motor skills because they are not getting the appropriate feedback to their
muscles from their sense of movement and position in space. They also might not
notice if they are injured, due to poor tactile or touch sensations.

These individuals may try to meet their need for additional input by demonstrating a
tireless pursuit of sensory input, with associated behaviors of lacking caution in play,
fidgeting, and/or becoming easily overly stimulated. They appear to be sensory seeking
in their behaviors. Conversely, others, who are under-responsive, may appear as
sedentary, withdrawn, uninterested, difficult to motivate, and having very low energy.

Here are some examples of behaviors we might see in the various senses if an
individual is under-responsive to sensory input.

Tactile (Touch)

o doesn't appear to notice when injured

o plays roughly with others

o is messy eater; doesn't seem to notice food on face or hands

o may appear disheveled; doesn't notice when clothing is askew

o may not recognize personal space and sits too closely to others

o may refuse to wear seasonally appropriate clothing; may seek heavy, warm
clothing on hot days

Visual (Sight)

o focuses of shiny or colorful objects

o shows strong preference for certain colors

o sits close to the TV when watching a program

o looks directly at room lights for extended periods of time

Auditory (Hearing)

o turns volume of TV/music up

o if engaged in other activities, often does not respond to name if called

o may not respond to verbal directions unless given multiple times

o does not seem responsive to fire drill bells, class change bells, car horns, etc.

o may talk loudly with little understanding of the need to modulate voice volume for
various environments

Olfactory (Smell)

o attempts to smell objects

o doesn't seem to recognize noxious odors

o may wear excessive amount of perfumes/fragrances

o may not be alert to odors that have protective functions such as smoke and
poisons

Gustatory (Taste)

o may eat non-edibles

o may not recognize noxious tastes of poisons
o may not recognize temperatures of hot foods

o may eat spicy foods without notice

Vestibular/Proprioception

o doesn't understand body position in space, and may have difficulty imitating
motor movements
o may have difficulty sitting with appropriate posture in a chair for a long periods of
time (slouches)

o may appear clumsy and awkward

o may unintentionally injure others through excessive movements

o may unintentionally break toys/objects by grasping and manipulating with too

much pressure

o hugs others too hard

o climbs and takes risks in play, appearing fearless

o seeks out movement activities such as swinging, spinning, etc.

Is It Under Responsive or Over

Responsive?
It is sometimes difficult to know if an individual is under- or over-responsive to sensory
input. You may have noticed in the descriptions of behaviors related to under- and over-
responsiveness that some of the behaviors are similar for both areas. Therefore, we
must be cautious not to make quick decisions about an individual's sensory processing
based on observing behavioral responses.

Some children demonstrate behaviors that would lead us to believe they are both
under-and over-responsive to sensory input. They may demonstrate these differences
among the different senses or within one sense. For example, a student might be
resistant to various foods, which would lead us to believe she is overly responsive to
taste sensations or the feel of food within her mouth. But that same student might not
respond when her name is called or if there are loud noises, leading us to believes she
is under-responsive to sound input. Additionally, a child may appear to be distracted by
even minor sounds, which might indicate over-responsiveness, but a little while later we
may have difficulty gaining her attention when we call her name, indicating she may be
under-responsive at that time.

An occupational therapist can assess and determine appropriate interventions for

individuals who have difficulty with sensory processing. Occupational therapists have
specialized knowledge and skills in addressing sensory needs and work in a variety of
settings such as schools, clinics, homes, or community agencies.

Cumulative Effect of Sensory Input

As mentioned, the behavioral responses to sensory experiences can appear to fluctuate
from hour to hour and day to day. For example, what is overwhelming one day may not
have the same effect the next day. Illness, fatigue, stress, and hunger can all impact our
response to sensory input. Further, sensory input tends to have a cumulative effect. As
a result, it may take numerous sensory experiences for an under-responsive child to
pay attention or for an overly responsive child to reach the breaking point. Such
variance can make it difficult to determine which type of sensory input is impacting the
child.

Case Study Example

The following example of a child who is overly responsive to sensory input
demonstrates how she attempts to manage her sensory experiences as they occur
throughout her day.

Sally
Case Study: Sally
When Sally gets up in the morning and starts to get dressed, she finds a new shirt
provided for her by her mother. The shirt feels scratchy, and there is a tag in the back.
The tag is all Sally can think about during breakfast. Later she boards the bus. She
hates all the talking, laughing, and shouting on the bus. Not only that, soon a student
sits down next to her, accidentally bumping her and sitting so close they are touching. It
hurts when somebody bumps into her, and it makes Sally angry the other student is
sitting so close.

When the bus arrives at school, she gets off, and soon the bell rings. It is loud ... really
loud. The students line up, and in the process accidentally bump into each other. Sally
tries to get to the end of the line so she can keep an eye on the other students to avoid
getting bumped. But she feels increasingly anxious because students have filed in
behind her at the last minute, and she can't tell how close they are. One of them bumps
her. It hurts, and Sally is feeling angrier. When she gets to class, she discovers that her
teacher is wearing a new perfume. It smells really strong. The other kids are
complimenting the teacher on the perfume ... but not Sally. It is giving her a headache.
The bell rings again; it is loud. As the teacher begins the lesson, Sally suddenly blurts
out as she covers her ears with her hands, "That bell is just too loud!" The teacher
reminds Sally to raise her hand to comment in class. Sally becomes even angrier, and
starts arguing with the teacher.

The "meltdown" described above did not occur because of the loud bell, but because
Sally had reached her limit, or threshold, for sensory input or the combination of events
that occurred at school and at home. Sally had endured continued random challenges
to her sensory system since the moment she woke up, and the cumulative effect was
eventually too much for her to manage. This scenario illustrates the importance of
making observations of a student over a period of time, considering many things that
may be hidden in the environment and perhaps not obvious to most of us but that add to
a child's sensory challenges.
Common Sensory Differences in
Individuals with ASD: What is the
Research Saying?
We learned earlier in this module that many people with ASD demonstrate behaviors
that could be interpreted as being based in sensory processing difficulties. Research
studies conducted over a number of years clearly support the view that children with
ASD demonstrate behaviors that are indicative of sensory processing difficulties more
often than their neurotypical peers (Adrien, Ornitz, Barthelemy, Sauvage, & Lelord,
1987; Kern et al., 2008; Ornitz, 1983). Yet, even though sensory differences seem to
have a powerful impact on these individuals, sensory processing difficulties are not
considered one of the core deficits of ASD.

Many researchers are now working to identify the specific types of sensory processing
difficulties that may be associated with ASD. Following is an overview of some of the
recent research trends that are emerging related to ASD and sensory processing.

Thinking back to our discussion about over- and under-responsiveness to sensory input,
not surprisingly, much of the research has reported that children with ASD exhibit
variable and mixed responsiveness to sensory experiences (Adamson, O'Hare, &
Graham, 2006; Kern et al., 2007a; Kern et al., 2008; Lane Young, Baker, & Angley,
2010; Leekam, Nieto, Libby, Wing, & Gould, 2007). Because of this variability,
researchers are attempting to identify unique patterns of sensory processing in ASD.
Some have found that young children tend to exhibit more under-responsiveness or
nonresponsiveness to sensory input (Baraneck, David, Poe, Stone, & Watson, 2006;
Baraneck, Boyd, Poe, David, & Watson, 2007; Ben-Sasson et al., 2007; Rogers &
Ozonoff, 2005), whereas older children with ASD tend to exhibit more sensory-seeking
behaviors (Ben-Sasson et al., 2009; Liss, Saulnier, Fein, & Kinsbourne, 2006).

Other researchers are looking toward the specific sensory domains (auditory, taste,
smell, tactile, etc.) to determine if there are specific, unique connections with ASD. For
example, a recent study suggests that taste and smell sensitivities as well as
movement-related sensory behaviors are possible sensory subtypes associated with
ASD (Lane et al., 2010). Yet other researchers are examining the relationship between
the core deficits of ASD and sensory processing. To date, relationships have been found
among the presence of sensory processing difficulties and the severity of ASD and the
incidence of difficult behaviors and severity of communication deficits (Baker, Lane,
Angley, & Young, 2008; Gabriels et al., 2008; Kern et al., 2007b; Liss et al., 2006).

Researchers have identified many pieces to the puzzle related to sensory processing
difficulties and ASD. However, there is still much work to be done to determine the
specific contributions of sensory processing and the effectiveness of sensory
intervention strategies for persons with ASD.

Summary
Our senses give us information about the world around us; our brain processes the
input, and we respond based upon how we process that information. Our senses keep
us safe, provide us pleasure, and help us function. Individuals on the autism spectrum
may not receive, process, and react to sensory stimuli the same way as neurotypicals.
Some are overly responsive whereas others are under-responsive to sensory
experiences in the environment. Students with sensory differences may benefit from
services from an occupational therapy practitioner who can provide assessment and
intervention strategies to help them manage their sensory differences and improve their
access to successful home, school, social, and work experiences.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is sensory processing disorder?

A. Sensory processing disorder is a neurological disorder causing difficulties with

processing information from the senses: vision (sight), auditory (hearing), tactile (touch),
olfactory (smell), gustatory (taste), the sense of movement (vestibular system), and the
positional sense (proprioception). Unlike blindness or deafness, a person with sensory
processing disorder receives sensory information, but the information is processed by
the brain in an unusual way that may cause distress or confusion. As a result, it may be
difficult to process and act on information received through the senses, and many
struggle to perform everyday tasks.

Q. Why does a child prefer certain sensory activities one day, but often not the
next?

A. Understanding and identifying sensory processing disorder is key to answering this

question. As you work with an occupational therapist, keep in mind that sometimes the
child shows characteristics of more extreme sensory difficulties one day, but very mild
difficulties the next day. For instance, the child with proprioception problems may trip
over every bump in the pavement on Friday, yet score every soccer goal on Saturday.
He may have difficulty modulating his responses to sensory input. Therefore, his
behavioral responses can be unpredictable from hour to hour and day to day.

Q. What is the sense of proprioception, and what is its function?

A. The sense of proprioception uses information from the muscles and joints to give us
an awareness of our body position. This is the sense that makes it possible to guide our
arms and legs without watching the complete range of movement. Proprioception helps
adjust body position to prevent us from falling out of a chair, and allows us to manipulate
a pen or hairbrush.

Q. What is the vestibular sense, and what is its function?

A. The vestibular sense coordinates the movement of our body, head, and eyes. The
brain in turn responds to the movement through space and body position. The vestibular
sense allows us to balance, throw a ball, or stumble without falling. It maintains muscle
tone, helps coordinate the two sides of the body, and enables us to hold our head up
against the force of gravity.

Q. What are some of the red flags parents and professionals should be aware of
that might indicate somebody is experiencing sensory challenges?

A. The following is a checklist of some of the signs of sensory processing disorder. But
please keep in mind that some sensory challenges manifest themselves somewhat
differently in each individual.

o poor self-regulation: not able to calm themselves

o overly sensitive to touch, sight, sound, movement, pain, temperature, smell, or
taste

o under-responsive to touch, sight, sound, movement, pain, temperature, smell, or

taste

o balance or coordination problems

o activity level is unusually high or unusually low

o poor organization of behavior

o makes noises such as humming or singing frequently

Q. Who should I talk with if I suspect my child might have sensory processing
difficulties?

A. In a school setting, begin by talking with the child's classroom teacher. The teacher
can help to connect you with the school occupational therapist, who is the professional
trained to assess sensory processing dysfunction in children. If your child does have
some sensory processing issues, the occupational therapist can then provide
intervention strategies. If your child is not currently in school, you might speak with your
family physician about a referral to an occupational therapist.

Discussion Questions
[ Export PDF with Answers | Export PDF without Answers ]

1. An individual with ASD who has sensory processing

disorder may be affected in many ways. List some of the
ways their life may be affected.
It can affect their behavior, their learning style, their movement, their
relationships, and their feelings about themselves.

2. How would you describe an individual with ASD who is

overly responsive to visual stimuli?
An individual with ASD that is overly responsive to visual stimuli might cover
their eyes frequently in bright lights and/or exhibit excessive squinting in
normal lighting.

3. How would you describe an individual with autism who is

under responsive to touch?
This individual may not notice touch unless it is very intense. He/She may not
move away when leaned on or crowded, and may hurt other children or pets
during play due to not being able to comprehend the pain that others feel.
They may show little or no response to pain from scrapes or bruises, even
perhaps shrugging off significant injuries.

4. Describe a child who is both overly responsive to sound

and under responsive to taste.
 The child who is overly responsive to sound may cover his/her ears to close
out sounds or voices. He/She may complain about noises, such as
telephones ringing, that don't bother others. The same child may be under
responsive to taste by eating very spicy and hot foods without exhibiting the
typical reaction.

5. Share a time when someone you know exhibited sensory

processing disorder. Identify what sensory differences
he/she may have displayed.
Answers will vary.

Post-Assessment
Post-Assessment
Our senses give us the information we need to function in the world.

Select an answer for question 429

A child with sensory processing disorder has the ability to effectively and efficiently
organize sensory information.

Select an answer for question 430

A child that is under responsive to touch may

Select an answer for question 431

A child that is over responsive to touch may

Select an answer for question 432

A child that is over responsive to visual experiences may

Select an answer for question 433

An individual who is under responsive to sound may

Select an answer for question 434

Being overly responsive to smells might be demonstrated by which of the following

behaviors in an individual

Select an answer for question 435

All individuals with ASD have auditory sensory issues.

Select an answer for question 436

Individuals with ASD who exhibit sensory processing difficulties may have more than
one sensory area affected.

Select an answer for question 437

Citation and References

If included in presentations or publications, credit should be given to the authors of this
module. Please use the citation below to reference the content.

Rogers, J., & Short, J. (2010). Sensory differences: Online training module (Columbus,
OH: Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence). In Ohio Center for Autism and Low
Incidence (OCALI), Autism Internet Modules, www.autisminternetmodules.org.
Columbus, OH: OCALI.

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