Christine Toledo, OTR & Daniel Copes, MBA
When there is hearing sensitivity, visual deficit and/or sensory integration disorder,
the brain receives, processes, adapts, and responds to its channels with difficulty and is exhibited
through the individual’s behavior, social and learning development.
Our child has been viewed as “aggressive” until we retraced the root of his behavior.
His school day comprises of being with 18 other kids with varying levels of autism, learning disabilities,
as well as going to Resource integrated classes. End of day finds him and his brother with 10 other
special needs kids, in a small, non noise absorbing, school bus.
When he gets off the bus, he’s pushing his brother off the bus steps .
Initially, this behavior was labeled aggressive until we looked at the events of his day and realized this kid
was having “sensory overload.”
Some kids with sensory integration dysfunction may be viewed as "hyperactive,"
when actually, they are “sensory seeking,” secondary to the brain's hypo-perception.
Other kids with sensory integration dysfunction may be viewed as “runaways”
or “asocial, or “nonverbal,” when actually they are “sensory avoiding,” secondary to the brain's hyper-
perception.
Is your child's behavior, social and learning development impacted by the HYPER-, HYPO-, or WHITE NOISE
perception of one or more of the brain channels?
If any of the following hyper event, hypo event or white noise event in the BCAT describes your child or
someone you know, call us at The Dan Center.
| Auditory |
Vision |
Tactile |
Proprioceptive |
Vestibular |
Taste |
Olfactory |
| Kids who have spelling difficulties, inversion and reversal of certain letters, spelling “dog” as “bog,” |
Seems to look through you and environment |
Complains of being itchy all the time |
Compulsively observes objects’ position in space |
Head banging |
Licks self, people, objects |
Strong reaction to scent i.e, skin redness, irritation, itchiness |
| Kids who are “bored” and “act out” in class |
“Spacey” and withdrawn look |
Shivers, like the wind blew on them |
Or when not looking: stumbles easily, falls frequently, drops things from hand |
Strong reaction to forward or backward motions of a car or train (vomiting, excessive crying) |
Chews on tongue, inside of cheek, |
Fans face all the time |
| Decreased attention span |
Stares at hand movements |
Twitching of body, arms, and legs like they’re itchy |
Bumps into doors, counters, and people |
Fear of swings and slides on playground |
Chews on straw, cup, water bottle opening |
Blows on cupped hands |
| Inability to focus |
Stares at spinning, twirling objects, i.e. ceiling fans |
Scratches skin until it bleeds |
Steps on your feet |
Cannot sit still |
Picky eater |
Presses hands or fingers on nose and smells repetitively |
| Incorrectly follows one-step, two-step directions |
Stares or watches intently at people at things |
Picks on scab until blood shows |
Poor awareness of own muscle force: |
“nervous vibrating legs” |
Will only eat bland foods |
Stands inches away from your face |
| Needs repetition of instructions frequently |
Does not visually track moving objects |
Touches self, body parts, repetitively |
Unable to flip or twist open juice container |
“teeth grinding” |
Will only eat spicy foods |
Sniffs at your face or body. |
| Word mispronounciation “funder” for “thunder” |
Will not look at camera during picture taking |
Touches others unnecessarily |
Holds a pencil or paper too tightly resulting in broken pencils or crumpled homework |
Jumping on trampoline for inordinate period of time |
Prefers mushy foods |
Constantly rubs nose |
| Auditory |
Vision |
Tactile |
Proprioceptive |
Vestibular |
Taste |
Olfactory |
| Word confusion, “shoe” for “chew” |
Will not start or maintain eye contact when name is called or in conversation |
Tugs at/or drapes arms, legs, body to caregiver |
Uses one hand to support body on a table instead of using both hands to perform task effectively |
Rocking head and/or body back and forth |
Prefers crunchy foods |
|
| Easily distracted by random sounds |
Uses peripheral vision to focus |
Bites self and others for no apparent reason |
Leaves room, cars messy, discards garbage everywhere due to organizational problems |
Flaps their hands and roll their head from side to side |
Gags easily |
|
| Interrupts or acts before speaker is done |
Overreaction to minimal visual stimuli |
Dislikes being touched, hugged |
Exhibits stiff, incoordinated movement while walking or during gym activities |
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| Places hands over ears |
Focuses on minute detail such as a particle of dust |
Dislikes handshakes, prefers waving |
Exhibits noticeable weight shifting from side to side while walking. |
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| Bolts away from room/or away from people |
Asks “where” even though object is in sight |
Washes hands after each handshake or finger painting activity |
Assumes twisted odd position with extremities. |
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| Sits alone when in a group, away from noise |
Hypersensitive and/or overreaction to light |
Uses fingers instead of hands to hold objects |
Perceived as lazy, disorganized, or clumsy |
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| Rarely responds or turns when name is called |
Only sleeps when light is on |
Dislikes taking a shower, brushing teeth, washing face |
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| Does not turn towards source of sound |
Squints one or both eyes at objects |
Dislikes scratchy tight clothes |
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| Seems to tune out the world |
Exceptional recall with numbers |
Runs hands and fingers on edges of furniture |
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| Clicks tongue when nervous |
Rifles through phone books |
Mood changes with temperature changes |
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| Smacks lips incessantly |
Prefers to eat single colored foods only. |
Runs hands and fingers on edges of furniture, |
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| Humming, murmuring, or talking to self |
Falls when two different color rugs come together |
Sticks tongue in and out repetitively |
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| Tears newspapers, magazine inserts |
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| Likes to hear himself talk, |
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| Likes to hear water running in bathroom |
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| Exhibits startle response after sudden sounds |
