When does Sensory Processing start?

Sensory Processing starts right in the mother’s womb but can be appreciated after birth up to life. Who does not like to be in a rich sensory environment? The richness of the environment changes as per individual. Like for an infant being cuddled and his mother’s touch is sensory rich environment whereas for an adult it might be a cozy bed or for a child it may be playing in a park.

Whatever we are subjected to in the environment we make a memory through the experience which is stored and recalled for immediate action or for future use.

Is sensory processing same for everyone?

Yes sensory processing is same for everyone but its preference, interpretation and use is different for different individuals. For example 2 children might be playing in a park. One likes to swing while the other likes to manipulate slides. Both are subjected to stimuli in the environment and both are processing information through it. The receptor grossly is same but the sensory information received is different. So although the process is same the information gathered is different.


How does sensory processing happen?

Various sensory receptors from different systems carry the information through nerve channels to the different and specific centers in the brain

System and Receptor Location
Tactile --- Skin
Vestibular --- Ears
Proprioceptive --- Muscles and joints
Visual --- Eyes
Auditory --- Ears
Gustatory --- Tongue


When sensory processing is affected?

The affected Sensory Processing can be compared to a traffic jam. If we see in traffic jam there is nothing but confusion and blockage which leads to chaos. Imagine if in this chaos the cars start going in wrong lanes………..
Similarly when the information received from the environment is perceived by the special senses and is on its way to be carried over to the processing centers in the brain an affected system will cause a jam like this and information goes into wrong channels to the centers where it is useless.

The result is not only affected appreciation of stimuli but also inappropriate or incongruent reciprocation to those stimuli.
For example say a child with affected sensory processing (for sensation of touch) goes for a haircut. For us with good processing system it may be a ritual or fun. But for this child who faces a traffic jam when exposed to touch stimuli the barbers touch, water spray, scissors are overwhelming and this child may respond negatively and aversively by being anxious, throw tantrums and not let hair cutting be done.