3.1 Sensory Processing - Terms To Know

Front 1

low registration

Back 1

A pattern of sensory processing in which individuals fail to notice what other people notice readily because of high threshold. Because they use passive regulation strategies, they miss out on things and do nothing to capture additional input.

Front 2

neurological threshold

Back 2

The point at which there is enough sensory input to cause a nerve cell or system to activate. Threshold can be high (takes a strong sensory stimulus) or low (does not take much of a stimulus to register).

Front 3

self-regulation

Back 3

The inter-play of sensory systems which influence the function of other subsystems such as autonomic, motor, state, and attention/interaction. Self-regulation is also on a continuum with use of passive strategies on the far left and use of active strategies on the far right.

Front 4

self-stimulatory, stereotypical behaviors, or blindisms/mannerisms

Back 4

Repetitive behaviors that children who are deafblind use to calm or alert when stressed or bored. These behaviors involve the whole body (rocking) or parts of the body (eye-poking) and when used in excess, they can limit learning and appropriate social interaction.

Front 5

sensation avoiding

Back 5

A pattern of sensory processing in which individuals withdraw from situations very quickly as thresholds are met quickly with very little input. More input is overwhelming, as if the nervous system cannot handle any more.

Front 6

sensation seeking

Back 6

A pattern of sensory processing in which individuals derive pleasure from sensations in everyday life. They have a high sensory threshold (don’t notice stimuli easily), but have an interest in creating sensory experiences (active self-regulatory strategy) which enables them to meet their own high thresholds, and therefore respond to the world. It is easy to determine which senses are of interest to them.

Front 7

sensory sensitivity

Back 7

A pattern of sensory processing in which individuals tend to be reactive in situations. They have high detection skills (due to low threshold), so notice many things in the environment. Rather than withdraw, they take a more passive approach by staying in the situation and later reacting to what is going on.

Front 8

state regulation

Back 8

Different behavioral states infants go through many times in a day that include: sleepy, drowsy, quiet alert (when most receptive to environmental stimulation), active alert (when the best learning takes place), fussy and crying, or agitated. This system determines how well the infant will handle things like feeding, being moved, held, or talked to.

Front 9

synactic theory

Back 9

A theory of Heidi Als who contends that neurologically vulnerable infants defend or “communicate” against inappropriate stimulation (interaction that is too intense, poorly timed, or complex) with subsystem deterioration (abnormal changes in respiration, heart rate, decreased oxygenation, hypotonia, etc.). If stimulation is appropriate, infants will maintain subsystem stability, or in other words, they are able to self-regulate.

Front 10

synesthesia

Back 10

A neurologically based condition in which sensory perceptions blend. For example, when an individual sees a picture of an orange he can taste and smell it in absence of actual sensory stimulus.