Be Aware of Sensory Differences in Autism

Tuesday Tip – Sensory Differences in autism

Once you understand that a student has sensory differences or sensory extremes, it can help explain some of the behaviors you may observe.

For example, rocking, spinning or flapping hands may be an attempt to provide more stimulation to the brain.  Hands over the ears (because it is too noisy), ripping clothing (because it feels funny on my body) or not sitting in a certain location (because of a strange smell in that area) may be attempts to reduce over stimulation to the brain.

Being aware of the sensory environment can help us discover the cause of many behaviors.