making sense of the senses - free spirit publishing...making sense of the senses this chart shows...
TRANSCRIPT
Making Sense of the SensesThis chart shows seven senses that can play a role in how you feel:
SenseWhere it comes through
What happens
Sight EyesLight may be too bright and disturbing. Or you might have difficulty “tracking” moving objects with your eyes.
Hearing EarsLoud noises may be painful, or you may not be able to tune out background noises. Maybe you react strongly to sharp, high-pitched sounds.
Smell NoseSome smells might make you gag or feel sick. Or you may tend to sniff objects to get information to your brain.
Taste Mouth
You might love some tastes (like salty) but hate others, and avoid certain food textures (like crunchy or mushy). Or, you might enjoy licking objects to dis-cover their taste and the sensation in your mouth.
Touch Skin
Certain fabrics might feel unusually itchy or scratchy to you. Sometimes a light touch feels like a push. Maybe you resist touch—or perhaps you crave it. You might enjoy the pressure of tight clothing and tight hugs.
Balance (also called vestibular)
Inner earYou might have difficulty balancing, riding a two-wheeler, walking on uneven surfaces, or using stairs. Maybe you feel stressed out when your feet leave the ground. You may hate or love spinning.
Body awareness (also called proprioception)
Muscles and joints
It might be hard for you to understand where your body is in space. Do you tend to bump into people or objects? Or do you like to flop onto soft furniture and snuggle under heavy blankets? Coordinating your body’s movements can be difficult. So can figuring out the steps you need to do for certain tasks.
Chapter 3 ASD and the Senses 29
From The Survival Guide for Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorders (And Their Parents) by Elizabeth Verdick and Elizabeth Reeve, M.D., copyright © 2012. Used with permission of Free Spirit Publishing Inc., Minneapolis, MN;
800-735-7323; www.freespirit.com. All rights reserved.