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Glossary

Sensory Processing

How the nervous system receives, interprets and responds to information from the senses.

Sensory processing describes how the nervous system takes in sensory information (from the eyes, ears, skin, muscles, joints and inner ear) and turns it into a meaningful response. Sensory processing profiles vary widely, some children are hyper-responsive (a buzzing fluorescent light feels like shouting), some are hypo-responsive (they don't notice a full bladder or a scraped knee), and some seek more input than peers (crashing into walls, chewing shirts). Sensory processing difficulties often co-occur with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, developmental coordination disorder and prematurity, but can also exist on their own.