What is sensory sensitivity?
Students with Autism can experience sensory sensitivity with one or more senses.
Senses can become intensified (hypersensitivity) or under-sensitive (hypo-sensitive).
This can mean students can find sensory stimulation overwhelming and they can process sound, light, smell to a much higher level resulting in the stimuli being perceived as unbearably loud or distracting.
Watch the Autism simulation video clip listed on the Autism web page- this illustrates this point very well.
Alternatively students cannot process pain, temperature, pressure in the same way and can often present as being very 'heavy handed' or seeking pressure through their body e.g. leaning on other people, clapping etc
SERC / Newbridge School
Barley Lane Campus, 258 Barley Lane
Goodmayes
Ilford, IG3 8XS
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