Explore the Human Senses
An animated eye slowly opens on a dark green background, and the pupil looks around.
Sight
Our eyes allow us to take in everything around us, guiding us through the world by processing light and visual input. The visual system, which includes the eyes and key parts of the brain, gives us the ability to see and experience the richness of life.
However, for individuals with disabilities and sensory sensitivities visual overstimulation can be an everyday occurrence. Flashing lights, busy patterns and crowded visual environments can all lead to added stress, anxiety, and or complete sensory shutdown.
While it is nearly impossible to avoid all triggers of visual overstimulation, how can we make accommodations for those that experience this sensitivity?
An animated nose unfurls on a dark orange background, and the nostrils and nose take a big sniff.
Smell
The olfactory system, or sense of smell, allows us to experience and connect with the world in powerful ways. It is our sense most closely linked with memory; a familiar scent can instantly transport us to experiences of the past.
However, for adults and children with sensory sensitivities – who often have heightened sense of smell – scents can often lead to overstimulation. Strong perfume, the muskiness of a gym or a restaurant that has many smells from the food and beverages being served can all lead to added stress, anxiety and or complete sensory shutdown.
While it is near impossible to avoid all triggers of scent overstimulation, how can we make accommodations for those that experience this sensitivity? And what if those accommodations ended helping others as well?
An animated tongue appears on a burgundy background, revealing a rotating star on the tip of the tongue.
Taste
We experience our world through how we taste it.
The sense of taste is also known as the gustatory system. Other than letting us experience delicious foods, it’s a highly important system to help us decide what’s good to eat, or bad for our bodies.
For adults and children with sensory sensitivities, taste and how our other senses affect taste, can be contentious. Color, smell, texture and the repeated need for the same flavor profile all can lead to added stress, anxiety, and/or a complete sensory shutdown. While it is nearly impossible to avoid all triggers of gustatory overstimulation, how can we make accommodations for those that experience this sensitivity?
White sound waves appear on a forest green background and emanate across the screen, and white abstracted ear symbols appear, then fade away.
Hearing
Sound travels in waves – our ears collect them, and transmit those signals to our brains to make sense of what noises are around us.
But what happens if someone’s auditory system works differently? For adults and children with sensory sensitivities and/or auditory processing, loud or competing sounds can completely disrupt how they interact with the world. Imagine sitting in a buzzing cafe: competing conversations happening around you, a baby starts crying, and a car honking outside. Trying to hold a conversation in all that sound could lead to added stress, anxiety and/or complete sensory shutdown. While it is nearly impossible to avoid all triggers of auditory overstimulation, how can we make accommodations for those that experience this sensitivity?
On a dark blue background, a white box with soft paper like edges appears, with four fingers inside that wave and wiggle.
Touch
Part of how we understand our world is through how we feel it!
Our tactile system is also known as our sense of touch. We receive information through the receptors in our skin, which then let our brains know how to interact with our environments.
For adults and children with sensory sensitivities, the sense of touch can be a polarizing, or even a painful experience. Have you ever had a tag on the back of your shirt drive you bananas? Imagine the nagging sensation of a tag on the back of your neck, but that’s how certain fabrics and textures feel all over your body, all of the time. Or imagine trying to teach your child the difference between hot and cold and they cannot feel it.
While it is nearly impossible to avoid all triggers of tactile overstimulation, how can we make accommodations for those that experience this sensitivity?
On a teal background, a thick circle in white is drawn on, with a smaller white line cutting through the center of the circle. The illustration then teeters back and forth, creating the vestibular system icon as part of the Common Senses Festival logo.
Vestibular System
Along with the other senses, the vestibular system helps to orient our bodies in space!
In a tiny maze located in our inner ear, the vestibular system works to give us an awareness of movement and balance.
But what happens when you have a vestibular hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity? A hypersensitivity might lead someone to fear new movements or situations (like getting onto an escalator) to the point of freezing entirely. On the contrary, if a person is hyposensitive, they may spin or jump continuously to self regulate. How can we make accommodations for those that experience these sensitivities?
On a barn red background, an animated section of a muscle appears, and stretches diagonally across the frame.
Proprioceptive System
Proprioception, otherwise known as kinesthesia, is our body’s ability to sense movement, action, and location. It’s present in every muscle movement we have. Without proprioception, we wouldn’t be able to move without thinking about our next step.
The proprioceptive system includes the brain, the vestibular organs in the inner ear, the eyes, and stretch receptors in the skin, muscles & joints that send information about the position of body parts.
But what happens when you have proprioceptive hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity? People who have a proprioception hyposensitivity are very active; running, jumping, climbing, chewing, tucking their legs under them when sitting, all to gain sensory input to assist in self regulation. If someone has a proprioceptive hypersensitivity, they may appear timid as to avoid contact and may move slower through space. It’s important to note that a person can be both hyper and hypo sensitive in any given situation. How can we make accommodations for those that experience these sensitivities?
On a light orange background, white flashing lightning bolts appear, popping in and out of frame to indicate sensation.
Interoception System
Interoception is our body’s way of relaying awareness of internal body cues and sensations.
Loosely defined as the perception of internal signals from the body, interoception is the ability to sense and be aware of internal bodily sensations, such as hunger, thirst, pain, heart rate, and temperature. It’s often described as an additional sense that helps people understand how they’re feeling in the moment.
But what happens when you have interoceptive sensitivity? How do you know if an injury is a minor scratch or more serious if you cannot feel pain? Or how do you potty train a child that physically cannot feel when it’s time to use the restroom? How can we make accommodations for those that experience these sensitivities?