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INSIDE PERSPECTIVES of AS & Neurodiversity |
SENSORY PROCESSING
Many on the autistic & neuro diversity spectrum have sensory differences - either in perception or processing, or a combination of both. These differences are probably the cause of many of the seemingly odd reactions and preferences common to people with ASD, ADHD etc. SID/SPD
The basic assumption behind SID (‘Sensory Integration Dysfunction’) or SPD (‘Sensory Processing Disorder’) appears to be that there is an ideal level of sensibility/sensory receptiveness which ought to be the same for everyone, regardless of age, temperament etc. The hypothesis is that the incoming information from the senses are received correctly but processed abnormally, leading to either of the following:
· Hyper-sensitivity (‘sensory over-responsiveness’). · Hypo-sensitivity (‘sensory under-responsiveness’). · Sensory-seeking. · Sensory discrimination difficulties. · Balance & motor problems.
In some cases of extreme hyper- or hypo-sensitivity, I believe this hypothesis has merit, especially when it comes to the more somatic senses like touch, sense of movement (vestibular system) and position (proprioception) - which also seem to be the most easily treated with Sensory Integration Techniques.
However, there are also natural, genetic variations in sensory sensibility that are perfectly normal for that particular body type or temperament. To generalise a little:
· An extrovert, sensory, tactile, intense, high-energetic ‘Hunter’ type individual may have an innate and perfectly valid need to get hands-on sensory experiences of the world in order to be adequatly stimulated and informed.
· An introvert, intuitive, creative, Highly Sensitive Person is often born with a more delicate nervous system and more well-developed or finely tuned senses all around. A case of enhanced sensory perception rather than ‘abnormal sensory processing’. Such a person usually only needs a calm environment and to be treated with care to feel & function just fine.
“Why is it not okay for a person to be delicate? Why do we prize delicate objects, but not delicate people? Why do we recognize that a delicate silk shirt must not be treated the same as a pair of jeans but do not recognize that a delicate child has special care instructions?
“If we accidently put our delicates through the regular wash and they fall apart we admit it is our fault the clothing is damaged. When we give delicate people the same treatment as others and they fall apart we criticize the delicate person for not being tough enough.” - Ilah, adult probable Aspie from USA
SENSORY SENSITIVITY / HSP
Exceptional sensitivity to sounds, vibrations, smells, tastes, textures, touch, temperature, wind, barometric pressure & humidity, certain colours, bright light, fluorescent light, flicker, clutter, movement, crowds, stress or pain, is very common among autistic & neuro diversity spectrum people, but you can be a Highly Sensitive Person and have extra well-developed senses without being autistic. According to Elaine Aron, this is a perfectly normal trait that is inherited in 15 to 20% of the population.
Naturally, being able to consciously perceive more than most people can be both painful, enjoyable or useful, depending on the situation:
“I have always, in the past, enjoyed good smells, but I'm finding that my sense of smell is a growing problem as I age. I'm getting more and more sensitive with it, to the point that I almost can't take any smells at all. I can detect smells that no one else can... and believe me, it isn't fun!! Even the smells of my own husband and children are often unbearable to me.” - Cathy, adult Aspie from USA
“I am very sensitive to quick temperature changes. For me it is horrible to first have a shower in lipid water and then dry oneself in room temperature, I freeze to death before I get my clothes on. My facial skin doesn’t seem to have the same protection against cold that others have. When I go out in freeze temperatures I feel like I’d like a thick robber’s hood with just holes for the eyes. My skin is sensitive to heat too, I don’t feel well when it’s warm, over 20 degrees Celcius in the summer, and in the winter not under zero Celcius. Autumn and spring are my seasons, in other words.” - ‘Flinta’, female Aspie from Sweden
“Certain textures cause my gag reflex to kick in. When I was little I would vomit when I touched these certain textures. Wool is one of those things. I still cannot touch these textures without dry heaving.” - Bonnie D., adult Highly Sensitive Person from USA
“I can even get bothered by some people who to me drink too loud. You can actually hear some people drink, they make so much noise when they swallow and they give me the shivers...” - Alfonzo, adult Aspie from Belgium
“I am extremely choosy about what I wear, and only wear things that are comfortable. Nothing can be too tight, or too loose, and I can't have any thick seems. I have to cut out all the tags out too. Sleeping isn't easy, as every wrinkle must be flattened, or I will wake up with bruises. I also need multiple heavy blankets to be comfortable.
“Then there is the sense of smell. I am like a bloodhound... I smell everything, and way too strongly. I can find things you wouldn't believe, just by ‘sniffing’ it out. Unfortunately I am also very sensitive here, and live with headaches, nausea, and dizziness, caused by the scents I encounter. I too wish purfume would be outlawed. Especially since the people who wear it seem to think bathing in it is required.
“Lastly there is light. It is not a good thing, yet neither is dark. I like dusk to be exact. I bit dark, but not quite yet. Bright lights just make my eyes close, involuntarily. I don't like the sun, I get heat stroke easily (though I don't burn at all) and the brightness makes me dizzy and lightheaded.”
“I have problems when there is a major change in Barometric Pressure too. In fact, I often end up with a migraine. I wake up in pain, with no warning, except that I knew a storm was coming. My knees often ache on those days too. I have always had joint problems in general, with my knees being the worst.” - Tracy, adult HSP from USA
“I am very prone to motion sickness. Air travel is a real horror for me because I almost always get airsick.” - William, adult Aspie from USA
“I was just thinking about sensory issues and how sometimes they can be uncomfortable, certain noises, smells that just smell too much and the dislike of certain tactile stimulus; but then I thought about some of the positive advantages too.
- Julie, adult Aspie from England
“Yes, I’ve had similar experiences... knowing by the sound of something that it isn’t right... hearing the toilet running downstairs when I’m upstairs... the sound the water makes when coming from the faucet gauges temperature (if I’m paying attention to it – which helps because I don’t feel the water temperature right away on my skin, there is a delay). It also comes in handy when I’m not in the room with the kids, knowing by the sound of something 2 rooms away or from upstairs that they are into trouble, lol.
“Smells also very similar to what you’ve said, even something as simple as knowing the meat or milk is turning long before others can smell it.
“I’m also very sensitive to pressure changes, so I can tell when the weather is changing – actually can feel a weather front or low pressure system pass over me (I’ve tested this with weather maps and it is always correct). When the low passes, my entire body feels like a weight has been lifted and I can move more freely, and the pressure in my head is released... it is very strange, like I can breathe freely again too. A hurricane down in the Caribbean can have me in terrible pain (I’m in New York, but deep low pressure can be felt that far away – imagine the pain I was in this summer when there were several hurricanes about at the same time!), and as it moved closer the pain worsens.
“I can also usually tell when a window or door is opened or closed (in a well insulated building) just by the air pressure changes on my eardrums. In a car it is very painful to close a window, and depending on who is with me I usually ask for them to warn me in advance if they will be closing a window.” - Wendi, adult Aspie from USA
Highly Sensitive People can be very creative, empathic, have extra good intuition and may also be good at picking up subtler impressions such as moods, vibes and inspiration.
“For me, the biggest advantage is how I can sense ‘vibes’ other people put out. I often know how others feel, before they say anything at all.”
“I find that [HSP/SID] has made me a more compassionate human being, as I hate pain and discomfort so much, I can't bare to let anyone suffer anything I can help. With the fact that I can sense people's feelings and emotions, due to this condition, I use it to do things for the people around me a lot. I like that I can do something most people I know cannot.” - Tracy, adult HSP from USA
Judging from their biographies, many of the world’s greatest artists, writers, poets, composers, inventors, philosophers and idealists seem to have been such supersensitive individuals. Like the inventor Nicola Tesla and author Marcel Proust just to mention two examples:
“The acute sensitivity which allowed Tesla to convert his mental constructs to hardware was not unaccompanied by a host of bothersome impressions, known to few other mortals. In a biographical sketch written in 1919, he described his violent aversions to women's earrings and his obsessive fascination for crystals and plane surfaces, his revulsion at touching the hair of another person, the fever simply looking at a peach would arouse, and the nausea brought on by merely glancing at small squares of paper floating in a liquid.” - Christopher Bird & Oliver Nichelson in “Great Scientist, Forgotten Genius”
Besides being plagued by asthma and severe digestion problems, Marcel Proust had other sensitivities which made his life very difficult:
“The third problem is underpants. Proust needs to have these circling tight around the stomach before he has any chance of getting to sleep. They have to be fastened with a special pin.”
“Sensitive skin. He can’t use any soap, or cream, or cologne. He has to wash with finely woven moistened towels then pat himself dry with fresh linen. An average wash requires 20 towels, which Proust specifies must be taken to the only laundry that uses the right non-irritant powder. /../ He finds that older clothes are better for him than new ones, and develops deep attachment to old shoes and handkerchiefs.” - Alain de Botton in “How Proust can change your life”
VARYING SENSITIVITY
Sensitivity may vary with age and gender and many things can increase or decrease it.
· Children are usually the most sensitive - though this too varies between individuals. During puberty, it seems that everyone’s sensitivity is at its lowest and even sensitive individuals prone to seek extra stimuli. Probably due to hormones and changes in the maturing body and brain.
· Women in general (but with individual exceptions, of course) are often more sensitive than men. However, many autistic, artistic and HBT males can be more sensitive than the average woman.
· Innately sensitive individuals often get even more sensitive with age (personal observation) while low- or moderately sensitive people often get less sensitive with age.
Things which tend to decrease sensitivity:
· Testosterone & steroids.
· PMS time for women (when their oestrogen level is lower).
· Nicotine & alcohol.
· Certain drugs. Esp. stimulants, opium family and anti-psychotic drugs.
· Meat & heavy food. Harder to digest and may somewhat dampen sensory sensitivity.
· Junk food. Using junk food to dampen emotional sensitivity is quite common overall.
Things which may increase sensitivity:
· Oestrogen & oxytocin.
· Illness. (This may be the reason why ordinarily tough men sometimes get very vulnerable when sick and really need tender loving care.)
· Mitochondrial dysfunction. Dr Ann Gardner, Swedish M.D., has found mitochondrial dysfunction in people with depression and specific somatic complaints such as auditory & visual symptoms (hyperacusis, hearing impairment, tinnitus, photosensitivity), muscle pains and chronic fatigue.
· Brain trauma.
· Stress, shock & pain For people in shock or pain, sensory stimuli should naturally be kept to a minimum.
· Intense emotions (sadness, grief, joy, love, passion, sex) can in some people increase both sensory and emotional sensitivity rather markedly.
· Period time for women – especially the first day or two. Probably pregnancy and the time after birth - which is perfectly appropriate as the mother needs to be extra receptive to the subtle signals of the baby.
· Weather changes affect some people more profoundly than others.
· Water. Swimming, bathing or showering can somewhat increase sensory sensitivity for a little while, especially to smell and touch.
· Creativity & deep concentration. During creative/hyper-focusing spells, sensitivity to sound, movement in the room and other distractions/sensory impressions may temporarily increase multi-fold, making it extremely painful/irritating to even be in the same room or house as another living being.
· Meditation, prayer, chanting and other spiritual practices can sometimes increase sensitivity in a positive way, but for those who are already very sensitive, passive or introvert it may be counterproductive, and therefore inadvisable (possibly in moderation).
· Breathing exercises, as in some types of yoga, relaxation techniques, and so-called ‘rebirthing’ (= guided hyperventilation sessions) may cause more or less severe imbalance.
· Vegetarianism & fasting.
· Cannabis.
· Allergens & toxins.
· Lack of essential nutrients in the body.
· Lack of sleep.
· Sensitivity may also fluctuate for other reasons, which may or may not be unique to that individual. -> That one is able to do something one day or one moment, doesn’t necessarily mean one is able to do the same thing the next.
“I think things can change quite dramatically and quite fast for some Aspies (like me). I can go for coffee with my wife and be fine but by the time I get to the cafe (only five minutes away) can't tolerate the sounds or lights and stuff like that. Then I am not good company even though I try so hard sometimes. These are the aspects about being autistic that are not so nice.” - Rory, adult Aspie from South Africa/UK
I have learned to not book social or otherwise tiring events two days in a row since I know I’ll usually be too exhausted and hypersensitive after the first event and will most likely need to regenerate for a few days afterwards. - Inger, site-author
SENSORY INTEGRATION THERAPY
Sensory integration therapy (by an Occupational Therapist) is probably one of the more beneficial and gentle treatments, especially for tactile sensitivity and motor problems, and may have beneficial effects on other sensitivities and difficulties too.
“I have been brushing Austin since he was 18 months old and boy is it a tremendous help. I think this should become one of the most basic occupational therapy techniques, however not many people have heard of it.” - Jean, non-autistic mother of Aspie son
“I am a huge SI/OT advocate! I even brush myself sometimes, though it is difficult to do joint compressions properly and I can't reach my back. Goodness, I would love to brush my back!
“To those here who don't know what brushing is - it actually has nothing to do with brushing your skin! It is where you take a special brush and provide deep pressure (like a massage) evenly across the arms, hands, legs, feet and back and then provide proprioceptive input (joint compressions) to all the large joints of the body. It was found that using the brush to do the massage-like deep pressure is better than a regular massage. It desensitizes the tactile system, sensitizes the proprioceptive system and regulates the nervous system. It is very important to know that one should never try this without being well trained by someone who knows about SI. Brushing the wrong way can do damage. Also, never brush a person's stomach or chest - it can interfere with the major organ's functions.
“When I first read about SI, I knew this was the main problem for all three of my kids... I went all out trying to get the kids evals for OT. Finally it came through and I was trained to brush on the first OT visit. OMG! Luke's response was absolutely amazing! He laid still on the floor while the OT brushed him (a first) - he loved it. He got up off the floor and walked, flat footed. He was calm and not in a frenzied state anymore. By the end of the day, he was using words... was adding words every day. That night, he came up to me and sat on my lap! Before that, any human contact was too painful for him. Within a week, he had an age-typical vocabulary! I would always know when it was time to brush him again (the effects wear off in about 1.5 - 2 hours) by watching his feet - if he was up on his toes I'd know it was time. He would bring me the brush when he felt he needed it. He started playing with toys... it was amazing!” - Wendi, adult Aspie from USA and mother of spectrum triplets
Just realize that this treatment is not going to change someone’s basic personality, temperament or neurological type.
· Naturally hyperactive, sensory seeking children will still be energetic and intense, only perhaps better able to control their bodies and modulate or focus their energy.
· Naturally introvert, sensitive children will still be predominately introvert and more delicate than the average child, only perhaps less extremely hypersensitive.
Besides trying Sensory Integration Therapy - if the person him/herself is up for it - the best way to handle hypo-sensitive, sensory-seeking people is to arrange things to enable them be as tactile and mobile as they need (as far as practically possible, taking other people’s needs into consideration as well, of course).
And for sensitive people to keep sensory stimuli (sound, light, smell, clutter etc) to a minimum, letting them eat and dress as they prefer (within reasonable limits) and refrain from touching or hugging until body contact is initiated by the person him/herself. As having delicate senses can also be ecstatically joyous and be a source of creative inspiration, some of us are quite happy being sensitive and only wish to be shown some degree of consideration.
links
The Highly Sensitive Person Elaine Aron info and short online test Highly Sensitive People online info by Thomas Eldridge Super Sensitive Person extensive sensitivity test
Dabrowski’s Over-excitabilities by Stephanie Tolan
Physiology of Homo Sapiens - Sense Organs
Sensory Integration Dysfunction Wikipedia Sensory Integration International
The Wilbarger Deep Pressure and Proprioceptive Technique (DPPT) Brushing protocol |