There are many senses of autism, but we will discuss the 7 senses of Autism. In particular, autistic individuals frequently experience hypersensitivity in one or more senses as a consequence of sensory issues arising from the condition. It is inevitable that you will react and behave differently when your perception of the world differs from others. A person with autism who is more sensitive to smell, for instance, may feel uncomfortable entering a particular room due to a strong smell that distresses them but that others cannot detect. Let’s have a look at the 7 senses of autism.
What Are The 7 Senses of Autism?
- Visual Sense (Sight)
- Auditory Sense (Hearing)
- Gustatory Sense (Taste)
- Olfactory Sense (Smell)
- Tactile Input (Touch)
- Proprioceptive Sense (Position of the body)
- Vestibular Sense (Movement of balance)
It is important to examine the sensory system in the body in order to gain a better understanding of this phenomenon. Each of our seven senses plays a role in understanding and responding to the world around us. They are as follows:
Visual Sense
Our eyes have the capability of receiving and processing information about light and dark, color and movement in order to understand and interpret what we see. In order to perceive the surroundings around the body, eyes use reflections from objects in the visible spectrum. Even if a child has perfect 20/20 eyesight, he or she may have difficulty perceiving their environment.
Auditory Sense
It is the outer and middle ears that receive and process sound information in the auditory system. In order to perceive the volume, pitch, rhythm, distance, and closeness of sounds, our ears receive information through vibrations that are then transformed into nerve impulses by the brain. As soon as the decibel levels reach painful levels, your child will cover his or her ears and express discomfort.
Gustatory Sense
You can taste it in your mouth if you have this ability. In order to determine whether a substance is pleasant or unfavorable, the tongue receives taste sensations and detects its chemical composition. Some foods won’t be eaten by kids because of how they taste and how they are perceived by their gustatory senses. These horrible-tasting foods may even make your child gag or spit them out. Combined with the sense of smell, it communicates information to the brain through nerve stimulation.
Olfactory Sense
Using the nose, the body determines whether a scent is pleasant or harmful based on information received about particles in the air. Children react to dangerous or unpleasant smells by turning their noses away, moving away from them, pinching their noses, or sneezing. Also, this sense develops the capacity to detect pheromones in the air as well as from other people.
Tactile Input
By sensing the skin, we interpret information entering our bodies. Pressure, pain, and heat sensations are transmitted to the skin via receptors. In the first few years of a child’s development, this sense may be exhibited by a messy room or by strewing toys or textures, such as sand or water, and making a mess. Consequently, children react very rapidly to touch in both positive and negative ways. When normal children are touched by people or objects that do not hurt them, children with Tactile Defensiveness or Hypersensitivity Disorder have touch receptors that respond negatively.
Proprioceptive Sense
A sense of motion is also known as kinetics, and it refers to how the body interprets sensations of movement. Through muscle contractions, straightening, pulling, and other body movements, nerves on muscles and bones send messages about the position and movement of the body. During pushes, pulls, squeezings, climbing, or stretching, this sense informs the brain what position the body is in. They also reflect how aware the child is of his/her body’s reactions and how he/she responds when faced with physical or personal boundaries.
Vestibular Sense
Balance and movement are dictated by this sense, along with the proprioceptive sense. Information about movement, direction change, and gravity pull is received by the vestibular system through the inner ear canals. Walking or maintaining a straight posture would be impossible without proper balance. The vestibular sense is not only responsible for maintaining a steady image, but also for visual tracking, such as reading words on a whiteboard and looking at their worksheet again.