Sensory Seeking v. Sensory Avoiding Behaviors

A few months ago, I attended a senior staff retreat at work. We spoke about various topics and the future of our organization. At one of our sessions, we started to discuss our dreams - those things that we would like to see happen in an ideal world, if we had unlimited time, money, and other resources. And my first comment was, "well, I'm a little biased, but I think we need additional resources for sensory-sensitive populations". And I proceeded to talk about sensory play gyms, calming spaces, adaptive materials in our classrooms, designated therapy spaces and trained professionals so that we can begin to expand services to special needs populations.

And as I spoke, members of my group were taking notes and contributing their ideas about how to better serve sensory-sensitive youth and adults, and a person looked at me and asked, "what is sensory? What does it mean to be sensory-sensitive?"

The question took me by surprise, because I had just taken it for granted that people would know what I meant when I went into my whole spiel about why we needed sensory spaces at our organization. So I explained to him that sensory information refers to how we process the data collected by our senses and it's how we interact with and experience the world around us. And just like we all have food preferences, we also have sensory preferences - we might prefer certain smells over others, or certain sounds over others. However, sensory-sensitive individuals, like Becca and others on the Autism spectrum, may have more pronounced sensory needs, may have extreme reactions to certain sensory experiences, and may have challenges processing sensory information. Having sensory activities and spaces available at our organization would help us make great strides in working with more diverse populations.

Understanding sensory differences is crucial if we are to learn how to communicate, teach, or relate to individuals on the Autism spectrum. Becca is sensory-seeking in some ways, and sensory-avoiding in others, and in order to relate to her in a way that she can understand, we have to take the time to understand her sensory needs and provide the means for her to get the input she needs so that she can focus on what we are communicating to her.

What is Sensory Seeking?

Sensory seeking refers to a behavior where individuals actively seek out sensory experiences to fulfill their sensory needs. These individuals often crave sensory input and may engage in activities that provide intense sensations or stimuli. Some common examples of sensory seeking behaviors include seeking out loud noises, seeking tactile stimulation, or engaging in repetitive movements. Becca will often jump up and down, flick her fingers in front of her eyes, or drop items from different heights to listen to the various sounds.

What is Sensory Avoiding?

On the other end of the spectrum, sensory avoiding refers to a behavior where individuals actively avoid or withdraw from sensory stimuli that they find overwhelming or uncomfortable. These individuals may be more sensitive to certain sensory inputs and may experience distress or discomfort in response to them. Some common examples of sensory avoiding behaviors include covering ears in response to loud noises, avoiding certain textures or fabrics, or becoming anxious in crowded places. Becca might retreat in new environments, or in rooms with certain lighting, and certainly covers her ears in response to loud noises.

The Hidden Tug-of-War: Exploring the Relationship

While sensory seeking and sensory avoiding are often described as separate behaviors, it's important to recognize that they can coexist within individuals. For instance, Becca manifests both sensory-seeking and sensory-avoiding behaviors, creating a complex interplay between seeking out certain sensations while avoiding others.

The relationship between sensory seeking and sensory avoiding can be likened to a hidden tug-of-war within the individual's sensory processing system. The individual may have a strong desire for certain sensory inputs while simultaneously needing to avoid or minimize others to maintain a sense of balance and comfort. Understanding this relationship is crucial for individuals, caregivers, and professionals involved in supporting sensory-sensitive individuals.

Offering Functional Sensory Alternatives

Repetitive behaviors on the Autism spectrum are often referred to as "stims" because they fill some kind of sensory need in the individual (feel free to read my blog post "To Stim or Not To Stim" for further context). And while I generally do not advocate that Autistic individuals be encouraged to stop stimming - especially those for whom stimming is an important part of communication, like the nonverbal - there are some stims that can cause distraction or can be dangerous. For instance, some Autistic individuals may stim by banging their heads against the floor or the wall. Or some might bite themselves and leave scars and bruises. Becca used to rock herself so intensely that she would not listen to anyone around her, and it was such a distraction that she could not focus on any tasks. In cases like this, it is advisable not to remove the stim completely, but to offer a more functional alternative that meets the same sensory need.

For example, for a child who stims by jumping up and down, perhaps a trampoline would allow that child to jump in a more functional way. Or in our case, with Becca's rocking, we purchased a rocking chair and incorporated structured rocking time throughout the day. Over time, we saw a reduction in Rebecca's rocking. She is much more controlled now - and is able to sit still and focus for long periods of time. Becca has balance blocks, trampolines, therapy balls - anything that can help fill her sensory needs in safe ways. Children who might be banging their heads on the wall or biting themselves may be a little more challenging, but once we understand that head banging is usually done to stimulate the vestibular system (responsible for motion and balance), we can provide a safer alternative that stimulates the same system. For example, we purchased a vibration plate for Becca which not only stimluates the vestibular system but it keeps her calm and happy - and we have not seen a need for her to bang her head (which she used to do occasionally as a younger child).

Sensory-seeking and sensory-avoiding behaviors are as varied as the individuals who exhibit them, and they manfiest themselves in many different ways. The important takeaway is to understand each person's unique needs, how they manifest them, and how we can support them along the way. And to allow them to explore in their own way (as long as it isn't too dangerous or distracting), and not imposing our ways on them. When Becca was young, she wouldn't complete puzzles. She used to line up the pieces on her leg. And even though I longed for the day that I could sit with Becca and complete a puzzle, I sat with her and lined up the pieces with her. Eventually, she learned it (she's a BOSS at puzzles now). We have to unlearn everything we think we know and enter their world. And as we allow them to thrive, they will teach us everything we thought we knew...but didn't.