Sensory Integration Disorder

Some Common Sensitivities and Symptoms

The following lists provide a more detailed collection of possible symptoms and sensitivities of Sensory Integration Disorder. Because this disorder manifests itself differently in each child, these lists serve only as a sample. They are by no means inclusive, and do not necessarily mean a child has this disorder, only that a further evaluation by a licensed professional may be in order.

         Motor Planning
          difficulty climbing in and out of cars
          difficulty going up and down stairs
          falls out of chairs
          walks into objects
          difficulty using "pull toys"
          problems using tricycles, bikes or Big Wheels
          continues to have accidents after being fully potty trained
          trouble engaging successfully in sports
          approaches an activity each time as if it were the first time
          strong preferences or aversions to playground equipment
          difficulty doing puzzles-manipulating pieces or determining where pieces belong
          difficulty guiding food to mouth
          unable to use scissors as age appropriate

         Clothing
           strong clothing preferences
           dislikes sleeves hitting wrists I only wears long or short sleeves
           sensitive to collars hitting neck
           does not want to wear a belt or anything that ties around the waist
           is bothered by seams in clothing
           prefers cotton
           experiences difficulty manipulating buttons, zippers, snaps or ties
           wants all tags in clothing removed
           either wants feet and body totally covered or uncovered
           insists on wearing a coat with the hood up in spite of hot weather
           insists on wearing a T-shirt in spite of cold weather

          Food
          sensitive to temperature
          sensitive to texture
          heightened awareness of flavor I lack of awareness of flavor
          difficulty manipulating eating utensils
          frequently spills both food and drinks
          chews with mouth open
          bites fingers and tongue while eating
          dribbles food and drink down chin
          drops food on the floor unintentionally
          dislikes carbonated beverages

         Self-Care Skills
         dislikes brushing teeth
         dribbles toothpaste out of mouth, down chin, onto clothes
         avoids washing and combing hair
         avoids having fingernails and toenails clipped
         problems self-dressing
         trouble locating opening for sleeve in shirt
         puts shirt on backwards
         places two legs in one pant leg consistently
         difficulty with zippers, buttons or snaps
         difficulty pulling on socks and shoes
         problems learning how to tie / buckle shoes
         dislikes having nose and ears cleaned
         aversion to having feet touched
         under responsive or over responsive to the need to urinate or defecate

       Muscle Tone
        poor posture
        poor strength and endurance
        rests head on hands often
        legs hang, rather than wrap, around someone's hips when carried
        distorted sense of heaviness when carrying things
        difficulty grasping and holding objects for any length of time

      Temperatures
       sensitive to air and object temperature
       prefers luke-warm or cold foods or baths I prefers unusually hot foods or baths
       lack of awareness / heightened awareness of body temperature
       overdresses or under dresses for the weather

       As a Child
       easily distracted
       difficulty prioritizing stimuli
       problems following directions
       dislikes sudden changes in plans and routine
       poor speech or articulation
       stubborn
       erratic sleep patterns
       sensitive to loud noise and commotion
       craves touching / avoids touching
       unusually high or unusually low energy level
       "falls apart" on a regular basis
       difficulty making choices when confronted with several options
       immature
       short attention-span in group setting /good attention span as an individual
       may appear clumsy or "spacey"
       impulsive
       may speak unusually loudly all the time
       distorted perception
       misses when placing an object on a table
       bumps into people and things

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