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Our senses: We have all heard of the 5 well-known senses of hearing, touch, smell, smell and movement. But did you know that we have as many as 8 senses that are part of the sensory system in the body?
That is why in this article I am going to answer the question: “What are our 8 senses?”
For years I have been fascinated by how the brain works and the sensory system. I have therefore delved further into this through refresher courses. That is why in this article I am going to tell you a bit more about our senses.
The sensory system consists mainly of the brain, spinal cord, and neurons. It is the neurological wiring with which we perceive and process sensory information from the outside and even from the inside. All senses work closely together to maintain the “optimal level of arousal”. This means that you are able to perceive, process and respond adequately to sensory stimuli and information in a timely manner.
When your child is easily overstimulated or has a very low alertness (and there is more likely to be understimulation), it is referred to as stimulus processing problems or sensory information processing problems. This basically means that their brains are “wired” differently and that they have difficulty processing incoming sensory information.
This is often the most commonly known sense of the body and system that most people notice when they have an overactive or underactive tactile system. Everything you touch or feel is part of the tactile sensory system.
-> Read more about tactile stimulus processing
This sense includes hearing, listening and being able to filter and selectively listen to auditory information.
-> Read more about auditory stimulus processing
The visual system – We use our eyes to see what is far or near us. Eye movements are used to scan and visually assess the environment.
-> Read more about visual stimulus processing
I have combined these two senses because they are often very closely related. When we eat we smell something first, if it smells good, we are more likely to try it. If it smells bad, it gives a warning that we may not like it OR that it is dangerous (spoiled food) for us to eat. Smell travels directly to the emotional brain or limbic system, which is often why our emotions are linked to smells and food. After all, often beautiful memories with certain scents.
This is one of the body’s internal senses that comes from the joints, muscles, and other connective tissue. The proprioceptive system allows you to know where your body parts are and what they are doing without necessarily looking at them. So it gives you information about where and how your body relates to the environment.
-> Read more about the Proprioceptive System
The vestibular system is located in the inner ear and helps you perceive changes related to gravity. Are you sitting, standing, lying upside down, turning around, standing still, etc.? It is also known as your body’s internal GPS system.
The vestibular sense is very closely linked to the proprioception, auditory and visual senses of the body. So that’s why when a child has problems with sensory information processing, the occupational therapist often starts by addressing any problems with the vestibular system.
-> Read more about the vestibular system
This is the sense that I honestly had no idea about before, but only got to know when I started to delve more into sensory information processing. This feeling is about the physiological state of your body. Are you hungry, thirsty?
-> Read more about interoception
When the senses do not work well together, you can see how it can affect someone in their functioning. Someone who is able to “self-regulate” is able to process most sensory information and respond to it appropriately.
For example, someone who is previously understimulated can actively look for a strategy to receive more sensory stimuli in order to be able to actively listen to the instruction. By fidgeting and moving, for example, this person’s attention will increase and self-regulation will be worked on.
However, when someone reacts too much or too little to sensory stimuli in EACH of these sensory systems, then there are stimulus processing problems.
Does this mean that when your child is extra sensitive to stimuli in one or more of these senses, there is a sensory information processing problem? Absolutely not!
Anyone can have difficulty in dealing / responding to certain sensory stimuli. However, it’s about how you deal with those differences.
Only when the stimuli affect your child’s daily life to such an extent is it advisable to look for external therapies and strategies that can help your child process sensory information.
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