Pediatric Occupational Therapy in Charlotte

Imagine being in a room of crying infants. If you have a normal sensitivity level to noise, or auditory input, then you will likely have several minutes before you begin to feel utterly overwhelmed by the noise. In that time you are able to take stock of the situation and begin to problem solve. You are able to take the time to see an end to this problem and hopefully sort out how to get there. This is important because once you get to that tipping point where the noise is intolerable, then that noise becomes so distracting and overwhelming that it makes problem solving, and thus coping, very difficult if not impossible. This can be the scenario some kids with sensory processing difficulties, specifically if they’re hypersensitive to a type of sensory input, experience on a regular basis: they enter a stimulating situation and become overwhelmed before they can begin to problem solve or cope and then they just can't cope with it at all.

On the other side of the coin, imagine being in a room and perhaps one crying child doesn’t register right away. If it’s an emergency this can be a problem. Being able to register changes in our environment can be extremely important to our safety and well-being, as well as to the safety and well-being of those around us. Imagine being in a classroom and trying to keep up with the changes that are going on between and during activities. If it’s difficult to register these changes you may be missing a lot and not really be aware of it. This can be the reality for some kids who are hyposensitive to some types of sensory inputs.