Sensory Integration Dysfunction

Yep a bit of science today. But don't be scared it is not to bad. Ok let's talk Sensory Integration.

When the information from the world comes into our brain through our eyes, ears and touch e.g.. It has to come together in the right place at the right time to form a proper picture of what is happening at this moment. When the information doesn't get integrated properly we don't get a good picture and therefore we can't respond properly. That's how learning disabilities can arise.

If you want a more detailed picture of what happens in the brain read my article Abilities and disabilities, a neurological cause. If you want to know even more read this book. You can read the 25th edition on the Internet. Sensory integration and the child from A. Jean Ayres.


This book is another excellent read. It is written by Sharon Heller PH.D and talks about the symptoms of Sensory Integration dysfunction (DSI); Sensory defensiveness (SD). People with this problem have a low threshold to sensory input en hear things to loud, see things too bright etc. It doesn't only happen in children with learning disabilities. About 15 to 20 % of the population has this problem. It runs in families but it can also be acquired through stress and trauma.

In the latter certain braincells get killed so the brain can't regulate sensory input anymore. For people with SD sounds, sights and/or touch are overwhelming. It exhausts and causes irritability. The emotions are involved because there is a connection between the place were sensory integration occurs (brainstem) and were our feelings are regulated (limbic system).

A child who is tactile defensive can't discriminate between good and bad touch. His fight or flight response goes of straight away when you touch him or her. Usually when somebody touches us a signal goes to the thinking part of the brain (frontal Lobes) which says; oh this is safe go on. In a tactile defensive child the alarm goes of, so it short cuts the thinking brain and goes straight to the limbic system and to the brainstem . He gets aggressive and stressed. It is very exhaustive that's why these people are tired easily. To much exposure to sounds sights etc causes sensory overload. The brain shuts down.

A person with sensory integrative dysfunction is usually a HSP. A highly sensitive person. He is more emotional than normal. Cries easily, gets depressed easily but also laughs easily and can easily attain an euphoria by music, falling in love etc. These people are usually the thinkers in our society. A very excellent positive book about this is written by

Elaine N. Aron Ph.D. The Highly sensitive Person.

If you suspect these problems, don't worry. If you adjust your life (yeh I know) you can live with it quite well. Although it can completely interfere with life when you have it to a high degree. This happens in people with autism. These people often shut down completely


Sometimes we retreat from the world not because we don't like people but because the world overwelms us.