When we think of senses, most of us name five: sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. Jean Ayres, the pioneering occupational therapist and educational psychologist, taught us that sensory integration is far more complex and that it is vital to how children learn and behave.
Ayres defined sensory integration as the brain’s ability to organise and interpret information from the senses to produce appropriate responses. When this process is smooth, children can focus, regulate emotions, and engage meaningfully with their environment. When it’s disrupted, we may see behaviors that look like defiance, anxiety, or inattention, but are actually signs of sensory dysregulation.
The Eight Senses Explained
In addition to the well-known five, Ayres emphasised three “hidden” senses that are foundational to development:
- Vestibular (balance and movement): Located in the inner ear, this system helps children know where their body is in space.
- Proprioception (body awareness): This sense tells us where our limbs are without looking.
- Interoception (internal body signals): This newer addition helps us recognise hunger, thirst, pain, and emotional states.
Together, these eight senses form the basis of sensory integration. When children struggle to process sensory input- whether they’re overwhelmed by noise, crave movement, or don’t notice hunger- they may need support to feel safe and regulated.
What This Means for Parents and Educators
Understanding sensory integration helps us reframe behavior. A child who constantly fidgets may be seeking proprioceptive input. One who avoids messy play might be hypersensitive to tactile stimuli. Rather than consequence or correction, we can offer sensory strategies: movement breaks, quiet corners, sensory tools, or sensory diets tailored to their needs.
We have a course written and delivered by highly experienced children’s Occupational Therapist Roz Roscoe available here: Sensory Processing and Provision.
