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Making Sense of Your Senses

a diagram of 8 senses including vestibular, proprioceptive, interoceptive, tactile, visual, auditory, smell, and taste

Most of us are familiar with the five senses of sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. But, did you know there are actually eight senses that play crucial roles in a child’s ability to navigate the world?  Today, I want to break down all eight senses with a focus on three of the lesser knowns, including the vestibular system, the proprioceptive system, and the interoceptive system.  These three systems are not as well-known, yet have a significant impact on children’s daily lives.


Let’s start with the five senses that are most often referenced.

1. Visual (Sight)

The visual system allows us to interpret information from light and colors to recognize objects, people, and surroundings. Children rely on their vision for everything from recognizing shapes and letters, to determining when they need to lift their feet to step over an object, to interpreting non-verbal cues during social interactions. A child learning to read will use their visual sense to identify letters and track the words across a page.


2. Auditory (Hearing)

The auditory system helps children to process sounds and understand speech, music, and environmental noise. Hearing is critical for language development and communication. A child sitting in a classroom depends on their auditory sense to follow the teacher’s instructions, distinguish between the teacher's voice and background noises, and engage in conversation with peers.


3. Tactile (Touch)

The tactile system refers to the sense of touch, including pressure, temperature, and pain. It helps children learn about their environment through their skin and provides the foundation for tasks like dressing, writing, and playing. A child running their hand through sand at the playground is using their tactile system to explore textures, temperature, and weight.


4. Gustatory (Taste)

Taste helps us experience flavors—sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. This sense plays a huge role in a child’s eating habits and preferences. A child tasting a new vegetable may have a strong preference based on the combination of taste and texture.


5. Olfactory (Smell)

Smell helps us detect and recognize odors, playing an important role in safety (like smelling smoke), memory, and emotion. When you smell cookies in the oven, you may be reminded of past experiences such as baking with your family.

 

The Three Lesser-Known Senses

Now let’s talk about the three lesser-known senses.  These senses are critical for the development of body awareness, motor planning, self-regulation, and most higher-level skills such as writing, safely negotiating a playground, and interacting appropriately with peers.


6. Vestibular (Balance and Spatial Orientation)

a picture of a girl swinging on. aswing with her head tilted back illustrates vestibular processing

The vestibular system helps us understand where our body is in space and how it moves. This system is located in the inner ear and is responsible for maintaining balance, posture, and stability. The vestibular system helps us to know if we are moving, how fast we are going, and whether we are upside down, right side up, or tilted. When a child spins on a merry-go-round, their vestibular system tells them that they’re spinning and helps them regain balance when they stop. Children with vestibular challenges might appear clumsy, become easily dizzy, or avoid playground activities like swings or slides.


Signs of Vestibular Challenges: A child who struggles with vestibular processing might avoid movement activities like running or jumping, or conversely, they might constantly seek intense movement by spinning or rocking. They may also seem uncoordinated or overly cautious with movement.


7. Proprioception (Body Awareness)

picture of a child climbing on a rope ladder to illustrate proprioceptive processing

Proprioception is the sense that tells us where our body parts are in relation to each other and how much force to apply during different activities. This sense is activated through movement, stretching, and the pressure our muscles and joints experience.

When a child walks through a narrow hallway without looking, they are relying on their proprioceptive sense to gauge where their body is in relation to the walls. When a child is holding a pencil, they are using proprioception to know how tightly to grip it and how much pressure to apply while writing. Finally, when a child is climbing on the playground, they are using proprioceptive feedback to determine how hard to pull/push and where to place their hands and feet on the equipment.


Signs of Proprioceptive Challenges: Children with proprioceptive challenges might struggle with motor skills such as writing, dressing, or using utensils. They might bump into things frequently, use too much or too little force, or seem clumsy.


8. Interoception (Internal Body Awareness)

Pictures of a potty seat and diapers to illustrate potty training for interoceptive processing

Interoception is the body’s ability to understand and feel what’s happening inside, like hunger, thirst, needing to use the bathroom, or recognizing emotions such as anxiety or excitement. This sense helps regulate internal needs and bodily functions.

A child uses their interoceptive sense when they recognize that their stomach is growling, indicating hunger, or when they know it’s time to go to the bathroom.


Signs of Interoceptive Challenges: Children with interoceptive processing issues may have difficulty identifying when they need to eat, drink, or use the bathroom. They may also struggle with recognizing emotional states, making it harder to self-regulate or respond to stress.


Why Understanding All 8 Senses is Important

Children use all eight senses to interact with the world around them. For most children, sensory processing happens automatically, but for others, there may be challenges in one or more areas, leading to difficulties with movement, attention, emotional regulation, or learning. As parents, being aware of the role these sensory systems play in your child’s development is essential to understanding their unique needs and how to best support those needs. 

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