I get this question a lot as a pediatric Occupational Therapist, and most often the answer is “Yes.”
Let me explain.
Sensory in short, is how we take in our environment. Did you know that we have 8 senses? 5 senses are well known: Olfactory (Smell), Auditory (Sound), Gustatory (Taste), Tactile (Touch) and Visual. We also have 3 additional senses that are not as well known: Vestibular (Sense of Movement—where your head is in space), Proprioceptive (Sensations from muscles and joints—body awareness), and Interoception (Sensations related to internal organs).
Behavior in short, is the action or response to the stimulation. Behavior is always communicating something.
To distinguish between sensory and behavioral issues, we must be a detective. I like to use the acronym ABCs of Behavior to describe this process. This technique helps you detect what was happening before, during and after the behavior. This helps us determine what may be an underlying “trigger” or what may be reinforcing the behavior the child is exhibiting.
Antecedent: What happened before the “behavior” occurred? What kind of sensory input was the child receiving? Did you enter a loud, busy environment? Did your home just swell with the influx of extended family for the holidays? Is the child hungry? Are they wearing an itchy sweater, or do they have tags on their socks that are rubbing their feet?
Behavior: What was the “behavior”? When did it start? Is this “behavior” giving them any sensory input by doing it? (It may or may not be.)
Consequence: What was the response to the behavior? Assess environmental impact, impact of other individuals near child, length, and duration of response.
It can be tricky to navigate sensory and behavior needs in a growing child. Sometimes it takes a professional with a trained eye to come help piece apart what you are seeing and find the root cause of it. We are here to help! Please contact us if you live in Sedgwick, Butler, or Sumner County. Our team of professionals would love to come alongside your family to help you play detective, problem solve strategies to meet the underlying need, and help your family thrive!
By Kristen Shideler, Occupational Therapist, Butler County Infant/Toddler Services
