Embedded Files
How many senses do we have? Many more than the 5 we knew growing up! Occupational therapists currently focus on the 8 listed below.
Our visual sense processes information through our eyes. Our brain receives those signals and turns them into images, helping us to recognize colors, shapes, and movement. Sight is a crucial sense that helps us explore and understand our surroundings.
Our auditory sense gathers and makes sense of information we receive through our ears. Our brains interpret these sounds, letting us learn, understand., and enjoy the world around us.
Our tactile sense lets us feel things on our skin, like texture, temperature, and pain. It helps us interact with the world, handle objects, and experience sensations. Touch is an important way to connect with the world and others. We even have tactile receptors in our mouths!
Our olfactory sense (smell) helps us detect different scents and odors by sending signals from our nose to our brain, enriching our experiences and helping us enjoy food. It is closely linked to our sense of taste.
Our gustatory sense (taste) processes information when we taste food. Taste buds on the tongue detect sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and savory flavors, sending signals to the brain, and making eating enjoyable.
Our vestibular sense is our "internal GPS", and is located in our inner ear. It sends signals to our brain about how we're moving and where we are in relation to the ground. It helps us walk, run, and play without feeling dizzy or falling down.
Our proprioceptive sense tells us where our body parts are...even when we can't see them! This sense helps us move smoothly, stay balanced, and do things without thinking too much about it.
Our interoceptive sense gathers internal information from the bladder, stomach, lungs, etc., It connects our body and brain, keeping us aware of how we're doing on the inside, such as, heart rate, hunger, and thirst.
Look at the pictures below and use the colors to help you see where our senses can be involved!
Multiple sensory systems are involved in each picture and not all may be highlighted.
This child is learning how much force is required to crack an egg. He feels the crack of the shell and watches how the egg breaks, then adjusts that pressure as needed. He will then add vanilla to that dough while the oven behind him is heating up. As he reads the recipe, he asks his adult to set a timer. Once the timer goes off, his adult says he can eat one of the cookies if he's hungry. Yum!
This little girl knows that she is laying down, and needs to prop herself up in order to see and engage with the person behind her. I'm betting by her smile, that she knows exactly how dirty she is and might even have some of that dirt in her mouth! The earthy smell of the dirt and the sun shining on her skin are signs
So much is happening in this picture!
This kiddo can feel his arms are bent and his legs are in the air and know that he's upside down! He sees that trampoline in front of his face and realizes he needs to change position.
All of these senses are important in keeping us safe. For example, our brains proritize perceived threats, such as a dark shadow, the smell of smoke, or a hissing sound. But what happens when these senses don't work quite as we expect? We might miss information, get too much information, or get the wrong information! We might receive some input more strongly than others and not receive other input at all. It can be unsettling, overwhelming, and sometimes even painful.
We can adjust the environment and use strategies to help us in these circumstances. What can be challenging is that a child cannot always manage this on their own. Their attempts to help themselves may be helpful, but may also be counter-productive or unsafe.
Page updated
Report abuse