What is Autism Sensory Overload?
Kids with autism often experience challenges with sensory processing and as a mom of three autistic kids let me tell you that sensory overload is a real thing.
Sensory overload happens when one or more of the senses is over stimulated and the brain becomes overwhelmed. Parents often first notice problems with their child in the toddler years. Frequently the challenges aren’t obvious can can look like tantrums, but sensory meltdown are very different from tantrums.
What Causes It?
Our brains are amazingly complicated as they process billions of bits of information every minute. Our senses take in information and relay it to the brain, which processes the information and lets us know how to react.
When the brain receives too much competing information it can become confused, overwhelmed and uncertain how to react.
It’s like a traffic jam in your head with chaos coming from every direction. Or like a computer freezing due to an unsupervised toddler banging on the keyboard while a million tabs are open. Too much conflicting information too fast.
Whats really interesting is that the body takes in and transmits way more information than is processed by the brain. While it’s being transmitted the information is condensed and prioritized.
While sitting here writing this article my body is able to filter out the hum of the furnace, distracting clutter on my desk, the hockey game playing on the TV in the other room, my slightly too tight waistband, and many other things bombarding my senses.
People who experience sensory overload struggle with some or all of these stages: receiving, transmitting, condensing, processing, prioritizing and categorizing the information.
Input from any of our seven senses can be responsible.
Yes, SEVEN!
And no, seeing ghosts isn’t one of them, although there are up to 21 recognized senses so that one may make the list soon.
The main seven that are frequently associated with sensory overload include: sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch, vestibular and proprioceptive.
Heres a quick explanation of the 2 added senses taken from the 7 Senses Foundation.
The vestibular system explains the perception of our body in relation to gravity, movement and balance. The vestibular system measures acceleration, g-force, body movements and head position.
Examples of the vestibular system in practice include knowing that you are moving when you are in an elevator, knowing whether you are lying down or sat up, and being able to walk along a balance beam.
Proprioception is the sense of the relative position of neighbouring parts of the body and strength of effort being employed in movement. This sense is very important as it lets us know exactly where our body parts are, how we are positioned in space and to plan our movements.
Examples of our proprioception in practice include being able to clap our hands together with our eyes closed, write with a pencil and apply with correct pressure, and navigate through a narrow space.
Causes of Sensory Overload
Loud & quiet noises
Repeated sounds
Crowds
Smells
Getting wet
New situations
Movement
Bright lights
Fabrics & textures
Extreme weather - hot, cold, wind, etc.
Who Experiences Sensory Overload?
Everyone can get sensory overload since it happens when one or more senses is overwhelmed, however children are more likely to experience it than adults.
In a 2004 study approximately 5% of kindergarten aged kids struggled with sensory processing.
When children experience this it doesn’t necessarily mean they have autism or another disorder, their brains are just underdeveloped and learning to process the information its given.
Certain health issues make people hypersensitive to their surroundings and frequently result in sensory overload.
Conditions often associated with sensory overload
Autism
ADHD
OCD
Sensory Processing Disorder
Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue
Multiple Sclerosis
PTSD & Anxiety
Tourettes
Developmental Delays
What it Feels Like
Luckily, I have many autistic family and friends who have shared insight into sensory overload. Here’s personal experiences from four individuals .
A work get together in a crowded pub
“It’s like driving through thick mud. You know where you want to go but everything moves slower and you cant seem to get where you intend on. It’s frustrating to be stuck and not able to move forward. Being so overwhelmed by the surroundings make it more challenging to manage my autistic tendencies. I tend to just sit and listen to others since initiating conversations and being at ease with the interactions is more difficult. So yeah, sensory overload is like having a muddy brain.”
A kid carpooling with a group of rowdy kids
I start to get really anxious and then everything seems louder and more irritating. The noise and smells start getting stronger and I begin to notice everything. My anxiety leads to a headache and I get really fidgety and its difficult to control my body. I’m in pain, I want to get out but cant.
Large family get togethers - people cooking, kids running around screaming, tv on, loud conversations, etc.
I start to notice small things, like kids playing with blocks on the coffee table. Then I notice distant conversations that seem way too close. The noises and chaos gets louder and I can start feeling the vibrations of all the noise, its like electric currents through my body; painful and ever present. It makes my brain feel like its a TV on a static channel. I often retreat and isolate myself from the bombardment on my sense.
Costco pretty much any day or time
Theres too much going on. So many people making noise and moving. Lots of things to look at and it’s hard to focus. My brain feels crazy and I try to be calm.
I found this amazing video which helps put you in the shoes of someone experiencing sensory overload. Since people experience it differently this is just one version of it, however, I found it powerful and true to numerous personal accounts.
Warning: this film contains flashing lights, bright colours and loud, sudden noises. Some people might experience motion sickness in this 360 degree virtual reality film. Prepare to step into the virtual reality world of Too Much Information
Those with sensory processing problems can be either overstimulated (oversensitive) or understimulated (unsersensitive) or both.
My autistic daughter is often over stimulated and sensitive to the external world resulting in sensitive skin and touch, painful brushing of hair and teeth, noise aversion, etc.
One of my autistic sons is undersensitive in many areas and seeks stimulus. He overstuffs his mouth, chews constantly, rams into things and enjoys unusually deep pressure. In other areas he’s overly sensitive; clothing is one area he’s more particular about and only wears certain textures and fabrics.
Sensory overload is a natural reaction to consuming too much information; it’s not the child fault. It can be overwhelming and scary since often the child doesn’t know what’s going on and why it’s happening.
Continue reading to learn the sign of sensory overload, how to prevent/reduce it and how to help your child recover after.
Just so you know - I’m not a doctor or therapist; I’m just a mom who’s learned a lot while raising special needs kids. So listen to your medical professionals.