The eight senses in autism: sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, movement, balance and interoception
By Helen Edgar and David Gray-Hammond · From the Re-Storying Autism workbook, Module 3
There are eight main senses we are focusing on in this course. Together, they help develop a deeper understanding of the lived reality of an Autistic person and explain why sensory overload, sensory seeking/ avoidance, shutdowns, meltdowns, and distress occur and ways we can support to help regulate and offer co-regulation. Most people are taught about the five traditional senses, but Autistic bodies often rely just as heavily—sometimes more so—on three additional sensory systems which we will dive into within this module these include proprioception, vestibular and interoception. These eight senses work together to shape how a person experiences safety, comfort, attention, regulation, and connection. These sensory systems are not “background processes,” they are central pillars of Autistic wellbeing. When one or more of them becomes overwhelmed, under-stimulated, or confused, the nervous system may move quickly into stress, survival, or shutdown/metdown. It is important to recognise that behaviour is rarely the starting point. Behaviour is often the visible output of a sensory system doing its best to cope with the environment it is in. Some times outward behaviour may also be to do with other co-occuring differences such as tourrettes and may be more involuntary in nature.
Visual (Sight)
Definition: The visual system processes light, colour, movement, contrast, and visual complexity. Autistic sensory differences may include:
- Heightened or muted sensitivity to colour and light
- Difficulty filtering visual clutter
- Strong reactions to movement or light
- Some people have co-occuring conditions and may have visual hallucinations too
Examples:
- A space full of colourful displays, flickering lights, and moving bodies can feel visually overwhelming rather than stimulating to some.
- Visual overload may lead to distraction, headaches, irritability, zoning out, or shutdown/ meltdown.
- Some people may need more or less visual stimuli than others
- Many Autistic people have co-occuring conditions such as Maers
Irlens syndrome, Dyslexia that may impact on visual processing. It is worth considering font type/ size, colour of paper, screen in dark or light mode, coloured lenses / sunglasses, lighting etc
- People may find it regulating to engage in visual stimming, watching repeated pattern, the same TV shows, or exploring visual fidget tools
Keep going in the course
This is a short extract. The full lesson in Module 3: Sensory and Emotional Landscapes includes the video teaching, the rest of the workbook text, reflection questions for parents, carers and Autistic people, and progress tracking.