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Understanding Asperger Syndrome:
Sensory Integration Dysfunction

Defining Sensory Processing

The way the central and peripheral nervous systems manage and interpret incoming sensory information from the seven sensory systems

Sensory Processing: Seven Point System

• Tactile:  Over- or under-reactive to tactile stimuli (fabrics, foods), low or high pain tolerance.


• Visual:  Light sensitivity, diminished ocular (eye tracking) control.


• Auditory:   Difficulty with auditory information processing, decoding sounds and hypersensitivity to auditory input.


• Gustatory:   Hyper- or hypo-sensitivity and reactivity regarding taste.


• Olfactory:  Hyper- or hypo-sensitivity and reactivity regarding odors.


• Vestibular:   Difficulties with posture, balance, joint stability, muscle strength and tone, motor planning and control, perception of depth and movement, and bi-lateral coordination.


• Proprioceptive :  Is the sense of the position of parts of the body, relative to other neighboring parts of the body. Difficulties with posture, balance, joint stability, muscle strength and tone, motor planning and control, perception of depth and movement, and bi-lateral coordination.

Tactile = Touch

The Tactile System and AS

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Nan Lester, MS, PC | 943 Washington Street | Eugene, OR 97401 | 541-345-8588

All images and content Copyright 2006 Nan Lester, MS, PC