Sensory Processing

Have you ever heard of sensory processing?

I first learned about it when my son (then aged 2) was identified as having developmental dyspraxia. That was over 25 years ago now. Naturally, I was keen to learn more so that I could support him to develop the many skills we too often take for granted.

Sensory Processing is all about the way we register and perceive sensory information through different channels.

The brain organises the sensations it receives, then responds with movements and behaviours that allow us to learn and interact usefully with people, with tasks and with our environment.

Early on, we’re taught the general descriptors for our senses (sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste), but there are three other terms you may be less familiar with: tactile, proprioception and vestibular.

Here's a simple overview of them:

Tactile

This is our sense of touch. Sensations come from receptors in the skin all over our bodies. Tactile input is important to us emotionally (think about a hug) but it is also very specific, giving lots of detailed information about the body which allows us to respond with great precision and dexterity. Writing involves many touch sensations.

Proprioception

This refers to the sense of body position. Sensations from muscles and joints give us information about our body parts and how they are moving. This helps us guide our arm and leg movements without constantly having to look at what we are doing. Writing, driving, swimming and touch typing are examples of activities which require good proprioception.

Vestibular

This is our sense of balance, coordination and movement. Receptors are located in the inner ear and activate every time we move or change our head position. It affects coordinating both sides of the body, and the movement of our eyes. This helps us to control our posture and balance, and know where we are in space. When writing, our vestibular sense helps us copy information from another source to our page.

These systems work together constantly, supporting the control and coordination needed for handwriting.

Understanding these systems can help us better recognise why handwriting may feel difficult for some children.

If you'd like to receive these reflections each week, you can subscribe to the Handwriting Matters Newsletter. Many teachers and parents read along — you’re very welcome to join them.