SPD Support

Sensory Modulation

General Modulation

_______ has unusual eating habits (strong preferances, eats at odd times, etc.)

_______ has unusual sleeping habits or sleep schedule

_______ has great difficulty with transitions, be they major life changes or small everyday stuff (one activity to another, going from inside to outdoors, etc.)

_______ becomes engrossed in one single activity for a long time and seems to tune out everything else

_______ spends hours at a time on fantasy or video games and activities

_______ very high or very low energy level

_______ are resistent to change in daily life and surrounding environment

Over-Responsiveness

_______ bothered by clothes; certain materials, tags, seams, pantyhose, ties, belts, turtlenecks. May have to wear shorts, skirts, or pants exclusively, etc.

_______ bothered by "light touch"; someone lightly touching/rubbing hand, face, leg or back

_______ excessively ticklish

_______ distressed by others touching; would rather be the "toucher" than the "touchee". May not like being hugged.

_______ very sensitive to pain, especially as compared to others

_______ dislikes the feeling of showers or getting splashed

_______ difficulty going to the beach, as the sand is irritating to the touch

_______ avoid touching anything "messy"

_______ washes hands constantly and/or only touches things through fabric or with fingertips

_______ can not wear new or "stiff" clothes that have not been washed or soaked in fabric softener

_______ hates to be barefoot or hates to wear shoes and/or socks

_______ frequently gets car sick, air sick, motion sick

_______ difficulty riding on elevators, escalators, or moving sidewalks

_______ avoids amusement park rides that drop, climb, spin, or go upside down

_______ difficulty eating foods with mixed textures, or one particular texture

_______ prefers very bland foods, dislikes anything spicy

_______ become nauseated or gags from certain cooking, cleaning, perfume, public restroom, or bodily odors

_______ become overstimulated or overaroused when people come to the house or when in crowded places

_______ overly exited/aroused in group settings

_______ avoids crowds and hides, disappears, or acts out when guests come over

_______ sensitive to noises that other people are not bothered by (clocks, refrigerators, fans, people talking, blenders, vaccuum cleaners, animals, outdoor construction, etc.)

_______ easily distracted by auditory or visual stimuli

_______ can not attend certain public events or places due to excessive noise

_______ over reacts to loud noises, like sirens

_______ can't sleep if room isn't completely dark

_______ fearful of heights

_______ bothered by hands or face being dirty

Under-Responsiveness

_______ may fail to recognize stimuli that most would find alerting or strong

_______ unable to identify foods that have gone bad by smell

_______ difficulty being able to smell dangerous smells (smoke, noxious/hazardous solvents, or something burning in the oven)

_______ doesn't seem to notice pain; get shots/cuts/bruises and hardly feel a thing

_______ lethargic, hard to get going, appears "lazy" and unmotivated

_______ doesn't seem to notice if hands or face are dirty

_______ is/was a late potty trainer (didn't notice need to go) or has/had chronic bed wetting issues

_______ doesn't seem to get dizzy

_______ might not catch self when falling or protect self from getting hurt; lacks reflexes

_______ doesn't interact with peers or adults; is hard to engage, an observer and not a 'do'er

_______ is the last to notice when a person enters the room, if they notice at all

_______ difficulty waking up in the morning (may not even notice alarm clock)

Sensory Seeking

_______ loves to touch and be touched, has to touch everything

_______ has to fidget and "fiddle" with things all the time; pens, pencils, rubber band, anything within reach

_______ often touches and twists own hair or other's hair

_______ is a thrill seeker; loves fast and/or dangerous rides and sports

_______ seeks out fast, spinning, and/or upside down carnival rides

_______ will often rock or sway body back and forth while seated or standing still

_______ frequently tip chair on back two legs

_______ restless when sitting through a lecture, presentation, or movie

_______ constantly chews on things, sucks thumb, and/or grits teeth

_______ prefers foods with very strong tastes and flavors

_______ constantly bites nails or fingers

_______ bites lips or insides of cheeks

_______ frequently shakes leg

_______ loves to sleep under multiple sheets or heavy blankets

_______ seeks out crashing and "squishing" activities; may jump on furniture or run into other people

_______ cracks knuckles often

_______ loves crunchy foods (popcorn, carrots, chips, nuts, pretzels, etc.)

_______ identifies objects by smell, has to smell everything, uses smell to determine whether or not to like something or someone

_______ great difficulty settling down for sleep

Sensory Discrimination

_______ can't identify objects by touch alone

_______ difficulty finding things in a desk, bag, or pocket without looking

_______ difficulty heating food to the correct temperature, feeling if it is too hot or too cold

_______ difficulty locating items in a cupboard, drawer, in the closet, or on a grocery shelf

_______ difficulty with recognizing/interpreting/following traffic signs

_______ gets disoriented and/or lost easily in stores, buildings, etc.

_______ difficulty concentrating on or watching a movie/tv show when there is background noise or distractions

_______ difficulty remembering or understanding what people are saying

_______ difficulty following directions if given two or three at one time

_______ can not complete concentrated tasks if noises present

_______ talks too loud or too soft

_______ difficulty licking an ice cream cone neatly

_______ difficulty with speech and annunciation

_______ bumps into things frequently

_______ often pushes too hard on objects, accidentally breaking them

_______ difficulty judging how much pressure to apply when doing tasks or picking something up

_______ often reverses numbers and letters or process them backwards

_______ difficulty telling time on an analogue clock

_______ difficulty reading and understanding a map, bus schedule, directions

_______ difficulty organizing and grouping things by categories, similarities, and/or differences

_______ difficulty reading text on computer screens

_______ difficulty distinguishing different tastes and/or flavors of food and/or drink items

_______ difficulty lining up numbers correctly for math problems and/or balancing a checkbook

Sensory-Based Motor Abilities

_______ has difficulty learning to ride a bike or other moving equipment

_______ clumsy, uncoordinated, and accident prone

_______ difficulty walking on uneven surfaces

_______ difficulty with fine motor tasks, such as buttoning, zipping, tying, playing games with small parts, closing zip loc bags, etc.

_______ confuses right and left sides

_______ prefers sedentary tasks, avoiding sports or physical activities

_______ difficulty with handwriting; hard to read, writes slowly, gets wrist cramps

_______ frequently bumps into people and things

_______ easily fatigued with physical tasks

_______ frequently misses when putting objects on a table

_______ messy eater, difficulty using eating utensils, spilling and dropping food frequently

_______ often knocks drinks or other things over when reaching for them

_______ has difficulty pouring drinks

_______ frequently drops items

_______ often hums or talks to self while concentrating on a task

_______ significant difficulty learning to tie things (shoes, bags, etc.)

_______ difficulty with motor tasks requiring several steps

_______ difficulty learning new motor tasks (a new dance, sport or exercise activity, how to drive, etc.)

_______ loses balance frequently, maybe even when standing still

_______ significant difficulty learning to type without looking at the keyboard

Social and Emotional

_______ dislikes changes in plans or routines, needing structure

_______ often described as "stubborn", "defiant", or "uncooperative"

_______ is very emotional and sensitive, may also be prone to crying

_______ can't seem to finish anything

_______ has difficulty making decisions

_______ is seen as rigid, bossy, and controlling

_______ prefers solitary activities over group participation

_______ is often impatient and/or impulsive

_______ doesn't always register or understand social cues and non verbal language

_______ difficulty with authority figures

_______ trouble relating to and socializing with peers and colleagues

_______ has difficulty accepting defeat or forgiving self

_______ frequently gets angery or has moments of rage

_______ easily frustrated

_______ needs sameness and routines; needs to know what to expect

_______ gets frequent panic or anxiety attacks

_______ has many fears and/or phobias

_______ OCD-type qualities; can't let foods touch each other on a plate, has to wear clothes a certain way, or other obsessions and compulsions.

_______ is easily distractible and often unorganized

_______ hates surprises

_______ difficulty seeking out and maintaining relationships

_______ avoids eye contact

Internal Regulation

_______ difficulty falling asleep or getting on a sleep schedule

_______ heart rate issues, including: unnecessary speeding, not slowing down when at rest, or not speeding up for tasks that require a higher heart rate

_______ respiration too fast or slow for the appropriate state of arousal

_______ over or under sensitivite to bowel and bladder sensations

_______ over or under sensitivite to the sensations of hunger and thurst

_______ irregular, inconsistent bowel, bladder and appetite sensations

_______ difficulty with temperature regulation of body

The above checklist was editted by Dan Travis and reposted from sensory-processing-disorder.com with the original author's permission.