Sensory Perception

Sensory perception… Just when I think I have a handle on it my son shows me another side of it.  

Here is what we've learned and are still learning...

Sensory perception is a big issue for Aspies (Aspies is a nickname for Asperger's Syndrome sufferers), from the inability to withstand a gentle touch to how something feels in his/her hands to how loud or quiet a sound is to how bright a light is to how strong/repulsive a particular smell is, and so on.

However, not all Asperger's Syndrome sufferers have the same exact sensory perception issues.

A couple examples my son deals with:

He has always disliked our, what he refers to as 'strawberry' (because of the shape) silverware. He was quite vocal about it and insistent that he trade with someone who had a different one or return it to the drawer for a different one.

We're now realizing that maybe all this time it's been because he doesn't like the feel of that particular handle in his hand! He still, at 12 years of age, has this issue although he's trying to 'deal'.

He also had difficulties going from holding his cell phone to holding his Gameboy. When we got our new cell phones he fixated on his (he actually fixates a LOT on things), had it in his hands almost 24 hours a day it seemed. About a week or so after getting the phone, he picked up his Gameboy to play it.

He put it down almost immediately saying "uhhh, it feels weird". Every time he picked up his Gameboy he would put it down almost as quickly, each time complaining that he didn't like the way it felt in his hands.

This went on for several weeks until finally he was able to put up with holding his Gameboy to play it. Even now he still complains that it "feels weird" when he plays it.

He definitely has issues with sensory perception in his touch.

Another sensory issue he has is with his hearing...

He's had tubes put into his ears four times and I remember once when he was about 5 and he was having his hearing tested, he'd hear a sound then he wouldn't hear the sound then he'd hear it then he wouldn't.

Now I think I know why. I've read that sometimes sounds are loud and sometimes they're quiet. I can only assume that that's what was going on with my son's hearing test, sometimes he could hear it and sometimes he couldn't.

With sensory perception related to 'feeling', I guess it could be considered touch, when we're out in the car he absolutely hates speed bumps, especially the rather mean ones in front of the mall; but there's a thick metal plate in the middle of a street near our house and every time he's in the car and we drive on that street we absolutely must go over the metal plate, not avoid it by driving around it.

He doesn't like when we turn right in the car. He sits on the right side in the back seat and when we turn right his body moves to the left and he doesn't like that. He doesn't mind left turns because his body moves to the right and connects with the door but he doesn't like right turns because he doesn't like leaning to the left without having something to lean against.

He also sees lights that no one else sees, and he's much more sensitive to light than others. He'll look up above the curtains where he can see the light coming in the window and blink again and again and again "at the light".

His sense of smell is very strong. He smells things, sometimes really stinky things and sometimes good things, that no one else can smell. I read about an Aspie who carries something with her that she can sniff whenever she catches a whiff of something that really bothers her. I need to find out what that is and see if I can put something like it together for our son.

Because I now know that I am on the Autism Spectrum  I'm going to start including examples about my own issues right along with our son's examples.

A strange one (to me at least)... I have never been able to eat cooked vegetables that were mixed, like corn and green beans or carrots, corn and green beans, or as I found out just last night, two different types of green beans like french style and cut mixed together.

Strange I know but I cannot stomach the thought of putting those mixed cooked vegetables in my mouth. But even stranger, I LOVE a green salad with various raw veggies like celery, radishes, carrots, cucumbers, etc. Go figure...

Working on the Facebook comment section below right now. :) I'd love to hear what you thought (please visit http://www.facebook.com/alifewithasd about the page but also I, and I'm guessing many parents/caregivers, would like to hear about the types of sensory issues *your* Aspie has. You never know when you might find someone else who goes through the same thing!