We all take in the world through our senses, but we don’t all feel it the same way. A noise that one person barely notices can feel painful to another. Some people go looking for movement and touch all day long, while others need quiet to feel settled.
A sensory profile is an assessment that helps make sense of these differences. This guide explains what a sensory profile is and how it works. It also shows why it helps in behaviour support.
What is a sensory profile?
A sensory profile is a set of questions that shows how a person responds to everyday senses. It looks at noise, touch, movement, smell, taste and light. The answers show the person’s sensory patterns. They also show how those patterns may affect daily life at home, at school, at work and in the community.
The Sensory Profile is a family of questionnaires developed by US occupational therapist Winnie Dunn. The current versions include:
- the Sensory Profile 2 (Pearson, 2014), for children from birth to 14 years and 11 months
- the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (Brown and Dunn, 2002), for people aged 11 and over.
The questions ask how often a person responds to sensory input in particular ways. For example, how do they react to a loud room, a scratchy label or a busy shopping centre?
Who completes a sensory profile?
A sensory profile is completed by the people who know the person well, or by the person themselves. Depending on the version, a parent or caregiver, a teacher, or the person answers the questions. A practitioner then scores the answers and explains what they mean.
Answers from more than one setting, such as home and school, often give a fuller picture. A child might cope well at home but struggle with the noise of a classroom.
What are the 4 sensory patterns?
Dunn’s model describes 4 sensory patterns: seeking, avoiding, sensitivity and registration. They come from 2 questions. How much sensory input does a person need before they notice it (their threshold)? And do they tend to respond actively or passively? In the Sensory Profile 2 the 4 patterns are:
- Seeking (Seeker): the person actively looks for more sensory input, such as movement, touch, noise or chewing.
- Avoiding (Avoider): the person actively limits input, for example by leaving busy places, covering their ears or sticking to familiar routines.
- Sensitivity (Sensor): the person notices input quickly and can be bothered or distracted by it, even if they don’t remove themselves.
- Registration (Bystander): the person tends to miss input that others notice, and may seem slow to respond or unaware of cues.
Most people show a mix of patterns, and patterns can differ between senses. Someone might avoid loud noise but seek out deep pressure and movement. There is no good or bad pattern. The aim is to understand the person.
How do sensory needs affect behaviour?
Sensory needs are often a hidden driver of behaviour. When a place is too loud, too bright or too busy, a person may become distressed or try to escape. When they need more input, they may rock, spin or press hard on things. Here are some everyday examples:
- A child who becomes distressed in the supermarket may be overwhelmed by lights, noise and crowds.
- A young person who leaves class again and again may be escaping sounds or smells that are hard to tolerate.
- An adult who rocks, spins or presses hard on objects may be seeking input that helps them feel regulated.
- A person who seems not to notice being called may be under-registering sound rather than ignoring anyone.
When behaviour serves a sensory purpose, strategies that focus only on rules or consequences are unlikely to help. Understanding the sensory picture means support can address the need underneath.
How is a sensory profile used in behaviour support?
In behaviour support, a sensory profile is one tool used to work out why a behaviour happens. It can feed into a Functional Behaviour Assessment, alongside interviews, watching the person and keeping notes. The findings then shape the strategies in the person’s Behaviour Support Plan.
Our guide on how a functional behaviour assessment works explains each step. The findings help shape a Behaviour Support Plan that might include:
- Changes to the environment, such as a quieter space, softer lighting, noise-reducing headphones or less visual clutter.
- Planned sensory input across the day, such as movement breaks, heavy work or calming activities, so needs are met before distress builds.
- Preparing for hard places, such as giving warning before a busy outing and planning an exit if it becomes too much.
- Teaching communication, so the person can let others know when they need a break.
- Training for families, carers and staff, so everyone spots early signs of overload and responds the same way.
Occupational therapists (OTs) do a lot of work on sensory needs. Some people need a detailed sensory assessment or a sensory program. In that case, we work with their OT, with the person’s consent.
How can you notice sensory patterns at home?
You can start noticing sensory patterns at home before any formal assessment. Keep a short diary of what seems to cause distress or calm, and which senses are involved. Over a few weeks, patterns often show up. It can help to:
- Write down situations that seem to cause distress or calm.
- Notice which senses are involved: sound, sight, touch, smell, taste, movement or body awareness.
- Pay attention to time of day, tiredness and hunger, which can lower tolerance.
- Note what helps the person settle.
Our free printable resources include a senses chart and other visual tools that some families find useful.
Every person is different, and sensory needs can change over time. Support should always be built around the individual.
Talk to our team about a sensory profile
Do you think sensory needs might be behind behaviours of concern for someone you support? Our practitioners can talk through how sensory needs fit into behaviour support, and work with your OT where one is involved. Make a referral and our team will call you to talk through the next steps, or contact our team with a question.
Further reading
- Occupational Therapy Australia: find an occupational therapist and learn about sensory processing.
- NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission: information about behaviour support under the NDIS.
