SPD Life

Sensory Modulation

General Modulation

_______ have unusual eating habits (strong preferances, eat at odd times, etc.)

_______ have unusual sleeping habits or sleep schedule

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

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

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

_______ very high or very low energy level

_______ are resistent to change in your daily life and environment

_______ may have turned to forms of substance abuse

_______ drink excessive amounts of coffee or caffeinated beverages

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 your hand, face, leg or back

_______ excessively ticklish

_______ distressed by others touching you; would rather be the "toucher" than the "touchee". May lead to difficulty "snuggling" with your partner

_______ very sensitive to pain, especially as compared to others

_______ dislike the feeling of showers or getting splashed

_______ difficulty going to the beach; the sand blowing on your skin or getting on your body

_______ avoid touching anything "messy"; if you do, you have to go wash your hands right away and/or only touch it with your fingertips

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

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

_______ frequently get car sick, air sick, motion sick

_______ difficulty riding on elevators, escalators, or moving sidewalks

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

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

_______ prefer very bland foods, dislike anything spicy

_______ become nauseated or gag 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

_______ avoid crowds and hide or disappear when guests come over

_______ sensitive to noises that other people do not seem 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 react 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, i.e., smoke, noxious/hazardous solvents, or if something is burning in the stove or oven

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

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

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

_______ don't seem to get dizzy

_______ have a hard time feeling parts of your body, as though they aren't there

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

Sensory Seeking

_______ have to fidget and "fiddle" with things all the time; change in your pocket, your keys, a pen/pencil, paper clip, rubber band, anything within reach

_______ often touching and twisting your own hair

_______ are a thrill seeker; love fast and/or dangerous rides, leisure activities, and sports

_______ seek 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 chew on pens and pencils, chew gum, or smoke cigarettes

_______ prefer foods with very strong tastes and flavors

_______ constantly bite nails or fingers

_______ bite lips or inside of cheeks

_______ frequently shake your leg while sitting or falling asleep

_______ love to sleep with multiple or heavy blankets on top of you

_______ seek out crashing and "squishing" activities

_______ crack knuckles often

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

_______ have an "endless" supply of air fresheners, scented candles, odor masking sprays, etc.

_______ identify objects by smell, have to smell everything, judge whether you like something or someone by smell

_______ great difficulty settling body down for sleep

_______ love to touch and be touched, have to touch everything

Sensory Discrimination

_______ can't identify objects by feel if your eyes are closed

_______ difficulty finding things in your purse 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 your closet, or on a grocery shelf

_______ difficulty with recognizing/interpreting/following traffic signs

_______ difficulty judging distances about where your car is in relation to other cars, in parking spaces, or near a curb (fail miserably at parallel parking!!)

_______ difficulty merging into oncoming traffic on road, rotary, or highway

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

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

_______ difficulty remembering or understanding what people are telling you

_______ 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

_______ bump into things frequently

_______ often push too hard on objects, accidentally breaking them

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

_______ difficulty identifying which key on your ring belongs to what

_______ often reverse 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

_______ can't 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

_______ have 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, knitting, sewing, playing games with small parts, closing zip loc bags

_______ confuse your right and left sides

_______ prefer sedentary tasks, avoiding sports or physical activities

_______ difficulty with handwriting; hard to read, write slowly, get wrist cramps

_______ frequently bump into people and things

_______ easily fatigued with physical tasks

_______ frequently miss when putting objects on a table

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

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

_______ frequently drop items

_______ feel the need to talk yourself through tasks

_______ often hum or talk 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.)

_______ lose balance frequently, maybe even when standing still

_______ significant difficulty learning to type without looking at the keyboard

Social and Emotional

_______ dislike changes in plans or routines, needing structure

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

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

_______ can't seem to finish anything

_______ have difficulty making decisions

_______ are seen as rigid and controlling

_______ prefer solitary activities rather than group participation

_______ are often impatient and/or impulsive

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

_______ difficulty with authority figures

_______ trouble relating to and socializing with peers and colleagues

_______ have difficulty accepting defeat or forgiving yourself

_______ frequently get strong feelings of anger or rage

_______ easily frustrated

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

_______ get frequent panic or anxiety attacks

_______ have many fears and/or phobias

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

_______ are easily distractible and often unorganized

_______ hate surprises

_______ difficulty seeking out and maintaining relationships

_______ avoid 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.