Emotional regulation
Sensory Needs
Understand sensory seeking and avoiding across sound, light, touch, taste/smell, movement and body awareness - and build a personal profile of what helps and what overwhelms.
- Step 1: Tap a sense to open it and see examples of seeking and avoiding.
- Step 2: Tap a suggestion, or add your own, under 'What helps' and 'What overwhelms' for each sense.
- Step 3: Everything you add shows together in 'My sensory profile' at the top. It saves automatically.
- Step 4: Print your profile to keep handy or share with family, support workers or a new place you're going to.
This tool is designed to help with everyday communication and support - it isn't medical or clinical advice and doesn't replace guidance from a qualified professional. Read the full disclaimer.
Shown at the top when you print it.
Seeking vs avoiding
Everyone processes sensory input differently. Someone might seek out more input in one sense (like loving loud music or spinning) while avoiding it in another (like being overwhelmed by certain textures) - and this can change day to day, or with tiredness and stress.
This page works through each sense, with examples to help recognise patterns, and a place to record what actually helps and what tends to overwhelm. Tap a sense below to open it.
Sound
How someone responds to noise, from background hum to sudden loud sounds.
Signs of seeking more input:
- Enjoys loud music or noisy environments
- Makes repetitive sounds or noises
- Turns the volume up higher than others expect
Signs of feeling overwhelmed:
- Covers ears in noisy places (assemblies, shopping centres, hand dryers)
- Distressed by sudden or unexpected sounds
- Notices background noise (fridge hum, fluorescent lights) that others tune out
Sound: what helps
Sound: what overwhelms
Light & visual
How someone responds to brightness, visual clutter and movement in their field of view.
Signs of seeking more input:
- Drawn to bright lights, spinning objects, or shiny things
- Likes watching things move (fans, wheels, water)
- Seeks out bright colours or visually busy spaces
Signs of feeling overwhelmed:
- Squints or looks away in bright/fluorescent light
- Overwhelmed by visually busy or cluttered spaces
- Prefers dim lighting or sunglasses indoors
Light & visual: what helps
Light & visual: what overwhelms
Touch
How someone responds to being touched, textures, and clothing.
Signs of seeking more input:
- Seeks out hugs, deep pressure, or firm touch
- Enjoys textured materials, fidgeting or messy play
- Touches objects or people frequently to explore them
Signs of feeling overwhelmed:
- Uncomfortable with light or unexpected touch
- Sensitive to clothing tags, seams, or certain fabrics
- Avoids messy textures (sand, glue, certain foods)
Touch: what helps
Touch: what overwhelms
Taste & smell
How someone responds to food textures/flavours and strong smells.
Signs of seeking more input:
- Seeks out strong flavours or smells
- Chews or mouths objects beyond a typical age
- Enjoys sniffing food, objects, or people
Signs of feeling overwhelmed:
- Very selective eating, often about texture more than taste
- Gags or is distressed by certain smells (perfume, cleaning products, some foods)
- Avoids mixed textures in food
Taste & smell: what helps
Taste & smell: what overwhelms
Movement (vestibular)
How someone responds to motion - spinning, swinging, being off-balance.
Signs of seeking more input:
- Seeks spinning, swinging, rocking, or fast movement
- Enjoys being upside down or off-balance
- Constantly on the move, fidgety, or restless
Signs of feeling overwhelmed:
- Avoids swings, escalators, or being off the ground
- Gets motion sick easily
- Cautious on stairs, uneven ground, or moving vehicles
Movement (vestibular): what helps
Movement (vestibular): what overwhelms
Body awareness (proprioception)
A sense of where the body is in space and how much force to use.
Signs of seeking more input:
- Seeks heavy work - pushing, pulling, carrying, crashing into things
- Uses more force than needed (heavy footsteps, slamming doors)
- Enjoys being squeezed, squashed, or in tight spaces
Signs of feeling overwhelmed:
- Seems clumsy, or unsure how much force to use
- Fatigues quickly with physical activity
- Avoids activities that involve a lot of body coordination