Sensory
What is sensory integration?
Although Baby is born with all their senses, many of them will continue to develop into adulthood. Sensory development in infants happens without us even knowing it, thanks to something called sensory integration. This is the process by which we receive, organize, and interpret information from our senses to engage in daily activities.
The Importance of Sensory Integration for Baby Development
Sensory integration enables Baby to understand and interact with the world around them, helping them reach baby sensory milestones that influence everything from early motor skills to social interactions later on.
An example of how babies process sensory information:
Baby smelling food as they bring it to their mouth
Tasting the food
Feeling the texture of the food
Determining what this food is and if they want more
The Eight Senses
While we all recognize our five basic senses—sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch—there are actually eight that contribute to sensory integration:
Sight (Vision): Processing visual stimuli to understand our surroundings.
Hearing (Auditory): Interpreting sounds for communication and environmental awareness.
Smell (Olfactory): Detecting scents, which can influence emotions and memories.
Taste (Gustatory): Recognizing flavors, aiding in food preferences and safety.
Touch (Tactile): Sensing pressure, temperature, and textures, which is important for tasks like grasping objects.
Vestibular (Movement): Understanding balance and spatial orientation, which helps us maintain posture and coordination.
Proprioception (Body Position): Awareness of body parts in relation to each other—essential for coordinated movements.
Interoception (Internal): Sensing internal body cues like hunger, thirst, and the need for rest.
