SPD Support

Sensory Modulation

General Modulation

_______ has atypical eating habits (very picky, eats at odd times, etc.)

_______ has unusual sleeping habits or sleep schedule

_______ has a hard time falling asleep in unfamiliar environments

_______ distressed by switching from one activity to another

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

_______ very high or very low energy level

_______ very resistent to change in daily life and surrounding environment

_______ parents find they must always control the child's environment and “warn” people what to do/not to do so their child is comfortable

Over-Responsiveness

_______ hates the feel of certain fabrics or textures, especially with clothing

_______ bothered by clothes (tags, seams, ties, belts, turtlenecks)

_______ has a limited wardrobe; may have to wear shorts, skirts, or pants exclusively

_______ may wear the same clothes for extended periods of time

_______ may hate clothes enough to prefer going without whenever possible

_______ bothered by "light touch"; someone lightly touching/caressing hand, face, leg or back

_______ extremely ticklish

_______ doesn't like to be hugged, may arch back or pull away

_______ if not yet potty trained, distressed by diaper changes

_______ washes hands excessively (after touching certain objects or textures)

_______ hates brushing teeth, as the toothpaste may be too strong or 'spicy'

_______ dislikes the feeling of water, especially during baths, showers, or when getting splashed

_______ avoids touching certain textures, especially anything messy

_______ upset by having dirty hands or face

_______ may gag when eating foods with certain textures or flavors (has a very limited diet)

_______ difficult to get to try new foods or textures

_______ must touch object with one hand if the other hand already touched it; balances touch sensations

_______ distressed by certain everyday odors

_______ becomes upset or acts out when people come to the house or when in crowded places

_______ sensitive to noises that most children are not bothered by (microwaves, flushing toilets, fans, voices, vaccuum cleaners, etc.)

_______ avoids certain types of toys (vibrating, rough textured toys, slippery/slimy toys, brightly colored objects, flashing objects etc.)

_______ can't sleep if room isn't completely dark and/or quiet; wakes up at the slightest noise or light

_______ distressed by bright lights or the sun

_______ is often afraid of falling; has a fear of heights

_______ doesn't enjoy movement activities, sports, or playing on playground equipment

_______ gets motion sickness (from cars, planes, boats, amusement park rides, etc.)

_______ avoids crossing the midlines (moving arms/legs across the mid-section of body)

_______ gets dizzy very easily

_______ ears turn reddish when in a state of overload

_______ clenches fists and toes a lot

_______ difficulty with noise, activities, and light in classrooms

_______ gets overwhelmed, cries, or gets angry when over stimulated

Under-Responsiveness

_______ appears lethargic or lazy and unmotivated; low energy level

_______ overly calm and passive demeanor

_______ doesn't appear to respond to own name or a familiar voice

_______ doesn't respond to noises peers would notice

_______ if not potty trained, doesn't notice having a wet or dirty diaper

_______ doesn't notice need to go, is/was a late or difficult potty trainer

_______ doesn't seem to notice pain; doesn't notice or get upset by burns/shots/cuts/bruises

_______ doesn't seem to notice dangers in the environment (may walk out right in front of a car)

_______ won't catch self with hands when falling to protect self from getting hurt; lacks reflexes

_______ doesn't interact with peers or adults; is hard to engage, an observer and not a 'do'er

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

_______ is the last to notice when a person enters the room

_______ difficult to get up in the morning or from a nap; sleeps a lot

Sensory Seeking

_______ very high energy level, hyperaactive; often believed to have ADHD, whether it is true or not

_______ loves to touch and be touched, has to touch everything

_______ frequently tips chair on back two legs

_______ restless when sitting through a class or a movie

_______ has to fidget and "fiddle" with things all the time; pens, pencils, rubber band, anything within reach

_______ is self-destructive (bangs head, pinches, hits, bites, or hurts self)

_______ thought to be a trouble maker, hitting, shoving, pushing, or knocking into other kids or adults

_______ frequently shakes leg

_______ always seems to engage in repetitive, non-purposeful play with a limited number of objects

_______ often touches and twists own hair or other's hair

_______ extremely attached to 'babyish' comfort objects (pacifiers, thumb, blankie, bottle, diapers); hard to calm down without them

_______ needs excessive movement (swinging, rocking, bouncing, or rocking self constantly)

_______ aside from the typical teething stage, always chewing on things (clothes, hands, fingers, etc.)

_______ prefers foods with very strong tastes and flavors

_______ cracks knuckles often

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

_______ stretches out clothing and fabric, trying to increase pressure on parts of the body

_______ needs to be under heavy blankets or wear tighter pajamas to fall asleep; likely to roll self up in blankets

_______ needs consistant sound or white noise to stay asleep (fan, nature tape, music, etc.)

_______ needs a lot of sensory input to fall asleep (rocking, singing, bouncing, rubbing skin, etc.)

_______ identifies objects by smell, has to smell everything, uses smell to determine whether or not to like something or someone

_______ seeks out crashing and "squishing" activities; may jump onto or run into furniture

_______ is a thrill seeker; loves fast, dangerous sports (skateboarding, snowboarding, dirt biking, football, hockey, etc)

_______ seeks out fast, spinning, and/or upside down carnival rides

Sensory Discrimination

_______ unable to identify objects by touch alone

_______ has a hard time finding things in a desk, especially when not looking

_______ difficulty locating items in a cupboard, drawer, in the closet, or on a grocery shelf

_______ if taking own baths, difficulty heating water to the correct temperature; may burn self or use water that is very cold

_______ frequently breaks things (applies too much pressure)

_______ frequently drops things (doesn't apply enough pressure)

_______ is too forceful around animals (not gentle enough)

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

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

_______ difficulty remembering or understanding what people are saying

_______ 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

_______ bumps into things frequently

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

_______ often reverses numbers and letters or process them backwards

_______ difficulty telling time on an analogue clock

_______ has significant issues with making 'typical' childhood noises

_______ difficulty organizing and grouping things by categories, similarities, and/or differences (color, shape, size, etc)

_______ difficulty distinguishing different tastes and/or flavors of food and/or drink items

_______ difficulty lining up numbers correctly for math problems

_______ gets confused between similar looking letters (such as b, p, d, q, and g)

_______ often hears things wrong, especially if they are similar sounding words (such as "car" and "card" or "cart")

_______ has difficulty keeping up in classroom environments

Sensory-Based Motor Abilities

_______ has difficulty learning to ride a bike or other moving equipment

_______ late to reach a wide variety and large number of physical developmental milestones

_______ difficulty walking and balancing on uneven surfaces

_______ clumsy, uncoordinated, bumps into things, accident prone

_______ difficulty with fine motor tasks, such as buttoning, zipping, tying, playing games with small parts, closing zip loc bags, etc.

_______ confuses right and left sides

_______ prefers sedentary tasks, avoiding sports or physical activities

_______ difficulty with handwriting; hard to read, writes slowly, gets wrist cramps

_______ uses just one hand while using objects; has diffiulty using both sides together

_______ can't use or keep a good grip on objects at an age appropriate level

_______ easily fatigued with physical tasks

_______ is a messy eater, difficult time using eating utensils, spilling and dropping food frequently

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

_______ has difficulty pouring drinks

_______ frequently drops items

_______ often hums or talks to self while concentrating on a task

_______ significant difficulty learning to tie things (shoes, bags, etc.)

_______ difficulty with motor tasks requiring several steps

_______ difficulty using language, cues, gestures, etc. becoming easily frustrated

_______ difficulty learning new motor tasks (new games, new movements, etc.)

_______ floppy body, noodle-like; weak grip

Social and Emotional

_______ dislikes changes in routines, needing consistancy

_______ can be described as defiant, stubborn or uncooperative

_______ is very emotional and sensitive, cries or gets angry a lot

_______ distressed when transitioning from one activity to another

_______ does not engage in age appropriate play with caregivers or other familiar people

_______ severe separation anxiety (incredibly upset when left alone for even short periods)

_______ has many tantrums every day

_______ has excessive reflux, allergies, ear infections or digestive issues

_______ needs comfort objects (blanket, stuffed animal, rubbing something, pacifier, thumb, etc.) to remain calm

_______ can't focus attention on play, caregiver, or toys long enough to interact at an appropriate age level

_______ engages in constant non-purposeful activities (spinning, rocking, staring at certain objects, etc)

_______ is not interested in play or will not use objects for purposeful play

_______ wanders around aimlessly a lot; often lost in 'own little world'

_______ can't seem to finish projects or tasks

_______ has difficulty making decisions; is often unsure or lacks an opinion

_______ is seen as rigid, bossy, and controlling

_______ prefers solitary activities over group participation

_______ is often impatient and/or impulsive

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

_______ difficulty with authority figures

_______ trouble relating to and socializing with peers

_______ has difficulty accepting defeat or forgiving self

_______ frequently gets angery or has moments of rage

_______ often appears sad or uncomfortable; may not smile much

_______ strongly prefers people with certain energy levels or voices (intonation, volume, pitch, etc.)

_______ difficulty establishing eye contact, focusing on objects or tracking them with eyes

_______ gets frequent panic or anxiety attacks

_______ has many fears and/or phobias

_______ can't let foods touch each other on a plate, has to wear clothes a certain way; has OCD-like symptoms

_______ is easily distractible and often unorganized

_______ easily startled

_______ difficulty seeking out and maintaining relationships

_______ seems to only get over being upset quickly if a comfort object or toy is accessible

Internal Regulation

_______ difficulty getting to sleep at night or at a nap time

_______ very unpredictable sleep/wake cycle

_______ respiration too fast or slow for the appropriate state of arousal

_______ sleeps a lot; is not often alert, responding, playing, or interacting

_______ has a very hard time waking up

_______ over or under sensitivite to bowel and bladder sensations

_______ over or under sensitivite to the sensations of hunger and thurst

_______ chronic, irregular, and inconsistent bowel and bladder activity

_______ seems to always be hungry or doesn't ever want to eat

The above checklist was editted by Dan Travis and reposted from sensory-processing-disorder.com with the original author's permission.