Working in Occupational Therapy and dealing with kids with special needs, there comes a time when not only do you start recognizing the child's sensory issues but your own. It has only recently come upon me and it is interesting to see how sensory integration can really affect you as a person and how you deal with things throughout your day. We are all sensory seeking individuals, we may just not know it.
There are many types of sensory inputs, tactile, visual, and taste are a few to name. For me, I seek tactile input, but can also experience other inputs to regulate my body. When I talk about regulating the body it is not a physical regulation, but a mental regulation.
Tactile refers to touching objects or being touched, I am not one for the being touched but seeking surfaces that are different than smooth help me a lot. I noticed that I was like this after volunteering for two OT's this past school year (one in a clinic and one in a school) and noticing that when I walk down particular hallways that I have to have my hands on the wall. The hallways that appeal to my sensory system are hallways made of cement or bricks. I like anything with a surface on it and that I can feel. I will hopefully be making a sensory board to keep for when I become an OT but I know that it will be beneficial to not only me but the kids that I work with now.
Figure out what you seek or try to pay attention, do you like listening to music (if so, what kinds), do you like to eat, what type of foods (salty or sweet). Do you like visual cues, does TV calm you down, or looking at pictures. Once you have this figured out you will know what your body desires and what your sensory needs are.
