This checklist is intended for awareness and guidance only and should not be used as a diagnostic tool.
If you recognise several of these patterns or have concerns about your child’s development, please contact an occupational therapist for professional assessment.
These examples describe sensory patterns that may appear in daily life and can vary depending on age and environment.
Touch and Oral Responses
- Child resists being cuddled
- Child avoids touch
- Child has difficulty breastfeeding
- Child has difficulty with sucking, chewing, or swallowing
- Child doesn’t tolerate new foods
- Child avoids putting toys in mouth
- Child avoids exploring toys with mouth
- Child gags or vomits when objects are placed in mouth
Body Awareness and Movement
- Child becomes distressed when changing diapers
- Child becomes distressed when having a bath
- Child seems unaware of dirty diapers
- Child requires more support for sitting
- Child becomes upset when placed on back
- Child becomes upset when lifted
- Child dislikes head tipped back
- Child cries when moved
Attention and Interaction
- Child is unaware of people around him
- Child avoids eye contact
- Child avoids looking at toys
- Child cannot tolerate change to routines/schedules
- Child has difficulty getting to sleep
- Child is easily agitated and irritable compared to same-age children
- Child seems unaware of noise
- Child takes long to respond to familiar voices
- Child startles easily at familiar sounds
- Child seems not to be paying attention
Light and Visual Sensitivity
- Child is overly bothered when exposed to light
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