Understanding Sensory Seeking Behaviours: Symptoms, Reasons, and Types in Children and Adults

Sensory processing plays a vital role in how we perceive and interact with the world. While some individuals may exhibit heightened sensitivity to sensory stimuli, others might engage in sensory seeking behaviors. These behaviors, often misunderstood, can provide key insights into how an individual’s nervous system processes sensory input. In this blog, we’ll explore the symptoms, reasons, and types of sensory seeking behaviors in both children and adults.

What Are Sensory Seeking Behaviors?

Sensory seeking refers to the tendency to actively pursue sensory experiences that provide intense or unique stimulation. These behaviors can manifest as a preference for certain types of movement, touch, sound, or even visual input. Sensory seeking is common among neurodiverse individuals, including those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or sensory processing disorder (SPD), but it can also occur in neurotypical individuals.

Sensory Craving (aka Sensory Seeker)

The term “sensory seeker” is fairly common these days, but what does it actually mean?

Sensory seeking comes from a category within Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) known as Sensory Craving. Sensory Craving falls within a specific subtype of SPD, Sensory Modulation Disorder. It refers to someone who needs more sensory input than others and seeks it out in a disorganized way. For example, this could include a child who spins without getting dizzy, makes random noises, touches everything in their environment, or plays too rough for the situation.

A sensory seeker often doesn’t understand when “enough is enough.” They pursue sensory input to feel regulated but struggle to modulate or process it effectively, leading to more dysregulation. This can create challenges during daily activities such as morning or evening routines, attending school, or running errands.

Symptoms of Sensory Seeking Behaviors

Sensory seeking behaviors can vary significantly between individuals, but common symptoms include:

Children:

• Movement: Constant running, jumping, climbing, or spinning without tiring.

• Touch: Frequent touching of objects, people, or textures, including rough or sticky surfaces.

• Sound: Making loud noises, humming, or seeking out noisy environments.

• Visual Input: Staring at lights, spinning objects, or seeking visually stimulating patterns.

• Taste and Smell: Craving strong flavors, chewing on non-food items, or sniffing objects frequently.

Adults:

• Movement: Engaging in high-intensity workouts, fidgeting, or pacing.

• Touch: Preferring textured fabrics, tight clothing, or constant tactile input.

• Sound: Playing music loudly, attending concerts, or seeking noisy environments.

• Visual Input: Watching fast-paced movies or engaging with visually dynamic activities.

• Taste and Smell: Preferring spicy, bold flavors or aromatic environments.

Why Do Sensory Seeking Behaviors Occur?

Sensory seeking behaviors stem from the way the brain processes sensory input. For sensory seekers, their nervous system may require stronger or more frequent sensory stimulation to feel regulated. This could be due to:

Neurological Differences: Individuals with conditions like SPD, ADHD, or ASD may have an under-responsive sensory system that craves stimulation.

Emotional Regulation: Sensory input can help some individuals manage emotions like anxiety, boredom, or restlessness.

Dopamine Release: Activities like jumping, chewing, or listening to loud music may provide a pleasurable dopamine boost.

Developmental Needs: For children, sensory seeking can be a natural part of exploration and learning.

Types of Sensory Seeking Behaviors

Sensory seeking behaviors can be categorized based on the sensory system involved:

• Proprioceptive (Body Awareness): Activities like climbing, pushing, pulling, or carrying heavy objects to feel grounded. Signs include loving to run, jump, and crash; seeking out rough play; and chewing non-edibles. Struggles may include coordination, self-regulation, and attention.

• Vestibular (Balance and Movement): Spinning, swinging, or rocking to stimulate the inner ear. Signs include loving swings, slides, and constant movement. Struggles may include balance, transitions, and focus.

• Tactile (Touch): Touching objects with varied textures, touching others, pushing, hugging, or kissing, and pressing against surfaces for deep pressure. Struggles may include fine motor tasks such as handwriting, drawing, bathing, dressing, and self-feeding, wearing certain clothing, and hygiene.

• Auditory (Hearing): Seeking loud sounds, making noises, or enjoying rhythmic beats. Includes stimming through mumbling, repeating phrases, or spitting. Struggles may include following instructions and understanding sounds.

• Visual (Sight): Watching bright, moving, or patterned visuals. Signs include staring at moving objects, spinning toys, or seeking fast-paced visuals. Struggles may include hand-eye coordination and reading.

• Gustatory (Taste) and Olfactory (Smell): Preferring strong-tasting foods or sniffing objects. Struggles may include self-feeding and picky eating.

• Interoceptive (Internal Body Awareness): Seeking sensations related to internal body functions, such as enjoying the feeling of deep breaths, heartbeat, or digestion-related sensations. Signs include eating until over-full, seeking extreme temperatures, holding bowel movements, or being an extreme risk-taker. Struggles may include body awareness, emotional regulation, potty training, and toilet usage, which may also relate to tactile and vestibular challenges.

• Vocal (Vocal Stimulation): Includes stimming through mumbling, repeating phrases, or spitting.

  
  

Addressing Sensory Seeking Behaviors

Understanding and accommodating sensory seeking behaviors can improve quality of life. Here are some strategies:

Create Sensory Opportunities:

Providing consistent tactile input during the day can help minimize disruptive sensory-seeking behaviors and enable smoother daily functioning.

Offer diverse touch-based activities and integrate tactile exploration into play and learning:

• Include messy play options such as clay, sand, finger-painting, or shaving cream.

• Hide objects in sensory bins filled with materials like rice or beans for treasure-hunt style activities.

• Create paths with different textures for walking or crawling.

• Introduce a range of food textures and temperatures during meals and snacks.

• Ensure access to a variety of fabric textures in clothing to enrich tactile input.

• To support focus during quiet activities, incorporate calming tactile options: Provide stress balls, fidget toys, or textured objects for hands-on engagement.

• Add elements of deep pressure stimulation, which can be especially calming, such as massages, hugging, weighted blankets, stuffed toys, chair elastic bands, or compression vests.

  
  

Develop Routines: Establish predictable schedules to help regulate sensory needs.

Engage in Activities: Activities like yoga, swimming, or sensory play can help fulfill sensory cravings.

Work with Professionals: Occupational therapists can assess sensory needs and recommend personalized strategies.

Sensory Seeking in Social and Work Environments

In adults, sensory seeking behaviors may impact their professional, academic, and social life in different ways, such as through focus challenges, procrastination, and love language differences. It’s important to:

• Communicate Needs: Share your sensory preferences with others.

• Use Accommodations: Incorporate sensory breaks, noise-canceling headphones, or adaptive tools.

• Self-Regulate: Recognize when sensory input is needed and take proactive steps to meet those needs.

Conclusion

Sensory seeking is a natural and important part of how some individuals navigate their world. By understanding the symptoms, reasons, and types of sensory seeking behaviors, we can create more inclusive environments that support sensory needs. If sensory seeking behaviors interfere with daily life, social interactions, or academic development, seeking professional help can provide effective strategies and support. Whether it’s a child spinning in delight or an adult thriving in high-energy environments, sensory seeking behaviors are a reminder of the diverse ways humans experience life.