The Impact of Sensory Processing Abilities on the Daily Lives of Young Children and Their Families: A Conceptual Model

Abstract

The article describes a proposed model for considering sensory processing an important factor in young children's performance. The author reviews constructs from neuroscience and behavioral science to propose how the transaction among these constructs may provide a framework for understanding various patterns of behavior and for developing methods for handling young children's sensory processing needs in a functional and supportive manner. The author reviews data from a series of studies on the Sensory Profile, a family-report measure of a child's responses to sensory experiences during daily life, to illustrate the utility and possible quantitative support for the proposed model components in young children with and without disabilities