Which modalities are often associated with hyper-sensitivity in some students with severe disabilities?

• A. Visual, olfactory, and gustatory stimuli
• B. Proprioceptive only
• C. Olfactory only
• D. Auditory, tactile, and vestibular stimuli

Answer: (A)

Hyper-sensitivity to sensory input often shows up across multiple senses for students with severe disabilities, and some senses are more commonly involved than others. Visual input can become overwhelming with bright lights, busy visuals, or flashing patterns. Olfactory input can be triggering from strong smells in the environment or products. Gustatory input relates to taste and texture, where certain textures or flavors may be intensely aversive. When these senses are particularly heightened, a student may become distressed, withdraw, or seek to avoid the stimuli. Because this combination—visual, olfactory, and gustatory sensitivities—is frequently observed, it best matches how hypersensitivity can present in this population. Other options either focus on a single sense or include senses that aren’t as consistently linked together in hyper-sensitivity for many students with severe disabilities.