Sensory Sensitivities around Chronic Illness
Date issued: September 2026
Review date: September 2027
Leaflet section: Child Health
PDF: Sensory Sensitivities around Chronic Illness.pdf [pdf] 1MB
Children and Young People’s Psychological Health and Wellbeing Team
Contents
How to use this workbook
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This workbook is designed to share information about sensory sensitivities and help you understand whether you have any sensory challenges that affect your chronic illness treatment.
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You should read through the book with a trusted adult and fill in the work sheets to help you understand more about what your sensory needs may be.
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Once you have completed the workbook, there is a clinic passport that you can fill in with what you have learnt about how sensory sensitivities may affect your treatment. You might find it helpful to give your doctor a copy of this so that they can add it to your notes and everyone can support your sensory needs.
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You should take your time to go through this workbook. There is no need to complete it in one sitting, please go through it as and when you wish, in a way that best supports you.
Download and print off the PDF to fill out this workbook
Who is this booklet for?
Everybody experiences the world through their senses, from babies who explore by putting toys in their mouths, and calm down when being rocked, to grandparents who might have the TV on really loud, or notice feeling unsteady on their feet. Our senses help us to understand everyday life at every age. This is especially important for children and teenagers, as sensory experiences affect how we learn, focus, manage our emotions, and socialise. For young people living with long-term conditions, sensory awareness becomes even more important, as you need to recognise signs such as feeling shaky, dizzy, or tired, and get used to aspects of treatment such as blood tests, injections, or using medical technology as part of your daily routine.
Who is this booklet for?
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This booklet is for anyone with a chronic illness who has noticed sensory sensitivities in their daily lives.
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Examples of sensory sensitivities include sensitivity to noise, lights, textures, smells, and tastes.
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This booklet will give more information on each of the senses and common experiences of sensitivities.
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Sensory sensitivities can occur in anyone.
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Sensory sensitivities can be very common in those who are neurodivergent (e.g., have Autism or ADHD). However, they are still often experienced in those without.
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There is information later in this booklet that is specifically tailored for those who are neurodivergent.
Sensory Needs
Spectrum of sensory experiences:
Sensory processing involves how the nervous system receives messages from the senses and turns them into responses. Differences in sensory processing can range from hypersensitivity to hyposensitivity.
Hypersensitivity may cause people to be ‘over responsive’, finding everyday sensory experiences overwhelming. For example, bright lights, loud noises, strong smells and certain textures could cause discomfort or distress. As a result, the nervous system can become dysregulated.
Hyposensitivity or ‘under-responsiveness’ can mean that more intense sensory experiences are needed for someone to register sensations. Examples of how this could manifest could be a high pain threshold, seeking out strong flavours or a preference of deep pressure.
Your senses can often sit at different places on the spectrum of ‘sensory responses’. For example, you could have visual hyposensitivity (need more intense visual stimuli) as well as having auditory hypersensitivity (some sounds can be overwhelming or even painful). These sensitivities can change over time and may vary depending on factors such as stress, environment, physical health, and hormones.
There are 8 different senses that can all have their own specific sensitivities.
Sensory overload happens when someone with sensory sensitivity/sensitivities is exposed to more stimuli than they can comfortably process. This can lead to discomfort, overstimulation and a range of emotional and physical responses including anxiety, irritability, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, nausea, and temporary shutdown.
Table of general sensory sensitivity across 8 senses
| Sense | Hypersensitivity | Hyposensitivity |
|---|---|---|
| Sight | Bright lights may give you discomfort or headaches | You enjoy and look out for visually stimulating environments |
| Hearing | Everyday sounds may feel too loud or distracting | You might not notice or respond to sounds that others do |
| Touch | Some textures or clothing may feel irritating or painful | You may not feel pain or temperature changes as intensely |
| Smell | Strong smells may make you nauseous or uncomfortable | You might not notice strong smells that others find noticeable |
| Taste | Strong flavours might be overwhelming | You might prefer strong flavours and enjoy spicy or flavourful foods |
| Body movement | You may feel dizzy or uncoordinated with movement | You may seek out movement activities like spinning or jumping |
| Balance | You might experience motion sickness or fear of heights | You might not notice when off-balance or may seek out balance challenges |
| Internal body signals | You might focus too much on interpreting internal cues like hunger or thirst | You might not recognize internal body signals, leading to missed cues like needing the toilet |
Sensory sensitivities that may be tricky specifically in the context of chronic illness:
| Sense | Hypersensitivity | Hyposensitivity |
|---|---|---|
| Sight |
Overwhelmed by visual input on medical devices (such as bright screen or flashing lights). Difficulty with cluttered or complex displays and environment. |
May miss visual cues on devices and have low motivation to check devices. |
| Hearing |
Alarms from medical devices may be distressing or triggering. Sensitivity to clinic/hospital noise. |
May not register alerts or alarms, needs louder or more obvious sound cues. |
| Touch | Aversion to blood tests, injections, adhesives, blood pressure monitoring etc. | Reduced awareness of discomfort or irritation - may not notice when equipment is not in place, or posture can worsen symptoms. |
| Smell |
Discomfort/ distress triggered by antiseptic wipes, medications, or medical settings. Could result in specific limited food preferences. |
May not notice spoiled food or offensive scents resulted from medical incidents. |
| Taste |
Strong aversions to required foods or medications due to flavour or texture. |
Craves strong flavours and may struggle with balanced diet. |
| Body Movement |
Hyper-aware of body changes during highs/lows which may lead to misinterpreting and/or anxiety around subtle bodily sensations. |
May not notice body position changes or that are damaging to their condition. |
| Balance |
Discomfort or dizziness may trigger fear or anxiety. Sensitive to motion during physical activity. |
May not notice balance issues associated with dizziness. |
| Internal Body Signals |
Overreacts to internal cues (e.g., hunger, thirst, rapid heartbeat), leading to anxiety or panic. |
Poor awareness of hunger, or thirst; may miss signs indicating early stages of a medical event. |
Does any of this seem familiar to you? In the following information, there is a sensory checklist to help you figure out what you might need support with.
Pre-filled sensory Checklist
There are multiple ways you could use this checklist:
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Use it to help you talk about your senses with someone who helps you with your chronic illness
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Colour any boxes that you identify with
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Add stickers/draw faces to show how you feel about each sense
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Use the blank template to add in your own experiences and use this one as an example if you get stuck!
Print off the PDF at the top of this page to fill out the blank template
| My Senses | Feel a lot | Feel little |
|---|---|---|
| Seeing (eyes) | e.g., Bright screens or lights bother me | e.g., Keeping medical kit in a visually accessible place doesn’t remind me to use/take it |
| Hearing (ears) | e.g., Beeping alarms are too loud or scary | e.g., I might not hear alarms set for me |
| Touching (skin) | e.g., Needles or sticky patches hurt a lot or feel ‘yucky’ | e.g., I don’t always feel when something is making me uncomfortable until it is extreme |
| Smelling (nose) | e.g., Certain smells make me feel sick | e.g., When something is wrong I don’t notice unusual smells |
| Tasting (mouth) | e.g., I struggle with medications that I can taste | e.g., Very strong flavours comfort me |
| Moving (the body) | e.g., I quickly notice my body feeling weird | e.g., I sometimes sit/lie in positions that make my health worse and don’t notice |
| Balance | e.g., I often think I’m going to feel dizzy, and it scares me | e.g., I don’t notice that I feel dizzy until it’s severe |
| Inside feelings (like hunger or pain) | e.g., I feel my body strongly and sometimes worry about things I notice | e.g., It’s hard to tell when I’m hungry or low |
Reflection point!
It is important to recognise that everyone is different, and these are just examples of how someone who experiences sensory sensitivities may struggle with their chronic illness management.
You may recognise many of these experiences in yourself or even notice challenges that aren’t mentioned here. Alternatively, you might only relate to one or two of them. Either way, this does not mean that your needs are less important. Using this knowledge of your sensory experience, those around you can work with you to make your health management a more comfortable and supportive experience.
Neurodiversity
In the following information, we begin to use the terms Neurodiversity and Neurodivergence. It can be helpful to know the difference between these terms as they often get used interchangeably!
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Neurodiversity is a term used to define natural variations in brain differences - applicable to everyone.
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Neurodivergence is a term used to describe people whose brains process information differently from most people.
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Neurotypical is a term used to describe people whose brains process information in line with the societal norm.
This video provides a good explanation for what we are talking about when we refer to neurodiversity and neurodivergence.
Warning: This video may include advertisements of an unspecified nature.
Watch the video Neurodiversity Explained
Neurodivergent Strengths
There are many variations of the human brain. Neurodivergence is an example of these variations, and can be labelled as Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, and Specific Learning Difficulties.
What would happen if the world started recognising the strengths that come from these differences, as well as some of the challenges?
Being neurodivergent can help shape identity and allow people to interact and interpret the world in unique ways. Although there are challenges that can be created by this, there are also many incredible strengths that often come with being neurodivergent.
Below are some examples of strengths that are often possessed by neurodivergent people, and how these strengths may be useful when it comes to managing your chronic illness!
Attention to detail
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Often associated with Autism and ADHD.
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This could aid tracking of symptoms and precise medication administering.
Strong pattern recognition or visual skills
- May help identify trends in symptoms or flares and anticipate potential issues.
Problem-solving and creativity
- Neurodivergent people often approach problems with creative solutions; this could lead to innovative ways to adapt to health management in everyday life. Creative routines or fun reminders can make management feel more enjoyable. This can be a great way to keep you engaged - especially for an ADHD brain!
Specialised interests
- In particular aspects of their condition (e.g. the technology behind it) can be a powerful motivator and help young people become an expert around their condition.
Tech Savvy
- Having a natural aptitude for technology can also aid health management!
Resilience
- Resilience and determination can help neurodiverse young people when challenges arise during chronic illness. Kindness is an important skill that is key to resilience. Being kind to yourself can help you face challenges with more confidence, which often leads to better emotional regulation when things are tough.
You can fill out your strengths by printing off the PDF
Impacts and challenges with managing chronic illness specifically in the context of Autism.
Autism
We have already discussed some challenges of chronic illness that can be common for an autistic person. For example, sensory sensitivities which may present challenges in hospital environments, eating, differences in how the body feels and wearing medical technology.
However, there are some other specific impacts that an autistic person may need support around:
- An autistic brain is often very good at focussing on details; however, this can make autistic people more vulnerable to certain issues such as a fear of medical events. This could lead to them becoming preoccupied with over-monitoring symptoms and they may not be able to recognise the impact this may have on their overall quality of life.
When autistic people become overloaded with stress or sensory stimuli, they can experience ‘shutdowns’ or ‘meltdowns’. This can lead to long-term exhaustion, reduced ability to function and heightened sensitivity. Living with a chronic illness can be frustrating and challenging, meaning it is not uncommon to experience autistic or chronic illness burnout. This could have major impacts such as stopping looking after their condition or trying to ignore it.
Impacts and challenges with managing chronic illness specifically in the context of ADHD
ADHD
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People with ADHD may find it difficult to focus, and health management tasks can be repetitive and boring without immediate pay offs. Therefore, ADHD brains may forget to do these tasks or find they are easily distracted.
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It can also be difficult to plan and remember a routine around your condition. Organising your environment can be tricky too, for example keeping your medical items somewhere easy to find.
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Impulsivity can create complications for health management, for example, you might struggle to pace and save your energy as you prefer to be more spontaneous.
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Emotional regulation can sometimes be a challenging aspect of ADHD. This means that issues like ‘chronic illness burnout’ may be experienced when people with ADHD are managing strong feelings and stress around their condition.
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Many people with ADHD can become fixated on one thing and ignore other things they may need to do. This is called ‘hyperfocus’ and for someone with a chronic illness, it may look like ignoring alarms, forgetting to eat, and finding it hard to remember to take medications.
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Sleep problems can lead to worsened symptoms, or difficulty managing health due to tiredness.
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ADHD brains may struggle to pay attention and recall what they have been advised (e.g. in hospital or doctors appointments). Relationships with others can be affected if this is misinterpreted by others as being ‘unmotivated’ or deliberately ignoring their condition when this isn’t the case.
Tips around support for sensory challenges while treating chronic illness
The following information will give you some ideas for what might help you when you are struggling with hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity during your health management. It might be helpful to get a highlighter or coloured pen and mark the ones that you would like to try. You could keep a log of whether they help and add them to the clinic passport at the end. You can also take these ideas to your medical team and discuss how you can implement them.
Tips around support for Hypersensitive sensory challenges
Sight
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Use screen dimmers on devices
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Have a designated space for health management
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Use sunglasses or visors
Hearing
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Switch alerts to vibration mode/softer alarm
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Use headphones
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Make most of the cues more visual than sound-based
Touch
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Use numbing creams or cold packs
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Experiment with different materials
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Practice desensitisation through play (e.g. with toy medical kits)
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Offer rewards post-procedure
Smell
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Use unscented cleaning products
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Encourage to breathe through mouth
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Introduce an enjoyable/calming smell nearby (e.g. lavender oil)
Taste
- Offer variety of different texture/flavours
Movement
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Incorporate calming physical input (weighted blanket, fidget toys) into routine
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Journal or map physical body feelings
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Practice yoga/stretching
Balance
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Use grounding techniques (weighted blanket/slow rocking)
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Avoid rapid movement changes
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Ensure physical safety in routines
Internal Body Signals
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Mindfulness/grounding to interpret signals
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Use calming routines that incorporate a symptoms tracker
Tips around Support: Regulating activities
We have mentioned ‘internal body signals’ as a sense a few times in this booklet. The proper word for this sense is ‘Interoception’. For ‘movement’ and ‘balance’ we can use the word ‘Proprioception’ .
Children and young people dealing with chronic illness can often feel sensory and cognitive overwhelm a lot more frequently and intensely than others. This is often due to the constant nature of treatment. Young people with chronic illness do not get to have a break from managing their condition! It is common for this overwhelm to lead to dysregulation.
When young people are dysregulated, proprioceptive regulating activities can help (activities that involve the sensations that occur with different body movements). Some examples of proprioceptive activities are…
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Swimming
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Stretching/yoga
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Using a weighted blanket
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Weight baring on hands
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Squeezing (e.g. fidget toy)
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Trampolining
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Chewing (e.g. chew toy or chewy foods)
Tips around Support: Mindfulness/ Relaxation techniques
Health management can be frustrating and stressful. Sensory sensitivities can also be very overwhelming.
Therefore, it may be helpful for young people juggling these aspects (and the people supporting them) to try to practice some relaxation techniques or mindfulness.
Different approaches work for different people. Here are a few techniques you can try. These helpful videos and websites that will guide you through the exercises.
Warning: This video may include advertisements of an unspecified nature.
Tips around Support: Mindfulness/ Relaxation techniques
5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Grounding Technique
This quick grounding exercise can be effective in calming the body and can be done anywhere!
This technique can engage all the senses, or you can tailor it to whichever ones you choose to use.
It may not work for everyone; however, hypersensitive people may find it beneficial as it provides a structured way to navigate overstimulation and calm the body when feeling overwhelmed. Hyposensitive people may find the exercise a useful opportunity to pay attention to and engage their senses.
5 things you can see
4 things you can feel
3 things you can hear
2 things you can smell
1 thing you can taste
High-Low-Buffalo
This is a reflective conversation game that can be done together. It could become a fun part of a daily routine or be a tool to help process emotions and share experiences in a structured way.
How to play and examples:
High - Highlight of your day
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something you are grateful for
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an achievement
Low - Most challenging part of your day
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something that disappointed you
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an upset feeling you experienced
Buffalo - Something interesting
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something funny (e.g., a joke)
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a fun fact
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something unexpected or unusual from your day
Hospital or Clinic Passport
Filling out a hospital/clinic passport can help you communicate specific needs and preferences. This can include making people aware of sensory sensitivities you may experience in hospital or whilst at clinic.
Print off the PDF to see a hospital/clinic passport. This could be filled out alone or with a trusted person (e.g. parents/carer).
Other Resources / Padlets:
This document has been prepared by Phoebe Blackman, Zoë Haines, Dr Cheryl Hunter, and Dr Georgina Davis. And has been reviewed by young people and families with lived experience.
Sources used:
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DigiBete
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Breakthrough Type 1
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Autism Speaks
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Diabetes UK
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The American Diabetes Association
Other formats
If you need this leaflet in another format such as Braille, large print, high contrast, British Sign Language or translated into another language, contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS):
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01752 439694
