What is Sensory Disability?

Sensory disability happens when one or more of our senses aren’t working as they should. This can make it hard to sense or process information. Here are some examples:

Visual Disability:

Blindness: Complete loss of vision.
Partial Blindness: Limited vision, such as difficulty seeing fine details or colors.

Hearing Disability:

Deafness: Complete inability to hear.
Partial Deafness: Ranges from mild to severe, affecting the ability to hear or understand speech.

Touch Disability:

Tactile Disability: Difficulty sensing touch, affecting the ability to feel physical contact or temperature.

Taste Disability:

Gustatory Disability: Trouble detecting, distinguishing, or enjoying flavors.

Smell Disability:

Olfactory Disability: Difficulty detecting and interpreting smells, which can impact recognizing scents and potential dangers.

What are the Characteristics of Sensory Disability?

Characteristics vary depending on the sense affected and the degree of disability. Common challenges include:

Communication Difficulties: People with hearing or vision loss, or those on the autism spectrum, may have difficulty communicating. Methods like sign language, braille, or assistive devices can help.
Mobility and Orientation Issues: Vision loss can make moving around safely difficult, and hearing loss can also impact mobility. Specialized training or assistive devices can assist in navigating safely.
Difficulty Accessing Information: Hearing or vision loss, or sensory processing disorders, can make accessing audio or visual information challenging. Adaptive devices, assistive technology, or support workers can be crucial for accessing information in various forms.