Sensory processing in young children with visual impairments: Use and extension of the Sensory Profile.

The team added 15 new questions to the Sensory Profile. The questions target sensory issues common in kids with visual impairments.

Parents of young children with visual impairments filled out the new form. Researchers checked if the add-on gave steady results and truly caught sensory problems.

The 15-item add-on scored high on reliability and validity. Kids with visual impairments earned scores that clearly sat above the usual range, flagging more sensory trouble.

Reynolds et al. (2008) once asked if sensory over-responsivity is even a real stand-alone diagnosis. They only had three case stories and said the evidence was thin. Houwen et al. (2022) now show that, when you ask the right questions, sensory issues in visually-impaired children are measurable and reliable. The new tool does not contradict the old doubt; it simply gives clearer data.

Constable et al. (2024) built a short parent form called ViBe for kids with autism. Both teams prove that brief parent checklists can spotlight vision-linked behaviors that clinicians miss. One tool serves autism, the other visual impairment, but the logic is the same: parents notice more when questions fit the child’s daily life.

Eggleston et al. (2018) used the regular Sensory Profile to sort preschoolers with autism into four sensory subtypes. Suzanne et al. extend that idea by adding items for children whose main diagnosis is visual impairment, showing the measure can grow to fit new groups.

You now have a quick, valid way to measure sensory processing in young clients who are blind or have low vision. Slip the 15 questions into your intake packet. The scores will tell you if the child needs sensory supports before you plan visual or adaptive goals.