Understanding Sensory Differences in Young People: A Guide for Australian Families

Picture this: Your teenager comes home from school and slams their bedroom door. An hour later, they come out like a different person. Or maybe you’re an adult who feels like the world is always too loud, too bright, or too busy. Does this sound like you?

You’re not alone. Millions of Australians deal with sensory differences. But many people don’t understand what they are. Let’s look at what these differences mean. We’ll also talk about when getting help might change your life.

What Are Sensory Differences?

Sensory differences are about how our brains handle what’s around us. Some people love busy shopping centres. Others find them too much to handle. Both ways are normal. They’re just different.

Think of your sensory system like a radio. Most people’s radios work well. They pick up the right sounds and block out the rest. But for people with sensory differences, the radio might be too loud. It picks up everything. Or it might be too quiet and miss important things.

The Eight Senses

Most people know about five senses. But there are really eight senses that can work differently:

• Sight: How we see things
• Hearing: How we handle sounds
• Touch: How things feel on our skin
• Taste: How food tastes to us
• Smell: How strong smells affect us
• Balance: How we stay steady and know where we are
• Body awareness: Knowing where our body parts are
• Internal signals: Feeling hungry, thirsty, or needing the toilet

Spotting Sensory Differences in Teenagers

Being a teenager is hard. For teens with sensory differences, it can feel even harder. Here’s what you might see:

• When Teens Want More Sensory Input: Your teen might want intense experiences. They play music very loud. They love extreme sports. They always fidget with things. They’re not being difficult. Their brain needs this input to work well.
• When Teens Avoid Sensory Input: Some teenagers try to avoid certain things. They won’t wear scratchy clothes. They skip parties because they’re “too noisy.” They only eat a few foods. This isn’t being difficult either. It’s how they cope.
• When It Gets Too Much: What looks like a tantrum might be sensory overload. When the brain gets too much information, a meltdown happens. It’s not a choice. It’s their body’s way of dealing with too much.

Sarah’s Story

Sarah is 16 and lives in Brisbane. Her parents thought she was being antisocial. She wouldn’t go to family gatherings. She stayed in her room more and more.

After an autism assessment, they learned Sarah had big sensory differences. Crowded, noisy places weren’t just uncomfortable for her. They were overwhelming. Once her family understood this, they found ways to help. Now Sarah can join family events while managing her sensory needs.

Adults and Sensory Differences: The Missing Piece

Many adults today grew up when we knew less about autism. If you’re an adult wondering about your lifelong quirks, you’re not alone. More and more adults are looking for answers.

What Adults Often Experience:

Work Problems: Open offices can feel awful if you have hearing differences. Bright lights might give you headaches. You might find it hard to focus. These aren’t signs you’re weak. They show your sensory system works differently.

Social Events Drain You: Do parties or gatherings tire you out in ways others don’t understand? Processing many conversations, music, and social cues at once can be exhausting when you have sensory differences.

You’ve Made Your Own Rules: Maybe you always wear sunglasses. You avoid certain restaurants. You have very specific routines. These habits might show you have sensory differences. Once you understand them, you can manage them better.

 

Sense	Teenager Signs	Adult Signs
Hearing	Covers ears a lot, can’t focus when noisy	Likes quiet offices, gets overwhelmed in busy restaurants
Touch	Cuts tags off clothes, doesn’t like certain textures	Very picky about fabrics, doesn’t like unexpected touch
Sight	Squints in normal light, prefers dark rooms	Sensitive to light, struggles with bright office lights
Balance	Loves spinning or swinging, scared of playground equipment	Gets sick from motion, prefers staying on the ground

When to Get Professional Help

Spotting sensory differences is one thing. Understanding how they affect you and finding good ways to cope often needs professional help. An autism assessment can give you important answers. This works for both autism assessment teens and autism assessment adults.

Signs You Might Need Assessment:

For Teenagers:

• Daily tasks stay hard even after trying different approaches
• School or friendships are really affected
• Family members have autism or similar differences
• Sensory behaviours stop them from doing normal teen activities

For Adults:

• Long-term problems that affect work or relationships
• Growing awareness that your experiences are very different from others
• You want to understand yourself better and get the right support
• Your old coping methods don’t work anymore

The Assessment Process: What Happens

Modern autism assessments have changed a lot. You can now get them online across Australia. They’re not about finding problems with you. They’re about understanding how your brain works. They look at your strengths and what support you need.

At Autism Assessments Australia, we offer autism evaluations across Australia. Our experienced doctors use secure video calls. We focus on celebrating differences while giving clear support. We understand sensory differences as part of how your brain processes information.

Why Assessment Helps:

• Answers and Validation: Understanding that your experiences have a reason can feel amazing. It’s not about finding something wrong. It’s about understanding how you’re wired differently.
• Real Strategies: Professional assessment gives you strategies that work for your specific sensory profile. These aren’t general tips. They’re personalised approaches for your unique needs and strengths.
• Access to Support: Formal assessment can help you get workplace help, school support, and community resources made for people with sensory differences.

Making Sensory-Friendly Spaces

Whether you’re helping a teenager or learning about your own needs as an adult, making sensory-friendly spaces is important. This doesn’t mean expensive changes. It means thoughtful adjustments that help different sensory needs.

At Home:

• Make quiet spaces for taking breaks
• Get fidget tools and sensory objects
• Use lights you can adjust
• Add noise-reducing materials to bedrooms or study areas

At Work or School:

• Ask for seating away from busy areas
• Use noise-cancelling headphones when you can
• Ask for flexible break times
• Tell supervisors or teachers about your sensory needs

Moving Forward: Celebrating Differences

Understanding sensory differences isn’t about fixing something broken. It’s about recognising that human brains work in many different ways. Whether you’re a parent helping a teenager or an adult looking for answers, remember that seeking understanding shows strength.

Autism assessment and support in Australia keeps getting better. We’re moving away from seeing differences as problems. Instead, we celebrate different ways of thinking while giving practical help where needed. This means better outcomes for everyone. From teenagers in high school to adults building great careers.

Your Next Step

If you see your teenager or yourself in these descriptions, think about getting professional help. It could give you the clarity and support you’ve been looking for. Get clear answers about your support needs and feel confident about what to do next.

Professional assessment gives you a clear, evidence-based understanding of your daily challenges and strengths. It’s about building tools for success, not just getting a label.

Remember, sensory differences are different for everyone. What matters most is understanding your own profile. Then you can develop strategies that work for your specific needs.

Change how you understand those everyday challenges that might have made you feel different. With the right support and strategies, sensory differences can become just another part of who you are. They don’t have to stop you from living your best life.

Ready to take that next step? Start with a consultation to learn about assessment options across Australia. Visit autismassessmentsaustralia.com.au to begin your journey toward better understanding and support.