Sensory Integration: The Key Senses in the First Year

When your baby squirms at a loud noise, calms down with a gentle rock, or enjoys a high contrast pattern, they’re doing something profound: interacting with the world through their senses. But how do these tiny bodies and brains make sense of all this input? The answer lies in a concept called sensory integration, a term coined and explored in depth by Dr. A. Jean Ayres, an occupational therapist and educational psychologist.

In her work, Ayres highlighted seven sensory systems, three of which are especially important for infants:

1. Tactile (Touch)

Babies explore the world with their skin. The sensation of a parent’s skin, a soft blanket, or even a cold wipe helps their brains learn what’s safe, soothing, or alerting. A strong tactile foundation supports emotional bonding and body awareness.

Support this sense by:

• offering gentle massages,
• letting baby play with textured toys, and
• using skin-to-skin contact regularly.

2. VESTIBULAR (MOVEMENT AND BALANCE)

This system, based in the inner ear, tells the baby where their head and body are in space. It helps with balance and coordination, even before babies can crawl or walk.

It’s activated by rocking, swinging, and changes in head position.

Support this sense by:

• gently rocking,
• dancing with baby,
• use tummy time to challenge movement.

2. Proprioceptive (Body Position and Muscle Awareness)

This sense tells babies how their limbs are moving and how much pressure they’re using.

It’s crucial for developing body awareness and motor skills.

Support this sense by:

• babywearing,
• allowing time for kicking and stretching,
• encouraging movement like rolling or pushing during tummy time.

Why sensory integration Matters in the First Year

According to Ayres, the first year of life is a critical window for sensory development.

Babies who experience a wide variety of appropriate sensory input are more likely to develop strong foundations for future skills like sitting, crawling, feeding, speech, and emotional regulation.

The brain is laying down neural pathways in response to every sight, sound, touch, and movement.

Babies who experience a wide variety of appropriate sensory input are more likely to develop strong foundations for future skills like sitting, crawling, feeding, speech, and emotional regulation.

SMOOTH SENSORY INTEGRATION

When sensory integration goes smoothly, a baby is typically calm, curious, and coordinated.

But suppose the brain struggles to process certain types of input. In that case, a baby might seem unusually fussy, overly sensitive, or hard to soothe, which could indicate sensory processing challenges.

Tips for Supporting Sensory Integration in Babies

• Follow your baby’s cues. Overstimulation can be just as disruptive as too little stimulation.
• Keep sensory experiences balanced. Pair high-energy activities (like bouncing) with calming ones (like cuddling).
• Create a rich but simple environment. High-contrast visuals, music, soft toys, and natural textures can all provide healthy stimulation.
• Let your baby move freely. Movement helps integrate multiple senses at once — encourage time on the floor, supervised tummy time, and gentle changes in position.

EARLY SENSORY INTEGRATION IN BABIES

Jean Ayres taught us that sensory integration isn’t just about what babies experience, it’s about how their brains make sense of it all. During the first year of life, sensory development sets the stage for everything that follows.

As parents and caregivers, we can support this natural process through simple, responsive, and loving interactions.

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