A woman in black clothes wearing yellow ear defenders.

Sensory Differences

Easy Read

How you hear, see, taste, touch and smell.

Half a face picture.

Senses help you hear, see, taste, touch and smell.

Picture of one ear.

You hear with your ears.

Photo of one eye.

You see with your eyes.

A man in a yellow top eating food with a spoon.

You taste with your mouth and tongue.

A man with a yellow top smelling with his nose.

You smell with your nose.

A man touching a black board with his hand.

You can feel things with your skin.

For example, with your hands.

A group of people dancing.

You have senses to help you move.

A boy in green balancing on a big yellow fitness ball.

And for balance.

A woman with her hand on her head feeling pain in her head.

Senses help you feel things.

You can feel pain, like a headache.

A woman in a blue top drinking a glass of water.

Senses help you know when you need a drink.

They also help you know when you need the toilet.

Visual planner of someone's day.

Your senses help you every day.

A person with speakers and lights next to them with their head in their hands.

You might feel some things more than others.

Photo of a hand dryer.

Some sounds, like hand dryers, might be very loud.

A man covering his eyes from strip lights above him.

Some lights might feel very bright.

A man with a green top holding his nose.

Or some smells might be stronger.

A white t shirt with a label 'm'.

Your clothes might feel itchy. You might not like labels.

A woman with a blue top who cannot smell her food.

Or you might not feel some senses as strongly as others.

Glass of water.

You may not feel pain as much.

You may not feel thirsty.

Picture of two people in a sensory room with lights and soft furnishings.

You might have both strong and weak senses.

People with neurodivergent symbols in a circle.

Some autistic people or people learning disabilities may have different sensory experiences.

Blue ear defenders.

You might like to wear headphones to make sounds quiet.

A man wearing tinted glasses to help with light sensitivity.

You might wear glasses to make lights less bright.

Two girls jumping in the air with jeans on.

You might like to jump or spin.

Someone holding soft cotton wool in their hands.

You might like soft clothes with no labels.

You might not like to be touched.

A boy with ear defenders and a quiet room and fidget toy next to him saying 'I need'.

Sensory differences are not bad. They are just different.

A doctor in a blue uniform.

If you are worried about your health, or senses, speak to a doctor or health visitor.

Download Easy Read PDF

This Easy Read was created in June 2026

To be reviewed: June 2029

About this Easy Read library

The Easy Read Library was created by Growing Different. Each guide is designed using clear language, simple layouts, and photo symbols to support understanding. We develop it with the families that will use it.

The symbols used are from Photosymbols and are included under licence.

If you reuse, copy or share our Easy Read materials, please note the following:

• Individual images must not be extracted, copied or downloaded from the materials
• The Photosymbols member badge must not be removed or covered
• The materials must be used in line with our licence terms

We follow the Easy Read Standard 2026, developed by Photosymbols.

© Growing Different 2026

Reference

Photosymbols Ltd (2026) The Easy Read Standard: An Evidence-Based Framework for Accessible Information. Version 1.0. January 2026. Developed by Photosymbols Ltd

Photo symbols license number
Photosymbols Credit 2

A note on our information

This site gives general information, not medical advice. We share information and resources, but we can’t offer individual or one-to-one support. Always check with a professional before making decisions about your child.

Disclaimer

The content on this website is provided for general information only. It should not be construed as medical advice, and it is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely. Before making any decisions based on the content of this website you are strongly advised to obtain professional or specialist advice.

Although we make reasonable efforts to update the information on our website, we make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether express or implied, that the content on our website is accurate, complete or up-to-date, and we are not liable or responsible for any decision taken as a result. Please note that using automated summariser or translation tools may affect the accuracy of the information presented here.

Supported by

This project has been made possible with funding from the National Lottery Community Fund and the CPCA (Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority), delivered through Allia Impact Ltd.