Sensory Profile 2
What is the Sensory Profile 2 (SP-2)?
The Sensory Profile 2 (SP-2) is a clinician-administered questionnaire, completed by parents, carers or teachers, that describes how a child takes in and responds to everyday sensory information — sound, sight, touch, movement, taste and smell. Covering children from birth to around 14 years, it identifies recognisable patterns such as seeking, avoiding, sensitivity and slow registration across daily settings. It is not a diagnosis but a structured way to understand how a child experiences the world, so support can be tailored to them.
Why does your child cover their ears at the school assembly, or seek out spinning and crashing play? The Sensory Profile 2 helps make sense of these everyday moments.
In short
The Sensory Profile 2 (SP-2) is a clinician-administered questionnaire that helps describe how a child takes in and responds to everyday sensory information — sounds, sights, touch, movement, taste and smell. Completed by parents, carers or teachers and interpreted by a qualified professional, it captures a child's sensory patterns across daily life: home, school and play. It is not a diagnosis or a pass-fail test — it is a structured way of understanding how your child experiences the world, so support can be tailored to them.What the SP-2 assesses
The SP-2 is a family of standardised questionnaires covering children from birth through to around 14 years, with versions for different ages and settings (including an infant/toddler form and a school companion completed by teachers). A familiar adult answers questions about how often the child responds in certain ways to everyday sensory experiences.It looks at sensory processing across the senses — auditory (hearing), visual, tactile (touch), movement, body position, and oral (taste and smell) — and describes recognisable patterns in how a child responds. For example, some children seek lots of movement and input, some avoid or are overwhelmed by it, some are highly sensitive and notice everything, and some are slow to register sensations and may seem not to notice. None of these patterns is 'good' or 'bad' — they simply explain why a child might find a noisy classroom hard, dislike certain clothing textures, or constantly want to jump and spin. This understanding helps therapists and families adapt the environment and daily routines so the child can be calm, comfortable and ready to learn.
When it is used
An occupational therapist may suggest the SP-2 when sensory responses seem to affect a child's comfort, attention, play or daily routines — such as mealtimes, dressing, sleep or settling at school. It is one piece of a fuller developmental picture, used alongside observation and other assessments, never on its own.The Pinnacle way
This is general information, not a diagnosis — a clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under qualified clinician care, never from an app or form alone. Our occupational therapists may use tools such as the Sensory Profile 2 alongside hands-on observation, then build an individualised plan that may draw on occupational therapy and sensory-friendly strategies for home and school.Trusted sources
The American Occupational Therapy Association and ASHA on sensory processing and assessment in children; WHO Nurturing Care Framework on supporting early development across everyday settings; the American Academy of Pediatrics and HealthyChildren on understanding children's individual differences.Next step — If your child's sensory responses are affecting daily comfort, play or learning, book an occupational therapy assessment to understand their unique sensory profile and start the right support.
What to watch
Covering ears at loud sounds, distress with certain clothing textures or food, constant seeking of movement and crashing play, seeming not to notice sensations, or finding noisy or busy settings overwhelming during daily routines like mealtimes, dressing or school.
Try this at home
Notice patterns gently — keep a simple note of which sounds, textures or activities calm your child and which unsettle them. Small changes, like softer seams in clothing or a quiet corner, can make everyday moments easier while you seek guidance.
Trusted sources
Developed by SETU Consortium · Pinnacle Blooms Network · Last reviewed 2026-06-10 · reviewed every 365 days
This is general information, not a diagnosis. A clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under qualified clinician care.
Frequently asked
Is the Sensory Profile 2 a diagnosis?
No. The SP-2 is a structured questionnaire that describes how your child responds to everyday sensory information. It is one part of a fuller picture and is interpreted by a qualified clinician — it does not, on its own, give a diagnosis.
Who completes the Sensory Profile 2?
Familiar adults complete it — usually parents or carers, and sometimes teachers using a school companion version. A trained professional then interprets the responses alongside observation and other assessments.
What age range does the SP-2 cover?
The SP-2 family of questionnaires covers children from birth through to around 14 years, with different versions suited to infants and toddlers, older children, and the school setting.
What does the SP-2 actually look at?
It looks at how a child processes input across the senses — hearing, vision, touch, movement, body position, and taste and smell — and describes patterns such as seeking, avoiding, being sensitive, or being slow to notice sensations.