15 How To Manage Your Child’s Sensory Needs

Guest Introduction:

Catie Sondrol is an occupational therapist and co-owner of Milemarkes therapy who has served many families throughout the Mohave Valley county in Arizona for the past 18 years. They provide occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy, music therapy, habilitation, and adult day programs and work service programs.  She has completed mentorship training with the STARS Institute and Avanti Therapeutic Projects.

Interview from the dialogue:

How would you in your own words describe sensory difficulties for the client’s you have seen in your past?

Confusion, disorganization, or chaos of inputs to the body.  When the brain is connecting the dots, the 8 senses afford a clear understanding of what’s happening both inside and outside of the body.  But when the mangled messages become impairing or overwhelming it can lead to a variety of defensive behaviors.

Do only children on the spectrum experience sensory issues?

No, sensory doesn’t discriminate.  Oftentimes there is a comorbidity.  Sometimes there isn’t.   

What may sensory processing difficulties look like?

Avoiding or shutting down, fleeing or escaping, or anger and fighting.  When the body becomes overwhelmed by an input or is confused by how to process the input these external “behaviors” are what we often see.  Routine and structure become input in the person’s life so that they can structure their environment to minimize the likelihood of experiencing the noxious sensory event.

What are the various sensory (senses) that individuals may have trouble with?

We all learn about our 5 senses in school.  So of course those are senses we can have trouble with.  But in OT school we learn about 3 other senses.  Interoceptive, vestibular, and proprioceptive.

Is my child hyposensitive or hypersensitive?

We need to be careful with over all classifications or generalizations.  Individuals are often a mixed back of this and it is specific to the sensory system.  Example I might be hypersensitive to vestibular input meaning I don’t like to swing and feel like I am going to throw up, but I might be hyposensitive to touch which means I seek a lot of touch and deep pressure.  

We are talking about implementation of a sensory diet. You like to call it a sensory lifestyle. Can you elaborate more on that?

A diet is a planned and scheduled activity program designed to meet a child’s individual sensory needs. 

A diet is something you discontinue.  A lifestyle is something you maintain over a lifespan.  Our sensory systems evolve and change as we grow, mature, have different environmental demands, etc.  so it is only natural that your sensory supports need to grow and change too.

Sensations are like “food” for our nervous system.  Without a good supply and wide range of sensations the nervous system cannot develop to it’s maximum potential. 

Look at your own sensory lifestyle: when you are stressed do you chew gum, smoke, go for a run, punch a punching bag…..

How do you implement a sensory lifestyle?

Remember it is individualized!  Sensory experiences should be part of everyone’s day, every day.  Play is an essential part of a child’s development and is enriched with lots of sensory experiences. 

You need to consider the “why” or what the person is trying to get from the current sensory inputs in their day.

Need to consider the frequency….how often should they get input

Consider the duration….when they get it for how long do they need it

Consider the intensity….how much of it should they get…what is the impact…the bang for your buck!

*Remember if there is a sensory “behavior” you are trying to eliminate you can’t take away because it has a purpose (example chewing on a shirt)….you have to know the “why” and then find a socially appropriate replacement that will meet or exceed the threshold the body is receiving from it.

***It should leave a child feeling organized, good, and grounded.

Doesn’t always have to purchased equipment….get creative with play.---making a fort, ninja warrior

Sensory “smart” home: quiet spaces, reducing visual clutter

Pressure garments

Fidget toys

Weighted blankets or vests

Chewable “jewelry”

Colored lenses

Noise reducing headphones

Music

Bouncy or moving chairs

Swing

Dream pad

Lycra bed sheets

Recap:

1. Sensory processing is:

   • How we take in, understand and organize the sensory input we receive in our world. 

   • Sensory processing difficulties happen when a person is not effectively processing the sensory input they are receiving.

   • This can present as behaviors in an attempt to manage the input.

2. The 8 senses that can be impacted by sensory processing difficulties are:

   • Touch

   • Smell

   • Taste

   • Vision

   • hearing

   • Vestibular inner ear where we are at and orientated

   • Interoception internal environment sleepy hungry

   • Proprioception pressure joints movements

3. When implementing a sensory lifestyle remember:

   •  Your child may need a lot of input from one sense and little or less input from another sensation. 

   • Consider frequency, intensity, and duration of the sensory activity

   • Continue to make adjustments as our sensory needs may change day to day and overtime.

Resources:

To learn more about Milemarker’s therapy in Arizona or to reach out to Catie directly for more resources visit:

https://www.milemarkers.us/

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