Sensory Smarts

From the moment of birth children process the world through their senses. Through discovering taste, touch, sound, and movement, each child develops unique likes and dislikes. For some children, however, sensory  processing can be painful or disorganizing.

Raising a Sensory Smart Child, by Lindsey Biel, M.A., OTR/L, and Nancy Peske, is a resource-rich, practical handbook for parents and caregivers of children with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) as they work to help kids find their daily balance.

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What is sensory processing? “It is a neurological  process of translating input from our bodies and environment into meaningful  messages we can use,” says Biel. For children with SPD, everyday activities such  as grooming or playtime, or common noises such as moving a chair on a linoleum  kitchen floor can cause distress. “There is a difference between sensory  preferences (liking the color red) and intolerance's ([being]bothered by certain  fabrics - wool clothing). What we look for is when children are exhibiting out-of-proportion reactions to everyday routines."

Biel’s work shows parents how arranging simple steps in the  course of a day can help retrain the nervous system to work more adaptively for  children with sensory integration dysfunction. In the handbook, the authors  provide a Sensory  Checklist to guide parents and teachers to identify the problem areas where a child may need support. “Put things down on paper. Make a list of  your child’s strengths and [a] list of challenges. Among the areas of  challenges, pick the top three areas, for example, ‘my son bites other children,  is a picky eater, or is scared at the sound of the toilet flushing,’” explains  Biel.

Sleep time is a common problem area where children can benefit  from sensory-smart  interventions, “When I go into homes to assess what may be the  problem with sleep time,  I first look at the sensory aspects. If the child is tactile sensitive, I look at the bedding. Is the room is cool enough?
 
I evaluate the lighting. I also look for what could be soothing to a child such as [using] a weighted blanket. We also don’t overlook medical aspects and behavioral aspects. If a parent works late, a child may need the time with a parent before being able to go to sleep.” The good news about sensory-smart interventions, says Biel, is that the effects are usually immediate and can help children to handle transitions throughout the day with less stress.

While these tangible steps hold promise in helping children  self-regulate, Biel is quick to note that children cannot be protected from  every unpleasant sensory trigger, and that teaching coping is also critical. “Every parent  needs to ask themselves, ‘When do I push my child and when do I protect them?’  For example, when attending a party, teach the child an exit strategy  beforehand. If the child feels overstimulated, how can the child take a break  and re-group?” she says.

Biel also notes that acquiring sensory-smart intervention  early helps child to self-advocate, “An older child, for example, can learn when  to say, ‘I need water,’ or ‘I need to go for a walk’ or a nonverbal child can  use a card system to communicate, ‘I need my lap pad.’” Biel makes an important  distinction between difficult behavior and sensory overload.

This assessment tool is a template for what Biel calls setting  up a Sensory Diet, a schedule of activities that help a child regulate to  sensory input. “A reactive child may need more calming input such as time on a therapy ball in the middle of the day; for a child who is lethargic, they may  need more arousing input such as music,” says Biel.

Sleep time is a common problem area where children can benefit  from sensory-smart  interventions, “When I go into homes to assess what may be the  problem with sleep time,  I first look at the sensory aspects. If the child is tactile  sensitive, I look at the bedding. Is the room is cool enough?

I evaluate the lighting. I also look for what could be soothing to a child such as [using] a weighted blanket. We also don’t overlook medical aspects and behavioral aspects. If a parent works late, a child may need the time with a parent before being able to go to sleep.” The good news about sensory-smartinterventions, says Biel, is that  the effects are usually immediate and can help children to handle transitions  throughout the day with less stress.

While these tangible steps hold promise in helping children self-regulate, Biel is quick to note that children cannot be protected from every unpleasant sensory trigger, and that teaching coping is also critical. “Every parent needs to ask themselves, ‘When do I push my child and when do I protect them?’  For example, when attending a party, teach the child an exit strategy beforehand. If the child feels overstimulated, how can the child take a break  and re-group?” she says.

Biel also notes that acquiring sensory-smart intervention early helps child to self-advocate, “An older child, for example, can learn when to say, ‘I need water,’ or ‘I need to go for a walk’ or a nonverbal child can use a card system to communicate, ‘I need my lap pad.’” Biel makes an important distinction between difficult behavior and sensory overload.

Developing an understanding of a child’s sensory diet, adds Biel, can help teachers in school settings recognize and manage what overwhelms the child and prevent the child from getting overloaded in the first place.
 
This fall, parents will be preparing their children to return to school. Biel's website also offers a section with tips on how to advocate formally through an IEP and additional tips in a back-to-school web-cast series at Autism Hangout. 

What I appreciate most about Biel’s work is how it informs one  to think more broadly about all children’s needs. Biel added, “If a child is front of the television all day, their visual system is only in use, and all the other systems are ignored. Children need to move. Limit the screen time and  increase the sensory exploration time. Kids [need] to be out in nature, out in the playground. From a sensory standpoint – life is a multi-sensory experience.”