Be Sensory Smart!
- Emily Cairns
- Apr 1, 2016
- 2 min read
Is your child only able to stay in school for half the day before displaying unwanted behaviours? Have you ever had a successful trip to the grocery store without having to drop everything and leave? It could be that your child would benefit from a sensory diet.
Do you remember the rush you’d get as a child when you would swing back and forth on the swing set? The higher you went, the stronger the feeling. If you’ve noticed your child doing repetitive things like jumping on the trampoline or rocking back and forth they could be seeking that rush or feeling. The rush they feel allows them to wake up their muscles and be aware of their body.
A sensory diet is not something you eat, rather something you feel. Just as your child craves food during the day, they also crave sensory inputs – just like the cravings you get for that hot cup of tea after a long day of work.
Studying your child’s behaviours is the first step to understand their sensory difficulties. You can tell your child is having sensory issues if they:
Are wound up and hyper.
Can’t settle after being in busy environments.
Don’t understand personal space.
Often look tired and lethargic.
Or have trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep.
Because each child is unique, there is no step-by-step handbook for creating a sensory diet but with the help of an Occupational Therapist, your child’s sensory needs can be met in safe, predictable, and effective ways. The goal is to give your child the right type of sensory input multiple times during the day so there’s no need to resort to unwanted behaviours.
A sensory diet is 24/7!
The right combination of sensory input is something you will need to figure out together and with the help of an occupational therapist. Your son or daughter will let you know what works for them and doesn’t. Knowing what the right challenges for your child can be difficult, they will vary from the type of activity, time of day, mood, or whether they’re alone or with other children. For a sensory diet to be effective, it must be implemented on a daily basis and multiple times during the day.
Sensory activities should be fun! You should try to make them manageable. Activities that are too hard or easy could bore or discourage your child from continuing with the activity. Creating habits at home and blending them into daily routines will help your child take control of their own sensory needs.These programs are hard to maintain, but any activity you can make a habit will be one less you need to remember.
For example, one of your child’s chores could be pushing the laundry basket full of clothes to the laundry room and stuffing them into the washer. This activity creates a sensory challenge for your child while teaching them to help around the house.
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