How to Help a Child with High Sensory Issues

Your child̵7;s nervous system performs sensory processing, or sensory integration, by converting messages from the senses into responses, according to the Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation. Approximately 1 in 20 people have a condition known as sensory processing disorder, which blocks specific parts of the brain from obtaining sensory information. The explicit cause of SPD remains unclear, although heredity may be one source of the problem. It̵7;s not unusual for some of the symptoms of SPD, such as hypersensitivity to touch, noises and smells, temper tantrums, clumsiness and problems making friends, to be misdiagnosed or ignored. These factors place children at risk for not receiving treatment for SPD.

Things You'll Need

  • Shopping cart
  • Cookie dough
  • Rolling pin
  • Pots
  • Pans
  • Laundry basket
  • Trash bag
  • Vacuum cleaner
  • Plants
  • Seeds
  • Small spade

Instructions

    • 1

      Remediate the problems associated with SPD with the assistance provided by an occupational therapist. Occupational therapy helps children who may struggle with motor skills, poor self-esteem, behavior problems and poor academic skills. Left untreated, these children are at risk for social isolation and academic failure. These problems do not disappear with adulthood, and adults face greater risks for career, marriage and other social problems.

    • 2

      Learn about your child̵7;s sensory needs and specific occupational therapy techniques designed for addressing those needs. Family-centered occupational therapy encourages parents to collaborate with their child̵7;s occupational therapist to assume an active role in treatment. Parents can discuss their preferences for treatment, and the occupational therapist can share techniques.

    • 3

      Integrate sensory activities into your child̵7;s daily routine. For example, encourage your child to help with pushing the grocery cart, carrying the bags of groceries and putting them away, the Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation recommends. Enlist your child̵7;s help in preparing a meal. Demonstrate how to mix cookie dough and how to roll the dough with a rolling pin. Ask her to assist you with loading and unloading heavy pots and pans from the sink or dishwasher.

    • 4

      Delegate household chores and yard work. Let your child carry the laundry supplies and laundry basket, push the vacuum cleaner and carry the heavy trash bag outside. Show how to dig holes in the dirt for planting seeds and transferring new plants into the ground.

    • 5

      Monitor your child to learn his individual pattern of responding to specific types of sensory activities. Your child may demonstrate variations between sensory seeking and sensory sensitivity behaviors, and the patterns may appear contingent on the context of the activity. Observe your child to determine what works best for him.

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