Autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children are neurodevelopmental problems that can often include problems with processing information perceived by our own body’s sensory systems. This sensory information includes visual, auditory, sound, touch (tactile), taste and smell, movement and body positioning (proprioception and vestibular), and interoception.
Children can demonstrate an over-responsive or under-responsive behavior to sensory stimuli. For the purposes of this article, we will focus on over-responsive behavior.
When problems in some of these sensory systems become debilitating, it is more often referred to as Sensory Processing Disorder, which usually results in significant social, emotional, behavioral, psychological, motor, and attentional problems. These symptoms of SPD can make everyday situations or settings feel incredibly overwhelming for children.
As a parent, if you have a child diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, or autism, it can be devastating to see your child’s significant over-response in specific scenarios caused by their difficulty processing sensory information.
Finding ways for your child to cope and assist them with their sensory processing can be a lifesaver. Sensory processing therapy (sensory integration therapy) can significantly help and benefit children with these issues.
So, what is sensory processing therapy? And how can putting your child in this type of therapy be beneficial? Here is a start to what you need to know and how it can bring your child (and yourself) peace of mind.
What is Sensory Processing Therapy?
The idea behind Sensory processing therapy is that specific movement activities, resistive body work, and tactile experiences can help a child regulate their sensory experiences allowing for a calm and a preferred level of alertness. This is ascertained only after a proper diagnosis or decoding of the child’s sensory processing is made.
The goal of sensory processing therapy is to help better manage the input of senses and therefore produce a preferred regulated response.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapists (OTs) who are specifically trained in Sensory integration therapy not only can help to improve immediate sensory symptoms, but also help manage long-term symptoms. The three major components of Processing therapy are Vestibular (Sensory information about motion, equilibrium, and spatial orientation).
Proprioception ( body’s ability to sense its location, movements, and actions), and tactile including vibrations, temperature, textures, and pain.
Since therapy generally occurs a couple times a week it is extremely important that they also work with parents to provide educational information on how they can continually work therapeutically at home to help their children feel calm in situations where they know they may encounter difficulty and can offer tips for home, such as how to build a sensory room for children.
You may hear about and investigate other adjunct therapy suggestions such as; brushing, therapeutic listening, deep pressure and weighted clothing and toys, acupuncture, behavioral therapy, sensory gyms, visual therapy, and other treatments that could help with symptoms.
Children instinctively seek out what their bodies need when they feel scared or threatened due to a sensory issue. By listening to and observing their reactions, therapists can help them learn to regulate their responses and emotions more positively.
What To Expect from Sensory Processing Therapy
Therapists trained in sensory integration and processing work to evaluate your child’s symptoms. They may begin by using questionnaires for you (the parents) and other assessment tools and activities. They also often start by observing your child and then speaking to you to discover what your child is experiencing and develop a treatment plan.
The plan will consist of setting goals for progress to measure whether there is improvement. While it is still somewhat controversial, there have been studies that demonstrate sensory therapy does improve daily functions in children suffering from autism.
The treatment plans can vary from child to child, but each one is customized to meet unique sensory processing needs. Therapists create activities and places to help produce results that diminish children’s sense of anxiety and tolerate more sensory-rich environments.
Benefits of Sensory Processing Therapy
The activities within sensory processing therapy do produce helpful results in children—those who were receiving sensory therapy required far less assistance from their parents in social and self-care situations. The sensory processing provides children with the ability to function at a higher level.
An example would be if a child wakes often to sensitivity to sounds and has trouble sleeping through the night. The goal of the treatment would be improving that child’s tolerance of sounds through slow sensory integration. First, create an environment devoid of sounds and gradually introduce sounds one by one until the child can sleep without waking.
Over time, sensory therapy helps children improve their focus and behavior and leads to fewer outbursts or meltdowns. The result or goal can help children become less dependent on accommodations and more able to function independently at home, school, or in various social situations.
The key is to integrate supportive tools to maintain this progress. One effective recommendation is to use a daily planner for ADHD to help keep track of therapy activities, monitor growth, and ensure consistency. Planners can serve as a visual aid for setting routines, recording accomplishments, and identifying triggers or patterns, which can further support a child’s development and independence.
Beyond structured planners, consider more straightforward options like notepads for creating daily schedules. These can offer a more flexible approach, allowing for quick adjustments and personalized layouts, which is especially useful for children who benefit from visual and tactile planning.
Consider Sensory Processing Therapy For Your Child
As parents, we want nothing more than for our children to be happy and healthy. It takes a lot of time, effort, and patience when raising a child with autism or ADHD. Sensory problems make it so children don’t respond well to things they see, hear, smell, touch, or taste.
To make life and these situations less overwhelming and manageable, sensory processing therapy is a welcome answer that provides noticeable benefits. Understanding sensory processing disorder and considering therapy programs are excellent ways to help your child improve their quality of life and have more good days than bad.