The nature of ASD is such that many children will be over or under reactive to sensory stimuli. The latest Diagnostic Standards Manual DSM-5 that came out in May 2013 finally recognized that sensory processing difficulties are a part of ASD. Some children will have a dual diagnosis of a Sensory Processing Disorder. For others it will just be part of their ASD. It is easier to change the environment than change the child.
Simple changes in the environment can make a big difference to a child’s engagement and learning outcomes. You could spend all day asking a child to “sit still” on the mat or you could give them a “sensory mat” to sit on that helps them sit still. Often sensory can be the underlying cause of so much distress and behaviour. Children can be hypersensitive (over sensitive) or hyposensitive (under sensitive) to touch, taste, smell, sound, sight, and/or movement.
Occupational Therapists are normally the specialists who assess children’s sensory processing and implement programs to regulate their senses or address sensory needs. In my experience many children need sensory adaptions in the classroom. By regulating the amount and intensity of stimulation it helps to keep the nervous system calm, organized and focused. Children can be under-stimulated and sluggish one moment, and overwhelmed and anxious the next. Meeting sensory needs can include using sensory tools to regulate behaviour or adapting activities to reduce sensory stimulation. For example, some children can sit for longer periods with a sensory tool. While other children may need clothing adaptions.
It stimulates the 5 senses i.e., touch, smell, sight, taste, and sound as well as is responsible for our sense of balance and keeps track of and controls the different parts of our bodies systems. It is essential for all kids to learn how their bodies work, and how to process and interpret the world around them. Sensory activities contribute to this by helpings kids to learn, build language, promote social interaction, and develop motor skills.
10 Sensory Activities for everyone:
Helps to engage with all of their senses in a particular activity and more neural pathways are actually created in the brain. Sensory activities can benefit all children, but are of particular help to those on the autism spectrum. Sensory play offers a natural (and fun) way for kids to discover, examine, and understand the world around them, which in turn helps develop their:
Why undertake sensory programs?
As stated above, SPD can have a huge impact on learning and behavior. By creating an appropriate sensory programme you can reduce fears, confusion, and difficulty and provide long term change.
11 Common Signs of Sensory Processing Disorder or Difficulties
Sometimes you need to be a detective to recognize sensory difficulties as the underlying cause of a problem.
Here is a list that may help you identify children’s underlying sensory difficulties:
Sensory processing difficulties are a key issue for many children with an ASD. It is vital to consider the possible impact of this and how to address these issues.
What is it Sensory Processing Disorder?
Sensory Processing Disorder or SPD (also referred to as Sensory Integration Disorder or Sensory Integration Dysfunction) is a neurological disorder causing difficulties with taking in, understanding, and responding to sensory information from the environment and within your own body.
People with an ASD tell us about their sensory difficulties. Temple Grandin (in her autobiography) writes: “Ordinary clothes itched and scratched. Behaviour Problems could have been avoided by simple clothing modifications.” “My eyes are sensitive to light, and I squint.” “Although my hearing was normal, noises overwhelmed me. I covered my ears to block out sounds.”
How does it affect learning?
For those with SPD, sensory information may be sensed and understood in a way that is different from most other people. Unlike blindness or deafness, sensory information can be received by people with SPD, the difference is that information is often registered, interpreted, and processed differently by the brain. SPD can affect not only how they move and learn, but also how they behave, how they play and make friends, and especially how they feel about themselves.
Why undertake sensory programs?
As stated above, SPD can have a huge impact on learning and behavior. By creating an appropriate sensory programme you can reduce fears, confusion, and difficulty and provide long term change.
Children with an autism spectrum disorder often seek out sensory activities. For example, chewing, twirling, and fidgeting. They find specific sensory experiences calming. For example, rocking, flicking, visual patterns, or flapping. Holding an object in their hands can often enhance learning. For example, if given a sensory toy to hold at mat time a child can sit for longer, concentrate better, be less disruptive to peers, is calmer and has reduced anxiety levels. Sensory toys can also replace inappropriate behaviors.
So many teachers and parents of children with ASD ask me this question. The simple answer is no because a combination of strategies is required. But if there was ONE idea that makes a big difference and is so easy to use it would be using what is called a fidget toy. The irony is that it is the strategy that is most resisted by educators.
A small ‘fidget toy’ in the hand of the majority of children with ASD will provide drastic improvement in their learning and behaviour.
I acknowledge that the idea that playing with a ‘toy’ improving concentration is the opposite experience for teachers and parents with non-ASD children.
For children with ASD this strategy can be a MAGIC WAND. It calms them, reduces stress, and reduces distractions - therefore increasing learning readiness and promoting good behaviour. Many children with ASD seek movement to calm and process; by allowing the child to move their fingers using a “fidget toy” it actually increases learning.
A good indicator of whether a child needs fidget toys is:
“WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU REMOVE THEM?”
If you remove the toy and you see other behaviors emerge this indicates the child actually “seeks” this and “needs” it. For example the behaviors you will see could include:
ATTENTION ACTIVITIES STAGE 2
Rainbow Sponge Painting
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