Sensory Integration
Most of our kiddos have sensory issues. Many may have hypo-sensitivites or hyper-sensitivites to stimuli.
Your child may not feel pain as intensely, or your child may be so irritated by the tag in their shirt that it is literally "painful" to them.
Your child may love loud music, drums, etc, or they may plug their ears because they are hypersensitive to sounds and noises.
Most of our children are very tactile and enjoy things like beanbags, squishy balls, and sensory brushes.
Many of our children enjoy vestibular stimulation like swinging, or the joint compression of jumping on a trampoline.
Some of our children enjoy visual stimuli such as colored lights, spinning objects, flashing lights, fiber optic things, etc.
There are many ways you can integrate sensory items into your daily life. At our home we transformed one of our rooms into a "Sensory Room". (Who needs a formal dining anyway???) Our sensory room has a mini-trampoline, a cucoon swing, tactile toys and spinners, a bean table, a big yoga ball, bean bag chair and mooshie pillows, unique lighting, and a "sensory board" that we made out of different tactile objects and mini lights attached to a reflective board.
FIND A SPOT: You don't have to create your own sensory room. You can incorporate things into your child's bedroom. (just don't make it too stimulating). A walk-in closet or a corner of a room can even work as a mini-sensory area. *Think outside the house* Can you convert a play house or tree house in the backyard into a sensory experience? That works too! Get creative!
SOME "STARTER" IDEAS: Make a wall-hanging with various textures for your child to feel, or hang rope lights or Christmas lights in your child's room. Provide access to a bean bag chair or "crash area" with lots of pillows. Ball pits, swings, and mini trampolines are good for sensory rooms, but probably need to be left out or bedrooms because those things "stimulate" their senses.
AT SCHOOL: If your child is super-sensitive to tags, remove them. If they are super-sensitive to sounds, ask if you can send ear plugs for your child to use during loud times like PE or Lunch. If they need some tactile stimulation, or a break from the flourescent lighting, talk to your child's teacher or special ed. teacher to see if there is something you can work out. (Tactile ideas - duct tape a sensory brush under child's desk so they can rub hands on the brush without being noticed by the other students. Teach your child how to squeeze their hands together to give themselves sensory input.) (Lighting Ideas: See if there is a "shady spot" in the classroom that is not directly under a light, and as close to natural light as possible. See if the school would be open to the idea of removing a couple of the flourescent bulbs from the light above where your child sits.)
Email if you need specific ideas for your child or if you want more info. about sensory integration! - Tiff
