Open mouth posture - low oral/motor tone

*  Arm flapping and finger flicking - attempt to stabilize his shoulder girdle

*  Moving into people - seeking deep pressure input

*  Flicking finger to side - this behavior is sometimes used when a child is having   difficulty with midline eye focusing

*  Throwing things down - motor planning - doesn't know what else to do with this item

                          SENSORY DIET

SENSORY SYSTEM:     Proprioceptive, Oral/Motor

ACTIVITY:                     Resistive Sucking to increase oral motor tone and promote   midline eye focus

EQUIPMENT:                 Sports Water Bottle, Crazy Straw, Plastic Straw

FREQUENCY:                 Constantly made available throughout the day

Proprioceptive input (sensations from joints, muscles and connective tissues that lead to body awareness) can be obtained by lifting, pushing, and pulling heavy objects, including one’s own weight. A child can also stimulate the proprioceptive sense by engaging in activities that push joints together like pushing something heavy or pull joints apart like hanging from monkey bars.

Toddlers and Preschoolers

Make a “burrito” or “sandwich.” Firmly press on your child’s arms legs and back with pillows or make a “burrito” by rolling her up in a blanket.

Push and pull. She can push her own stroller, and a stronger child can push a stroller or cart filled with weighted objects such as groceries.

Carry that weight. Your child can wear a backpack or fanny pack filled with toys (not too heavy!).

School-age Kids

Jump! Have your child jump on a mini-trampoline or rebounder or play hopscotch.

Push and pull. Have him vacuum, carry books from one room to another, help wash windows or a tabletop, and transfer wet laundry from the washing machine to the dryer.

Teenagers and Adults

Heavy lifting. Without straining, teens and adults can shovel snow or lift free weights.

Push, pull, and carry. Rake leaves, push heavy objects like firewood in a wheelbarrow, do push-ups against the wall, wear a heavy knapsack (not too heavy!) or pull a luggage cart-style backpack, or mow the lawn with a push mower.

Reassuring pressure. Get a firm massage, use a weighted vest or lap pad from a therapy catalog, or place light weights in the pockets of a fishing, athletic or regular type of vest. (Please see Raising a Sensory Smart Child for weighted wearable recommendations and precautions).

Vestibular

Vestibular input (the sense of movement, centered in the inner ear). Any type of movement will stimulate the vestibular receptors, but spinning, swinging, and hanging upside down provide the most intense, longest lasting input. If your child has vestibular (movement) sensitivities, please work closely with a sensory smart OT who can help you recognize and prevent signs of nervous system overload.

Toddlers and Preschoolers

Swing. Encourage her to swing on playground swings, trying various types of swings and movements, such as front to back and side to side.

Spin. Have him spin using a Sit n’ Spin, Dizzy Disc Jr., or office chair. Let her run in circles, and ride a carousel. Hold your child’s arm and spin in a circle as he lifts off the ground, or play airplane by holding one of his arms and the leg on the same side of his body as you spin in place (only if he does not have low muscle tone).

School-age kids

Get upside down. Have him hang upside down from playground equipment, do somersaults, or ride a loop-de-loop rollercoaster.

Swing and roll. Encourage her to use playground swings and roll down a grassy or snowy hill (which good proprioceptive input as well).

Spin. Encourage her to go on amusement park rides that spin, have a Dizzy Disc Jr..

Teenagers and Adults

Swing and spin. Swing on a hammock, use playground swings or merry-go-round (you’re never too old!).

Move that body! Do cartwheels, swim (doing flip turns and somersaults in the water), do jumping jacks, and dance.

Tactile

The tactile sense detects light touch, deep pressure, texture, temperature, vibration, and pain. This includes both the skin covering your body and the skin lining the inside of your mouth. Oral tactile issues can contribute to picky eating and feeding difficulties.

Toddlers and Preschoolers

Food and drink. Let your child drink plain seltzer or carbonated mineral water to experience bubbles in her mouth (you can flavor it with a little juice or with lemon, lime, etc.).

Messy play with textures. Have her play with foamy soap or shaving cream, and add sand for extra texture. Have her fingerpaint, play with glitter glue, mix cookie dough and cake batter, and so on. Let your child use the playground sandbox or create your own at home, filling a bin with dry beans and rice or other materials and small toys. Cover and store the bin for future use.

Use child-friendly modeling material such as Play-Doh, Model Magic, and Sculpey (the classic Play-Doh Fun Factory provides excellent proprioceptive input as well). Never force a child who is unwilling to touch “yucky” substances. Let him use a paintbrush, stick, or even a toy for cautious exploration.

Dress up. Dress up in fun costumes to get used to the feel of unfamiliar clothing,

School-age kids

Food and drink. Provide your child with frozen foods (popsicles, frozen fruit or vegetables) and mixed temperature foods (hot fudge sundae, hot taco with cold toppings, etc.).

Get in touch with nature. Encourage him to walk barefoot in the grass (avoiding pesticide applications), sand, or dirt. Have him garden and repot indoor plants.

Play dress-ups. Encourage play with make-up, face painting, and costumes, putting on a play or making a mini movie with a video camera.

Teenagers and Adults

Tactile hobbies. Sculpt, sew, weave, crochet or knit. Create a scrapbook (which involves lots of pasting and working with different textures). Use sandpaper to smooth a woodworking project. Make things out of clay, and try using a potter’s wheel.

Auditory

Auditory input refers to both what we hear and how we listen, and is physiologically connected with the vestibular sense. In addition to various types of recorded and live music, here are some ways kids and adults can get calming and organizing auditory input.

Get outside and listen. Go to the beach or sit still and listen to the rain, thunder, and so on. If you hear birds singing, try to identify what direction a given bird is calling from.

Listen to natural sound recordings. There are many recordings of rain falling, ocean waves, bird songs, and so on. Sometimes natural sound recordings also feature light instrumentation with flutes, keyboards, etc. Some children and adults find they sleep better if they play such music.

Play a listening game. You and your child sit very quietly and try to identify the sounds you hear (traffic, the hum of the refrigerator, a door shutting, etc.) and where it’s coming from.

Find calming, focusing music. Listen to music specially engineered to promote calm, focus, energy, or creativity. Keep in mind, of course, that musical preference is highly idiosyncratic, so this will take some experimentation. The music you love may distress your child, while the music he finds so soothing may drive you up the wall.

Encourage musicianship. Provide your child with a musical instrument and encourage him to play and even take lessons.

Give him some control. For a child with auditory sensitivity, predicting and controlling sounds can be very helpful. Encourage him to turn on the vacuum cleaner, help him pop the balloons after a birthday party, anticipating the noise. Try Sound Eaze and School Eaze CDs that desensitize children to everyday sounds such as flushing toilets, thunder, barking dogs, alarms, and other sounds many kids find distressing.

Create pleasant sounds. Get a white noise machine, tabletop rocks-and-water fountain, or aquarium.

Visual

Visual input can often be overstimulating for a child with sensory issues. Think about ways you can simplify the visual field at home or school for a calming, organizing effect. Alternately, if the child seems “tuned out” and doesn’t respond easily to visual stimulation, add brightly colored objects to encourage visual attention. For example, a child who has trouble getting aroused for play may be attracted by a brightly painted toy chest filled with toys in appealing colors. A child who seem unable to watch a ball as it rolls may be able to watch it if the ball lights up or makes noise as it moves.

Avoid excess visuals. Hide clutter in bins or boxes or behind curtains or doors—a simple, solid-color curtain hung over a bookshelf instantly reduces visual clutter. In rooms where the

child spends a lot of time, try to use solid colored rugs instead of patterned ones. Solid-colored walls in neutral or soft colors are less stimulating than patterned wallpaper in bold colors.

Seat him elsewhere. Have your child sit at the front of a classroom where there is less distraction. He may also need to sit away from the window to avoid the allure of the outdoors. Some children do best sitting in the back of the room so they can monitor what other kids are doing without constantly turning around. Work with the teacher and an OT to see which seat placement works best.

Be color-sensitive. Avoid toys, clothes, towels, etc., in colors that your child find distressing.

Smell

Olfactory input (sense of smell) comes through the nose and goes straight to the most primitive, emotional part of the brain. So if your child is upset by something being stinky, it’s no wonder. Certain odors can stimulate, calm, or send him into sensory overload.

Smell stuff! Explore scents with your child to find ones that work best to meet your goal (to soothe him or to wake him up). Everyone has different preferences, but vanilla and rose scents are generally calming. Peppermint and citrus are usually alerting. Let’s say your child needs help staying calm and loves vanilla. You can use high-quality vanilla soap and bath oils at bath time, vanilla candles or essential oils in an aromatherapy machine at bedtime, and vanilla body lotion.

Caution: Avoid lavender products for boys as several recent studies show a link with breast development in boys. It’s probably best to avoid using these products for girls as well.

Scent break. If your child is overtired at the shopping mall and you know scents help, have her smell her favorite scent or stop into a store that sells candles and soaps.

Scent play. Play a smelling game with your child. Have her close her eyes or wear a blindfold and try to identify smells such as citrus fruit, flowers, spices such as cinnamon, and so on.

Taste

Taste input is perceived by our tongue but how we interpret or experience it is strongly influenced by our sense of smell. As an experiment, chew some gum until the flavor is gone, then hold a lemon under your nose; the gum will taste like lemon. Help your child with to broaden the tastes he tolerates or likes, and use strong tastes he enjoys to help arouse his sluggish system.

Give strong-tasting foods before introducing new ones. Strong tastes can stimulate the mouth of an undersensitive child and make him more willing to try new foods. Before presenting new foods, let the child have one peppermint, sour gummy bear, or other strong-flavored food.

Play a taste game. If your child does not have a strong negative reaction to refined sugar (becomes very “hyper” or sleepy), get an assortment of flavored jellybeans. Eat one at a time, and have her guess which flavor it is. If you wish to avoid sugar (and artificial color and flavor in most candies), you can play this game with slices of fruit, or another healthier snack.

Involve him in food preparation. Children are more likely to taste something if they help make it. Let your child help you grow fruit, vegetables, and herbs, and plan dinner and shop. Give him a sense of control: let him choose between chicken or fish, string beans or sugar snaps, potato or rice. Then let your child put the meat in the baking pan, break off vegetable tips and dump in water, and so on. Let him help you arrange food on each plate so it looks nice.

Play with your food. A so-called picky eater may be more willing to eat “rocks and trees” than meatballs and broccoli. Fun arrangements such as some vegetable sticks and grape tomatoes placed in a smiley face pattern on a plate encourage kids to taste something new.

Sample Sensory Diet

Here is a sample sensory diet, created for a second grade child with sensory processing disorder. We’ve used the annoying term “as directed” to avoid providing a cookbook recipe. Activities must be individualized for each child and modified frequently to meet changing needs. A separate program was worked out for this child with the school, including frequent movement breaks, an inflatable seat cushion for wiggling while remaining seated, and providing crunchy/chewy oral comfort snacks at handwriting time.

In the Morning

Massage feet and back to help wake up Listen to recommended therapeutic listening CD

Use vibrating toothbrush and/or vibrating hairbrush

Eat crunchy cereal with fruit and some protein

Spin on Dizzy Disc Jr. as directed

Jump on mini-trampoline as directed

After school

Go to playground for at least 30 minutes Push grocery cart or stroller

Spinning as directed

Mini-trampoline. Add variety: have him play catch or toss toys into a basket while jumping.

Massage feet to “reorganize,” use therapy putty, make “body sandwiches,” wheelbarrow walk

Do ball exercises as directed

Listen to therapeutic listening CD

Oral work — suck thick liquids through a straw, eat crunchy and chewy snacks, or chew gum before and/or during tabletop activities

At dinnertime

Help with cooking, mixing, chopping, etc. Help set table, using two hands to carry and balance a tray

Provide crunchy and chewy foods

At night

Family time: clay projects, painting projects, etc. Warm bath with bubbles and calming essential oil

Massage during reading time

Chase Games

Tag Follow-the-Leader

Obstacle Courses

Red Light/Green Light

Running Races

Exercise Games

Simon Says Obstacle Course

"If You're Happy & You Know It"

Incorporate:

Jumping JacksStretchingSitups and PullupsTumbling/Head StandsBalance BeamStanding on one legWheelbarrow

Swinging/Bouncing

Inside swings Trampoline

Hang-bar

Tire Swing

Outside swings

Outside trolley

Exercise ball

Squeezables

Nerf balls Gak, floam, flubber, silly putty

Play catch with any ball

Incorporate those activities plus others listed in the box below into as many of your games as possible. Be sure to work in a sensory activity at least every half hour.

EVERY HALF HOUR AND ANYTIME

Other Sensory Stimulation

Everything on the other list plus:

Smelling Scents Game Rubbing/Brushing (brush firmly and consistently--avoid stomach)

Rolling Up In Blanket

Crawling through a "caterpillar" (long tube of stretchy fabric)

Dragging/Sliding Around Room

Silly Walks (e.g., crab walk)

Ball and Bat

Imitating Songs

Hand Games

Stilts/Roller Skates

Jump Rope

CALMING ACTIVITIES

8:30AM Bath, Brushing, Deep Pressure

3:15PM Child's choice (e.g., biking)

6:30PM Supper, Bath, Deep Pressure, Free Play, Stories, Bed

Sensory Diet and Environmental Modification Suggestions

Classification and Activities

Suggestions

Decreased discrimination of vestibular and proprioceptive information

Desk work  

Sensory diet Active resistance:chair push-ups, chair/body squeezes, pocket push-ups, theraband stretches, hand gripper exercises, leaning on upper extremities, weighted vest or lap tray. Finger-fidget activities: pinches, spider push-ups, rubber band stretches, fidget balls, theraputty, pen walking, and pencil aerobics. Seating options for linear motion: casters, inflatable cushions, T stool, ball, peanut ball, bounce or rocking chair, one or two slightly shortened legs of chair for rocking.

Environmental modifications

Solid seat with armrests of correct height, tilt-top desk, frequent position changes, dycem to stabilize objects on desk, paper placement outlined with masking tape.

   

School break time  

Sensory diet Play activities:donkey kicks, heavy marching, pushing against the wall, doorway pushes, “popcorn” activity in chair (popping up at different speeds or intervals), seat walking while sitting on the floor with legs extended, jumping, hopping, squeezes, stretches, self-imposed body hugs, push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, wheelbarrow walks, crab walking. Errands: carrying heavy books, moving chairs.

Environmental modifications

Routine that provides these activities before class and throughout the day, frequent breaks during the day.

   

Play  

Sensory diet Proprioceptive input:Roughhousing, play wrestling, leap frog, tug-of-war, wheelbarrow walking, jumping on a small trampoline, crawling under couch cushions, chin-ups, play with weighted balls, jumping and crashing on the bed, pushing another child on the swing, playing in a body sock, foot-to-foot bicycling with friend, firm family hugging. Vestibular input: sitting on a rocking chair; sitting on a ball to watch TV; jumping on a trampoline; playing on slides, swings, seesaws, trapezes, rings, ladders, monkey bars, gliders, suspended bridges.

Environmental modifications

Large, open area with unbreakable items for roughhouse play; mattresses, pillows, and beanbag chairs; outdoor swing set.

   

Chores  

Sensory diet Proprioceptive input:stirring, rolling/kneading dough, digging, carrying, shoveling, raking, pushing/lifting heavy objects, moving furniture, vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, carrying laundry basket.

Environmental modification

Avoid chores with breakable items, such as putting away dishes.

   

Snacks and meals  

Sensory diet Healthy, chewy foods (e.g., celery, carrots, apples, nuts, fruit leather, beef jerky), thick liquids requiring straw (e.g., milkshakes, smoothies, gelatin, pudding).

Environmental modifications

Sturdy chair with arms for meals, stabilized meal items to prevent breakage.

 

Decreased discrimination of tactile information

Desk work  

Sensory diet Writing tool alternatives:grippers, pencils of different hardnesses, felt-tip pens, ballpoint pens, vibratory pens. Writing surface alternatives: blotters, layers of paper, raised-line paper, textured papers.

Environmental More time for note taking and fine motor activities, oral tests,

modifications writing alternatives (e.g., word processor, tape recorder), no grading on fine motor performance if area of weakness, peer for note taking.

   

School break time  

Sensory diet Discriminatory play activities:feely boxes, hidden objects in sandbox.

Environmental modification

Breaks for sensory diet activities, especially before fine motor activities.

   

Snack and meals  

Sensory diet Weighted spoons.

Environmental modifications

Self-checking during and after meals to ensure cleanliness; mirror for self-checking; weighted, unbreakable dishes stabilized with a dycem.

   

Dressing  

Environmental modifications

Self-checking while dressing and toileting, hook-and-loop fasteners.

   

Somatodyspraxia  

Desk work  

Sensory diet Loops and Other Groups writing program (Benbow, 1990).

Environmental modification

Grids and graph paper.

   

Gym  

Sensory diet Consult physical education teacher about child’s needs and continual activity modification to enhance motor planning.

Environmental modifications

Simplified physical education activities; visual, auditory, and physical cues.

   

Organizational tasks  

Environmental modifications

Simplified instructions, colored folders to organize subject matter, daily schedule, child verbalizes steps to complete task.

   

Play  

Sensory diet Tactile and proprioceptive play activities.

Environmental modifications

Containers to organize items; child verbalizes steps in a task; visual, auditory, and physical cues while teaching new play activities.

   

Dressing  

Sensory diet Tactile and proprioceptive play activities.

Environmental modifications

Lay out clothing in order, with labels for cuing and tabs to hold; simple clothing with big fasteners; simplified activities of daily living.

Impaired bilateral motor coordination

Desk work  

Sensory diet Chair push-ups performed bilaterally, then alternating R-L-R-L and varying the rhythm (first use arms then legs); theraband to encourage pulling tasks while stabilizing with one arm and moving with the other; two-hand grippers with child using different alternating patterns and rhythms to grip bilaterally; finger fidget activities performed in alternating fashions.

Environmental modifications

Dycem to stabilize papers, reinforced use of dominant hand, strategies for remembering right from left hands, stamp or sticker to indicate dominant side, index card with red LR to reinforce left-to-right progression.

   

nbsp;   School break time  

Sensory diet Donkey kicks with alternating patterns (e.g., jump-jump-kick, jump-kick-jump, R-L-R-kick; L-R-L-kick); march in place, alternating the speed and rhythm; games with clapping patterns using speed and rhythm; jumping, hopping, skipping, galloping, and so forth; these activities to transition to another activity.

Environmental modifications

Simplified recess and play activities, variety of simple recess games.

   

Gym  

Sensory diet Simple bilateral activities.

Environmental modifications

Simplified games and gym activities, as needed.

   

Play  

Sensory diet Clapping games while reciting jingles, foot-to-foot bicycling, Chinese jump rope games, jump rope activities, dancing, swimming and pool activities, ball activities (e.g., bouncing and catching with L-R-L hands, basketball dribbling, soccer dribbling, kicking R-L-R, running and kicking).

Environmental modification

Simplify sports activities to ensure successful performance.

   

Tactile defensiveness  

Desk work  

Sensory diet Deep pressure input (e.g., weighted vest, backpack, lap tray), active resistance activities, finger fidgets and resistive hand activities (e.g., cutting, erasing, hand grippers).

Environmental modifications

Separate space areas to prevent incidental touch by others; designate spaces for circle time (e.g., carpet square); approach the child from the front and warn the child before touch; avoid touch to sensitive areas (e.g., hair, face, neck, abdomen); use firm touch and avoid light touch; minimize other possible overwhelming environmental stimuli (use natural lighting; shut the classroom door; use blotters on desks; use rubber bottoms on the chair and desk legs; provide curtains, blinders, and room dividers; eliminate aromas in the classroom).

   

School break time  

Sensory diet Play and break activities that provide resistance and heavy work input, “How Does Your Engine Run?” program (Williams & Shellenberger, 1994).

Environmental modification

Frequent breaks during the day.

   

Gym  

Sensory diet Regular calisthenics (e.g., push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, wheelbarrow walks, crab walking), self-imposed deep touch and active resistance activities before gym class.

Environmental modification

Minimize touch contact with other children when engaged in physical education activities.

   

Arts and crafts  

Sensory diet Variety of tactile art media; never force children to do more than they are ready to do.

Environmental modifications

Glue stick instead of glue or paste, paintbrush instead of finger paints.

Riding the bus  

Sensory diet Backpack, weighted vest, or heavy jacket.

Environmental modifications

Child has own seat, is first or last in line to board bus, and wears headphones to filter out extraneous sensory stimuli.

   

Play  

Sensory diet Deep pressure and resistance:rolling up with a blanket to make a hot dog or burrito, rolling a large ball over the child to make a pizza, playing tug-of-war, crawling under couch cushions, using a chin-up bar, crawling into a stretchy pillow case.

Environmental modification

Teach family members about the child’s sensory needs and the need to avoid unwanted touch.

   

Snack and meals  

Sensory diet Deep pressure techniques before meals:biting down hard on teeth and releasing, pursing lips and releasing, sucking in cheeks, flapping tongue, blowing balloons, clicking tongue; thick liquids to drink with straw; chewy and crunchy foods.

Environmental modifications

Experiment with different utensils (e.g., plastic, weighted, rubber coated); explore different textures acceptable to the child and reinforce those textured foods for nutrient intake.

   

Dressing  

Sensory diet Deep touch pressure to limbs and torso before dressing, body hugs, hand squeezes.

Environmental modifications

Determine whether baggy, loose-fitting clothing is preferable; ensure that clothing is prewashed, with labels and tags removed (clothing with minimal seams may be preferred); cut tight elastics for comfort; wear socks inside out to avoid seams at the toes; determine whether overalls may be preferred to pants with a waistband; avoid becoming overheated.

   

Bathing  

Sensory diet Heavy rubdown before and after bath; towel wrapped tightly after bath with heavy hugs; lotion applied firmly, if tolerated.

Environmental modifications

Experiment with different sponges, wash mitts, cloths; have child wash self.

   

Hair care  

Sensory diet Deep pressure to torso, limbs, and scalp before hair care; heavy blanket worn during haircuts.

Environmental modifications

Conditioner and detangler, different combs.

   

Nail care  

Sensory diet Deep pressure and finger exercises before nail care.

Environmental modification

Soak nails before cutting.

   

Tooth care  

Sensory diet Deep pressure activities before brushing teeth (e.g., eating, water pick, gum massage); deep pressure techniques while in the dentist’s chair; weighted x-ray blanket worn while at the

dentist.

Environmental modifications

Experiment with different toothbrushes, use electric toothbrush, use of a washcloth initially.

   

Sleep and bedtime routine  

Sensory diet Deep pressure hugs and slow rocking before bedtime; no roughhousing and TV before bedtime; heavy blanket; sleep under couch cushions or pillows.

Environmental modifications

Prewashed soft sheets, sleeping bag.

Gravitational insecurity

 

Desk work  

Sensory diet Continual implementation of “grounding” input throughout the day via the use of active resistance and joint compression and teaching the child to implement the strategies.

Environmental modifications

Firm, supportive seat with arms that does not tip; proper desk and chair fit.

   

Gym  

Sensory diet Active resistance and joint compression activities before class; do not push child beyond his or her limits.

Environmental modifications

Limit number of children and space to increase sense of security; limit activity on movable or suspended equipment; allow child to always have two feet flat on the floor or allow the child to have someone or something to hold.

   

Recess  

Sensory diet Child pushes another child on the swing or catches another child at bottom of slide; child holds jump rope for other children.

Environmental modifications

Allow the child to be sedentary during recess; organize one-on-one play with a buddy.

   

Riding the bus  

Sensory diet Routine of calming activities before the bus ride (e.g., slow rocking, heavy joint compression, active resistance activities, deep breathing exercises); teach child to implement these strategies; child wears a backpack on the bus.

Environmental modification

Child sits alone with headphones to minimize stimuli.

   

Snack and meals  

Sensory diet Thick liquids to drink with straw, chewy and crunchy foods.

Environmental modification

Solid, supportive chair that allows child’s feet to touch floor.

   

Mobility  

Sensory diet Weighted backpack, vest, or fanny pack.

Environmental modifications

Stairs with railings or child holds onto someone when ascending or descending, no escalators and elevators, a “safe” environment with no items on the floor and no extraneous material (e.g., scatter rugs).

   

Sleep and bedtime routine  

Sensory diet Heavy, weighted blankets or cushions to sleep under, a calming routine before bedtime (e.g., joint compression, slow rocking).

Environmental modification

Bed mattress on the floor.

   

Projected action sequences

 

Play or gym  

Sensory diet Activities that yield active resistance before engaging in gross motor activities (see “decreased discrimination of vestibular and proprioceptive information”).

Environmental modifications

Activities in which the child can experience success (e.g., hook-and-loop ball and mitt, T-ball stand, kick the can, kick ball with the ball stationary, tether ball, golf, croquet); make sure that

nbsp;Mobility

Environmental modifications

any ride (swing, merry-go-round) has stopped moving before child gets onto it.

Avoid escalators

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Family Health

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diseases

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disorders

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health

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sensory diet

,

sensory integration disorder

,

visual activities

If you child has symptoms of Sensory Integration Disorder your doctor may refer you to a trained occupational therapist for an evaluation. She may ask you questions about his behavior, eating habits, or developmental concerns in her evaluation. She may use a standardized questionnaire to evaluate your child for sensory dysfunction.

The Sensory Diet

What on earth is a “sensory diet”? No, this is not a diet of only certain foods or certain calories. A sensory diet is a term used to describe sensory activities that are used to treat kids with Sensory Integration Disorder. Your occupational therapist will create a “menu” of activities to do with your child. She will have you perform these activities in a particular order to create a sensory “meal” or “snack”. Just like nutritional diets, the sensory diet is designed for your child’s sensory needs. Your occupational therapist will create a plan of activities for you to do throughout the day.

Proprioception activities- Proprioception has to do with body awareness (being aware of where your body is positioned in relation to other parts of your body). Receptors in the muscles and joints help to coordinate movements even without vision. Proprioception activities would include things like

Pushing and pulling activities Squeezing toys or popping bubble wrap

Wrapping your child in a “burrito” by rolling him up in a blanket

Vestibular activities- Vestibular input has to do with your sense of movement and balance that is processed in the inner ear. Vestibular activities include:

Rocking in a rocking chair Swinging on a swing at the park

Running, jumping or skipping

Tactile activities- Tactile activities include any activities that involve the sense of touch, texture or temperature. Some tactile activities are:

Messy play such as playing with shaving cream, finger paint, or play dough Reading and touching textured books

Tracing shapes on to your child’s back and letting him guess what shape

Auditory activities- Auditory activities include hearing and listening. Some auditory activities might include:

Playing with instruments, such as imitating a rhythm with a drum or tambourine Playing listening games to see if your child can guess the sound

Listening to music or songs

Visual activities- Visual activities involve making eye contact, processing what is seen with the eyes and interpreting visual input. Some visual activities might be:

Stringing beads Matching games such as matching cards or matching words to cards

Picture games, finding pictures in a picture book like the “eye spy” books

Smelling and tasting activities

Play a guessing game with scratch and sniff stickers. See if he can guess the smell without looking.

Add a new texture to a food your child already likes. For example if your child likes yogurt, try adding some crunchy granola to his yogurt.

Play a guessing game with foods your child likes to eat. Put two or three foods and have him try them blindfolded.

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4 comments

Most recent See All

By Din_C on 12/09/10 at 10:46 am

Worrying, but interesting.

By Din_C on 12/09/10 at 10:43 am

There was a spell with my oldest son when I felt like this!

By alisha66 on 12/09/10 at 3:45 am

The inability of the to integrate the information from the body is called the sensor processing disorder. In medical language it is called a neurologica ...

4 comments so far » read more

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