Previously, I shared with you about the sensory challenges kids like Sabrina and Charles face. In this final installment on Sensory Deficits, I want to add some additional information on how different activities and approaches can address these challenges.
To elaborate on the role of Occupational Therapists, these professionals can put together an individualized course of therapy based on the needs of each child. Some of these therapies include: Sensory play therapy, which assists a child with responding appropriately to different types of sensory input; Music Therapy, which can have a calming effect on the child. This can include nature sounds (birds, running water, etc.); use of a Sensory Gym, which can include a multitude of elements such as a climbing wall, “sit and spin”, swings, balance beams, roller boards and a host of other creative items. Sensory gym items can be especially helpful for kids who are “sensory seekers” like Charles (who I described in my previous blog). These types of activities help the child to “balance their brain” leading to a better sense of special awareness in their surroundings.
The Occupational Therapist can also assist a child’s parent(s) with forming a “treatment team” at the child’s school. Kids with sensory deficits often have their most challenging times at school, where they are expected to function in an structured environment for six to seven hours per day. This can be extremely challenging for not only the child, but also for his/her teachers. The Occupational Therapist can assist with initiating a school treatment team, to include the teacher(s); school counselor and the parent(s). The Occupational Therapist can also provide valuable input to school personnel if an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) needs to be created. This is especially important if the child has been diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum.
For you parents reading this, there is an excellent (and free!) tool you can access online to help you determine if your child has sensory challenges. It’s simply called the “Sensory Checklist”, (www.sensorysmarts.com.) It is adapted from the excellent book,--which I highly recommend--The Definitive Handbook for Helping Your Child with Sensory Processing Issues, by Lindsey Biel and Nancy Peske.
One final resource is a great book by nationally-recognized sensory expert, Carol S. Kranowitz, entitled The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder.
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