There are signs you can look out for to see if your child’s sensory processing skills are impacting their behaviors. Here are a few tips to help you identify if your child has Sensory Processing Disorders early on.

Going out to eat without children is pretty stress-free, the hardest part of the night would be deciding where to eat.

Going out to dinner with kids, things become more complex, packing items as if you are going on a cross country trip, keeping the seated, entertained and getting them to eat, pretty tough.

Going out with a child who is a Picky Eater, this situation can be a nightmare. 

However, my joy and excitement are not shared by everyone. Parents of children with SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder) or children diagnosed on the spectrum are far from enthusiastic. In fact, they are stressed out. The noises and sights are too overstimulating and can cause a meltdown. Here are some tips to help your family have a successful Halloween!

Children diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder can be easily overwhelmed by simple sounds, sights, and smells. You can imagine how hard a lunchroom would be. There is an enormous amount of sensory input coming from the lunchroom – the noises, the various smells, and the number of people. The lunchroom is supposed to be an area for eating and socializing. It is also a time to relax from the cognitive work they did in the classroom. But how do you relax when everything is overwhelming you???

A meltdown occurs when a child becomes overstimulated and is unable to cope. As a result, they go into a sympathetic response causing a meltdown. A tantrum is when a child is in control of their behavior and is acting out for attention. A tantrum can usually be handled. Since you are unable to control your environment at all times, you must learn how to attempt to minimize the meltdowns.

These children are both sensory avoiders and seekers. They may not want to touch various textures, but at the same time will run, jump and crash into objects. I always tell parents to take note of what activities cause them to be triggered. This way you can avoid or prepare them for that activity.

Sensory Processing is the way in which the brain registers, interprets, and responds to information from the body and the environment. This information is registered through the eyes, ears, skin, muscles, joints, and movement receptors (visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, gustatory, proprioceptive, and vestibular sensory systems).  Disorders in sensory processing adversely affect a child’s ability to automatically process, organize and respond to information.

July 4th, an amazing holiday for friends and family to gather, eat, celebrate and have fun! However, the same reasons why this holiday is so exciting are the very same reasons why this holiday can be terrifying for children with sensory processing disorders. Parades, heat, crowds, scents from various cooking, and of course the fireworks (loud, unpredictable bursts with a visual overstimulation). For you and your child suffering from Sensory Processing Disorders, it is important to be prepared so everyone is able to enjoy all the fun 4th of July brings. Here are some tips that can help guide you to a successful holiday!

The weather is getting hot, one of the most popular activities is water play. But what do you do when your child is afraid of the water??