Sensory differences are difficulties in processing sensory information from the environment. They are one of the diagnostic features of autism. People with sensory differences can be over- or under-stimulated by things around them, such as noise, touch or light.
Imagine walking into a classroom after coming in from a dark room. The lights are on full, and your eyes find it difficult to adjust. You can feel a headache forming, but the lights don’t get any dimmer. In the meantime, your teacher is talking and teaching the class. It would be pretty challenging to focus, right?
This is just one example of how sensory difficulties can make everyday situations challenging. Some people with sensory difficulties might find it hard to process other sensory inputs at the same time, such as the sound of the teacher talking or the feel of their clothes against their skin. This can make it very hard to pay attention and engage. For some neurodivergent individuals, this happens frequently and sensory dysregulation can become a big barrier to many activities.
Children with sensory differences can be hypo- or hypersensitive.
- Hypersensitive. A small amount of sensory input can cause a child to become dysregulated and overly alert. This can show up as running away, screaming or hiding.
- Hyposensitive. A large amount of sensory input is required for the child to respond. This can show up as low energy or lack of interest.
Sensory strategies
For therapists, teachers, parents, and any other adults in the child’s life, there are several strategies we can use to help kids with sensory differences engage in everyday environments.
- Give a heads-up. This can be done verbally or visually, such as saying ‘I’m going to start vacuuming now’.
- Acknowledge difficulties. Acknowledge any difficulties the child has with adjusting to the new sensory input.
- Support self-awareness. Ask the child to tell you more about why they like things a certain way. For example, ‘I noticed you like it when the house is quiet. Can you tell me more about that?’
- Problem solve together. Talk it through with the child. For example, say, ‘I need to vacuum to clean the house. What can we do so we both get what we need?’
Sensory needs and speech therapy
Sensory strategies matter in speech therapy, because dysregulation can get in the way of communication. Your child’s speech therapist can also use strategies to promote engagement and increase communication.
- Discuss the child’s sensory differences together. Parents are the ones who know the child best, and may be able to pick up sensory differences early on. Talking about these, and any strategies that help, is a great way to make sure sensory needs are met.
- Adapt activities to the client. Different clients have different sensory needs, so different activities will suit them. Planning activities around the senses that help each child, and including calming activities, is a great way to support regulation.
- Use a team approach. If the child has an OT, they can be a great source of knowledge and advice when it comes to regulation.
- Listen and observe. During the session, the speech therapist can watch for clues that sensory needs are or aren’t being met. This allows activities to be adjusted, ensuring continued regulation and engagement.
References
Kirby, A. V., Bilder, D. A., Wiggins, L. D., Hughes, M. M., Davis, J., Hall-Lande, J. A., Lee, L-C., McMahon, W. M., & Bakian, A. V. (2022). Sensory features in autism: Findings from a large population-based surveillance system. Autism Research. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.2670 (open access)
Wiggins, L. D., Tian, L. H., Rubenstein, E., Schieve, L., Daniels, J., Pazol, K., DiGuiseppi, C., Barger, B., Moody, E., Rosenberg, S., Bradley, C., Hsu, M., Rosenberg, C. R., Christensen, D., Crume, T., Pandey, J., & Levy, S. E. (2021). Features that best define the heterogeneity and homogeneity of autism in preschool-age children: A multisite case-control analysis replicated across two independent samples. Autism Research. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.2663
How we can help: Feeding →