If your student/child is hypersensitive…………..
Sensory stimulation (touch, sound, lights and textures) can be distressing. They may show excessive startle reactions, aggression and/or distractibility and they may try to escape from the stimulus.
What do I do?
-Announce transitions, show gradual change
-Provide quiet and calm places when possible
-Watch for cues that the child is becoming over stimulated (covering ears/eyes, becoming distressed, shying away, etc.)
-Help the child find things that re comforting for them.
-Educate the child’s peers/siblings i.e. teaching them how close is too close.
If your student/child is under-responsive……………..
They require high intensity sensory input before they are ready to perform/respond. They may appear withdrawn or difficult to engage and they may seek out activities that give them the input they need i.e. spinning or jumping on the bed. They tend to be less interested in relationship, have poor motor skills and limited flexibility when involved in activities.
What do I do?
-Provide interactive input and exaggerated gestures.
-Use animated expressions.
Activities I can do with the child…………..
Taste- Sour candy, hard candy, hot/spicy foods
Sound-Active/loud music
Touch-Jumping Jacks, Dancing
Smell-Orange, lemon, pine, cedar, peppermint
If your student/child is sensory seeking……………..
They crave and seek sensory input. They may appear excitable, intrusive, aggressive, fearless, impulsive or disorganized. They may appear clumsy due to poor motor planning. Their behavior patterns involve high activity. Which at times can be misinterpreted as aggression/misbehaving.
What do I do?
-Provide constructive opportunities for sensory involvement.
-Teach the child to recognize their limits.
Activities I can do with the child…………..
Visual- Low/dim lighting, room with few visual distractions,
Taste-Chewing (straws, gummy bears, starburst, gum)
Sound-Waves, rain, wind, relaxing music, white noise
Touch/movement-Pressure points (push and hold 5-6 seconds), head squeezes (front/back and side/side), arm squeezes (start at should and work down to fingers), push down on shoulders, squeezing a ball, tight hugs, chair or wall pushups, breathing (in through nose and out through mouth, shaking out hands, windmill with arms, heavy lifting, crab walk, wheel barrow, slowly rolling a ball on the child’s back, slow/gentle rocking
Smell-Lavender, vanilla, coconut
Temperature-warmth, blankets, warm bath
Central Public School District ECSE Team