5 Possible Solutions for Your Child With Sensory Needs
Are you concerned that your child has sensory needs? While everyone has limited sensory experiences, having too much of them affects how your child functions. If you’re on a budget, you may wonder what you can do as many sensory tools are expensive.
However, there are plenty of alternative options using DIY sensory tools that you can use to help your child. Learning a variety of alternative solutions can help save you money, too.
If you’re interested in learning more, read our complete guide below.
Table of Contents
1. Interoceptive Solutions
Examples of interoceptive solutions include deep breathing, mindfulness, body scans, stretching, and visualization exercises. These activities can help the child develop a closer connection to their body and better understand how their body and mind react to stimuli.
Interoceptive solutions require patience and practice, however, with consistency and support from family and professionals, the child can learn to better recognize and self-regulate their body’s internal environment.
2. Tactile Solutions
Weighted blankets and deep-pressure items can help improve focus and reduce anxiety. Energy-based activities, such as crawling through a tunnel, using a swing, or bouncing on a yoga ball can be used to regulate the nervous system.
If your child is new to sensory play, start with a few gentle items and report signs of fatigue or distress. Low-tech items, such as play dough, pipe cleaners, and water beads, can be used to explore the different textures and provide distraction when feeling overwhelmed.
3. Proprioceptive Solutions
This is one of the education options that provide gentle deep muscle, joint, and ligament pressure, allowing the body to learn how to move and respond to external stimuli. Activities such as jumping, pushing and carrying heavy objects, lifting and pushing, crawling, or any weight-bearing or resisting activities can be beneficial.
Last, always make sure your child is in a safe environment when providing proprioceptive input, as it can become overwhelming to some.
4. Create a Quiet Area
A quiet area can be a dedicated space or room where the child can go when they feel overwhelmed or stressed out. It can include comfortable seating or bean bags, a bean bag chair, blankets, pillows, and any soft sensory items that the child finds calming.
Providing relaxing music, aromatherapy, and soft lighting are also excellent ways to soothe overstimulation. Setting up a visual timer can also be helpful as it allows the child to have a sense of control and to understand when the quiet time will end.
5. Professional Assistance
Occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists can assess your child and provide targeted care. They can make recommendations to help build adaptive and coping strategies, as well as help create a home or school environment better suited to improve sensory regulation.
Finally, see this elementary school program. They also offer professional assistance that can help your child. This will beneficial to different types of sensory needs.
Sensory Needs for Your Child
In conclusion, when it comes to finding solutions for your child with sensory needs you should consider all options available to you. Speak to other parents and professionals to learn from their experiences.
Talk to your child and observe their response to various activities that you believe may help. Implement the strategies that work for your child and continue to evaluate your success. Don’t be afraid to try something new — it could make a world of difference!
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