If you have an autistic child, you should be familiar with the term, sensory diet. If this is new to you, then you should know that it has nothing to do with food and everything to do with physical activity routines tailored to your child’s unique sensory needs.
If you’ve ever questioned, “Why does my child need a sensory diet?” then keep reading to find out the answer to that important question.
Understanding Sensory Processing Issues
Autistic children can have differing ways of showing sensory issues. Some children deal with overstimulation/overwhelm through hyperactive behavior which makes them what is called a seeker. Other children may seem worn down and need more input which is referred to as an avoider. A child can be both a seeker and an avoider depending on the situation.
There are a few cases where children have been known to grow out of many of these sensory issues due to an immature nervous system. It’s more likely that sensory issues will evolve over time meaning you need to reevaluate and tweak the sensory diet at regular intervals.
Logan’s sensory diet as an adult is totally different than the one he had as a child or even a teenager. What has worked before will not work now with his new sensory needs. His daily life is far different as an adult than when he was a non verbal toddler.
What is a sensory diet?
As I mentioned before, a sensory diet has nothing to do with food, although what your child eats does have a direct effect on their overall health. For a sensory diet, we are talking about physical activities that accommodate a child’s sensory input needs. This directly improves not only the quality of life for the affected child but for the entire family as well. When Logan’s needs are met, our family functions optimally.
Sensory activities can also be used as a form of therapy with the overall goal of getting a child to adequately pay attention, properly socialize with other children (and adults), and learn new skills.
Part of this balance will look different, yet similar, for individual autistic children who have sensory issues. It’s like the saying “If you’ve met one autistic child then you’ve met one autistic child.”
For example:
- An overstimulated child can be taught how to calm down from feeling overwhelmed.
- A child who seems to have low energy (for non health reasons) can be taught how to feel more alert.
The idea of incorporating a sensory diet is to help teach a child how to be self-aware of their sensory needs as well as how to meet those needs efficiently. Implementing a sensory diet also provides consistency in having their nervous system run optimally.
Students thrive on routine and structure, and incorporating sensory breaks into a student’s schedule should be no different. Learn how to create sensory menus to help make your student’s day more successful from The Autism Helper.
Examples of a Sensory Diet
Although a sensory diet can involve an Occupational Therapist, there are things you can do on your own and in the comfort of your own home. The first and most important thing to do is identify your child’s type of sensory issue. With that in mind you can begin to formulate a specific group of activities to help “balance” them out.
Once you create a circuit, or set of physical activities, you’ll want to have your child do them in short sessions. The sessions can be done 2 to 3 times throughout the day, or as needed. Below are some standard activities to consider:
- Jumping jacks
- Forward rolls
- Log rolls
- Swinging
- Sliding (and climbing the ladder to slide)
- Hopping
- Skipping
- Push ups
- Bouncing on an exercise ball
- Animal walks (bear crawl, crab walk, etc.)
- Yoga
Your child’s sensory diet can include other activities as well, but these are a great place to start. You can also consider adding hands-on activities such as fidget spinners or other manipulatives that offer sensory experiences.
To give you an idea of sensory-specific activities, use the suggestions below:
Proprioceptive system:
- Jumping
- Stomping
- High pressure
Vestibular system:
- Bouncing
- Swinging
- Rocking
Tactile:
- Fidget spinners
- Sensory bins
- High pressure
Auditory:
- Playing instruments
- Listening to music with headphones
- Playing with noisy toys
Visual:
- Light-up toys
- Toys with moving parts
- Flashlight play
Oral:
- Essential oils
- Chewing gum
- Chewy snacks
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Remember that some children need more input while others need less. If you are developing a sensory diet for your child without the help of an Occupational Therapist, play around with a few physical activities until you find what works best.
