Vestibular 1) Jump rope or jump on a trampoline, this activity provides up and down movements that stimulate the inner ear. 2) Playing on monkey bars are pogo sticks, this activity increases body awareness. 3)Marry-go-rounds or swinging enables vestibular stimulation. 4) Sliding down a slide provide rapid movement of both acceleration and deceleration, 5) While lying on their belly rock back and forth on a therapy ball (hyperactive sensory). Proprioceptive 1) Pull your child around on a blanket, and then switch places. 2) Climb at the playground, move from various climbing equipment at the park. 3) Hide & Seek, hide under pillows and blankets 4) Hand clapping games 5) Making letters and shapes out of play-do.
Auditory 1) Close your eyes and listen and guess the various types of sounds. 2) Have your child close their eyes and identify various objects that you tap on. 3)Place floored items in small containers or jars, and shake them, have your child guess the objects shaken. 4) Have your child close their eyes and turn away-clap or drum different beat patterns, and have them continue the pattern when you stop. 5) While their eyes are closed make loud and soft sounds to build skills to decipher volume.
Visual 1) Watch a lava lamp as a change and shapes and colors. 2) Play hide and seek, by hiding various objects in the backyard having the child find them. 3) Place a pre counted amount of items in a jar, and have the child guess how many items are in the jar. 4) Go bowling, this activity enhances visuals skills and builds another skills as well such as coordination and balance. 5) Place empty cans on a wall or table, and practice knocking them off with a ball. 3
Strategies to overcome Sensory Challenges Tactile • Avoid undesirable sensations such as clothing or towel and wash cloth tags. • Eliminate on undesirable food textures from the diet. • Incorporate various textures (either food or objects) in small amounts to build tolerance. Children with tactile sensory disorders are sensitive to touch and can be easily overwhelmed by daily activities that prevent them from seeking social interactions in critical learning interactions. If your child is fearful of any of these materials or approaches change them so they are less threatening. What your child feel safe and comfortable encourage them to progress. Vestibular • Slowly roll the child on the bed from one parent to another. • Allow the child to walk on unstable services that require body movement and adjusting.
• Have the child in a rock and a rocking chair or ride on riding toys, rocking horses, etc. The strategies are designed to offset gravitational insecurities or hyper responsive vestibular defensiveness. Each child has different levels of sensitivity and may react differently depending on their level of comfort. Proprioceptive • Use heavy blankets for bedtime. • Carey baskets full of toys or books. • Suck apple sauce, pudding, or thick liquid through a straw. The strategies are designed to promote self-esteem and provide opportunities for your child to learn their body’s abilities and develop motor control enhancement and build confidence. Providing successful strategies to accomplish normal childhood activities to overcome many of their symptoms.
Visual • Leave items in the same place the child leaves it. • Understand that the child knows their needs best-an example would be to offer color or item choices. • Provide games that promote visual memory. The strategies are designed to enhance visual processing by enhancing the child’s ability to comprehend figures, shapes, and symbols. This is a challenging disorder and as with other disorders each child is different; therefore adjusting the strategies will provide the right modifications and support to enhance success. Auditory • Provide visual cues that are easy to understand. • When communicating with the child, pause when using phrases and do not speak in complicated long sentences.
•Allow more time for the child to process the information given to them. Utilizing environmental modifications, remediation, compensatory strategies will provide a foundation for the child with auditory processing disorder. Each child does not have the exact same problems therefore it is best to encompass a variety of strategies that provide positive outcomes. Examples on Keeping Data Example Template: Behavior Date/Time Circumstances Sleep Aug 10 @ 9pm Asked to go to bedinitially got upset told him we would read a story he was happy and wanted to go to bed Screamed at Aug 12 @ 4pm Upset he could not touch a toy. Store (Kranowitz, 2005) Collecting data provides parents and professionals alike to understand triggers of undesired behaviors and develop beneficial strategies and approaches to offset these behaviors. Detailed documentation of undesirable behaviors provides a foundation to glean a better understanding of where and when these triggers occur.
Providing this data documents both positive and negative behaviors and allow parents and professionals to employ different approaches that provide opportunities for success. Many times this is the only way to advocate for your child’s particular needs and to ensure these needs are being met. Reflection Parents and caregivers of children with special needs are advocates and providers that their children will look to for knowledge, love, and care throughout their lives regardless of their abilities. Providing an environment of hope and caring is essential and needed by all children “Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward” Psalms 127:3 (New King James Version). Our children our blessings from God, and He commands us to provide our children with love, spirituality, caring, and to nurture regardless of their abilities.
Children with special needs require proactive parents, parents who continually strive to provide opportunities for their children. As professionals we must reach all parents and caregivers and provide them opportunities for education for not just their children, for the parents and caregivers as well. During this process it is imperative to have open lines of communication of teachers and professionals “The bond between parents and professionals (e.g., teachers, speech therapists, physical therapists) can be critical to the child’s development” (Hallahan, Kauffman, & Pullen, 2015, p. 75). Education, communication, and collaboration is essential, and through this collaboration our children and our children’s children can live successful productive lives.
Conclusion Professionals, teachers, parents and caregivers there are several common denominators that enhance successful outcomes for our children. It is imperative to know your children or student’s strengths and weaknesses; this is the basis that opens the door of opportunities “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (New King James Version). Providing hope through knowledge and education eliminates bias and enhances all parties involved. Educators and professionals must continually strive to increase awareness of SPD. Understanding sensory processing disorder provides obstacles and anxieties for those affected by them. Fortunately, there are approaches and strategies to offset these struggles; however, it is imperative to continually seek the advancement of our children through diligent research in continual collaboration. There will never be enough effective treatments, although understanding the dynamics of each disorder allows the opportunity to provide the best environment for our little miracles, our children.