Affirming Strategies to Support Your Child’s Sensory Needs

We’re back with the third installment of our sensory processing series to talk about practical, affirming strategies you can use to meet your child’s sensory needs.

In Part 2, we explored how sensory differences may present across daily routines. In this post, we’ll highlight ways you can promote regulation, connection, and meaningful participation in your child’s day. 

Below are several approaches to supporting your child’s sensory processing differences: 

Create Sensory-Supportive Environments

Adjust the environment to promote regulation and meet your child’s sensory needs. What this looks like will vary depending on your child’s sensory profile, and an occupational therapist can help you to identify specific strategies that are supportive for your child’s unique needs. 

Strategies for creating sensory-supportive environments include:

• Partnering with your child to reduce visual clutter - they may need your support in this process

• Using low-light or natural lighting when possible to reduce visual load

• Providing access to movement-based alternatives to seated tasks during homework or quiet activities, like crafts, to support regulation and attention

• Honoring your child’s need to step away from an overstimulating environment, or providing tools like noise-reducing headphones or spaces where sensory input is reduced to support their regulation.

Learn about Your Child’s Sensory Profile

In Part 1, we introduced the concepts of over-responsiveness and under-responsiveness to sensory input and how they present for each of our eight senses. Understanding these patterns can help you choose strategies that feel most supportive for your child. 

If your child is over-responsive

(their nervous system reacts strongly to certain types of input)

Consider strategies that minimize sensory input or demands when possible. 

• Visual input: sunglasses, tinted lenses for indoors, wide-brim hats, reducing the number of materials in the environment, and dim lighting

• Auditory input: noise-reducing headphones, access to quieter spaces, the option to leave loud environments when needed

• Tactile input: gloves during messy play, teaching and modeling self-advocacy skills to let others know when or if touch is okay, opportunities for deep pressure (avoid light touch)

• Gustatory input: honor differences in preferences in taste and texture; focus on getting nutritional needs met and maintaining a positive relationship with food; seek support from an OT who is trained in the responsive feeding approach, and/or seek a dietician when indicated 

• Olfactory input: minimize strong scents when possible

Additional ideas: 

• Offer predictable sensory experiences when possible before introducing something novel.

• Allow your child to opt out or to adjust the activity to meet their needs in the moment, ensuring that participation feels safe and positive for your child. 

If your child is underresponsive

(their nervous system needs higher levels of input to notice or register sensations)

Offering opportunities for more frequent, consistent sensory input throughout the day.

• Proprioceptive input: Provide access to heavy work activities to increase body awareness, attention, and overall regulation (more on this below)

• Vestibular input: Increase opportunities for movement, including activities that change the head position

• Use sensory cues (visual, tactile, auditory) to support engagement in meaningful activities

Provide Opportunities for Heavy Work

Provide opportunities for heavy work and participate in these activities with them! This supports co-regulation. Heavy work can provide organizing proprioceptive input and can be especially helpful before challenging times of day (or when your child needs a break) to support transitions, attention, and regulation.

Examples of heavy work activities include:

• Activities that involve pushing, pulling, or carrying

• “Pillow sandwich,” or using cushions/pillows to provide deep pressure

• Rocking or swaying together

• Animal walks (bear crawls, crab walks, frog jumps)

• “Carpet ride” - your child sits on a blanket while you pull them around the room

Model Your Own Sensory Experiences

Modeling is one of the most powerful ways to help children develop interoceptive awareness and learn about their own sensory world. Verbalizing your own sensory signals and connecting them to an emotion or an action shows children that listening to their bodies is important for their well-being. 

Examples of modeling include: 

• “My body feels tired of sitting. I’m going to stretch for a few minutes.” 

• “This party is really loud. I’m wondering if it would be helpful to take a break outside. Would you like to join me?” 

• “I’m noticing my heart is beating fast. I’m going to take a few deep breaths to help my body feel more calm.”

Summary

When we make choices that support a child’s sensory experiences, they learn that their needs matter and that you are there to help them navigate their sensory world. 

Thank you for tuning into our blog series on sensory processing! For tailored support on how to support your child’s unique needs, reach out to schedule a consultation with us for occupational therapy services.

References

Dunn, W. (2014). Sensory Profile 2: User’s manual (2nd ed.). Psych Corporation.

Eastman, E., May-Benson, T., Johnston, S., Becker, J. (2021). A guide to sensory integration for parents. Spiral Foundation.