Sensory Processing
Are you noise sensitive? Does light touch bother you? Do you need to go for a run in order to begin your day or soak in a bath at night to have restful sleep?
Our minds and bodies are constantly taking in and responding to sensory input: music, voices, touch, the feel of clothes on our skin, smells, tastes and textures of food, hum of fluorescent bulbs, car doors slamming, movement and so on. Although our responses can vary from one day to another, as adults we generally have some kind of control over our environment or some way of regulating our responses to the sensory world around us.
Children have less control over their environment, less awareness of their sensitivities and overall less ability to regulate emotional responses. Your child may process sensory input in a different way. Sometimes these differences affect social interactions, organizational skills, and ability to listen and follow routines at home and school. You may see anxiety, meltdowns, confusion with following directions, difficulty with self-calming or an increase in activity level.
During our time together, we will gather information about your child’s sensory processing. The goals will be to:
- increase awareness of how your child processes sensory information
- make some determinations as to how their sensory processing might be impacting their functional performance, social interactions, ability to attend and overall comfort in their environment
- explore specific strategies which will work for you and your family in your daily routines