Sensory Issues in the Education Setting

Sensory Seekers may look like the following:

Sensory Seeking

• Have a constant need to touch people or textures, even when it’s not socially acceptable
• Not understand personal space even when kids the same age are old enough to understand it
• Have an extremely high tolerance for pain
• Not understand their own strength
• Be very fidgety and unable to sit still
• Love jumping, bumping and crashing activities
• Enjoy deep pressure like tight bear hugs
• Crave fast, spinning and/or intense movement
• Love being tossed in the air and jumping on furniture and trampolines.

Sensory Overstimulation may look like:

Sensory Overload

• Be unable to tolerate bright lights and loud noises like ambulance sirens
• Refuse to wear clothing because it feels scratchy or irritating-even after cutting out all the tags and labels-or shoes because they feel “too tight.”
• Be distracted by background noises that others don’t seem to hear
• Be fearful of surprise touch, and avoid hugs and cuddling even with familiar adults
• Be overly fearful of swings and playground equipment
• Often have trouble knowing where their body is in relation to other objects or people
• Bump into people and things and appear clumsy
• Have trouble sensing the amount of force they’re applying; for example, they may rip the paper when erasing, pinch too hard or slam down objects.
• Run off, or bolt, when they’re overwhelmed to get away from whatever is distressing them
• Have extreme meltdowns when overwhelmed

Sensory Processing Disorder

Auditory

Commonly confused with ADHD, SPD

Visual

PROGRAM 2

PROGRAM 3

Gustatory

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Olfactory

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Tactile

But wait- there's more!

That's it, Right??

Proprioceptive- Body Awareness- Internal sense of the body that comes from joints, muscles, ligaments, and other connective tissue. Allows us to know where our body parts are and what they're doing without actually looking at them.

Vestibular- Located in the inner ear, this sense helps us detect changes in gravity, such as sitting, standing, spinning, etc.

Interoceptive- Responsible for recognizing hunger, thirst, temperature changes, bathroom needs, and other internal body sensations.

How Can We Help?

For Alerting

General

For Calming

* Headphones

* Seating next to door with non-verbal cues for when they are overwhelmed

* Weighted vest or blanket

* Joint compressions/tight hug

* Stress ball/fidget

* Sensory moves- push/pull, wall/chair pushups, toe touches, yoga

* Students with propriocetive issues may require extra time for heavy writing assignments.

* Provide visual schedule or advanced warning of transitions- especially those accompanied by sound, light, etc.

* Use gloves during messy activities

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* Inflatable seat cushion, pillow, or Wiggle Cushion

* Velcro under desk/sensory box

* Sensory moves- jumping jacks, trunk twists

* Chewable bracelet or gum

* Heavy work/Therapy Putty