Explaining sensory processing to families: 5 tips every therapist should know
Are you a new pediatric OT, SLP or PT and you’re struggling to explain sensory processing to your families? Or have you been practicing for a while but still struggle to explain sensory or see progress with your clients? Read about some pitfalls that may be preventing your clients and families from achieving their full potential!
Explaining sensory processing to families was one of the hardest things about my job when I was a new Occupational Therapist.
I’m embarrassed to admit that I probably left families more confused than clear about what sensory processing was in the past.
As I've gained more experience over the years, I've gained a deeper understanding of the big sensory picture.
Sensory processing does not occur in isolation.
Our sensory system is affected by our internal as well as external environment in addition to our learned behaviors and social-emotional experiences.
What is sensory processing?
Simply stated, it’s our brain’s ability to process information from our senses.
What are the senses?
You probably remember the 5 you learned in Kindergarten, right?
See (vision)
Touch (tactile)
Taste (gustatory)
Smell (olfactory)
Hear (auditory)
And there are three more sensory systems that you probably don't hear about as often:
Proprioception (information from our joints/muscles aka. Body awareness)
Vestibular (information from our inner ear. aka our balance system)
Interoception (information from our internal organs ex. thirst, hunger, full bladder)
Why do we have a sensory system?
Our sensory system helps protect us as well as make sense of the world around us.
For example, we smell something burning and we are alerted to go check the stovetop or oven!
We have also learned that sensory activities can help to calm or alert us.
For example, some of us may use running (a vestibular and proprioceptive activity) to calm ourselves down after a stressful day
Or
We may use that second cup of coffee (gustatory/olfactory sensation) to keep ourselves awake!
These are some of the basics about sensory.
Here are some additional points that I frequently see get overlooked when therapists are teaching others about sensory processing:
5 things to know when explaining sensory processing to families
#1: Sensory and Behavior; not sensory or behavior
The definition of behavior is “an action or response to a stimulus”.
Behavior is not good or bad, it's just simply a by-product of how well or poorly our sensory system can handle that amount of input (stimuli).
We all have our threshold of how much sensory input we can handle.
Personally, I can handle very little auditory input.
Put me in a noisy car with my family for more than 20 minutes and I’m bound to be dysregulated for a while upon exiting.
So no more debates about whether it’s behavior or sensory? It’s both!
The extent to which we process (or don’t) a sensory stimulus will lead to the behavior we see!
#2: We must coach the family
Sensory needs to be explained and understood fully by our families in order for them to start using some of these sensory principles in their daily routines and life.
While I do think there is a place for intensive sensory treatment, the majority of families are unable to commit to that level of intense treatment.
In the short 30 minutes to 1 hour of treatment we have a week with our children, we are not going to make lasting changes to their sensory systems if we don’t have carryover from our families.
We need to be able to educate and coach our families so they have an effective tool box they can use to help their child (and themselves) to regulate throughout their everyday life.
Sensory is not stagnant!
It is always changing based on internal and external environmental factors. This is why one strategy will not work all the time!
It’s why we feel best when we are rested, fed and secure and why some of us get “hangry” when we haven’t eaten in a while (totally me!).
Teaching our families the power of observation as well as a variety of calming and alerting sensory tools is key to their success.
#3: Co-regulation is critical for young children to learn self-regulation
We all use sensory strategies on a daily basis to keep our bodies regulated so we can learn and function.
As adults we've learned what helps us to stay calm and be the most productive.
Maybe it’s going for a run every morning, drinking coffee throughout the day or taking a bath each night.
Maybe some of you are consistent with your routines daily and maybe some of you need your sensory activities less often.
Our children are still learning about their bodies and their brains are immature.
They are learning to label their feelings and what they mean. Caregivers need to help them to learn what is socially acceptable when their emotions overcome them.
Caregivers need to model calm during a child’s chaos to help them to regulate.
Easier said than done, I know.
However, educating caregivers on the importance of co-regulation and helping them to identify their own sensory triggers is an important role of an effective therapist.
Which leads to the next point!
#4: Explain when to use sensory strategies
Sensory strategies are NOT effective while a child is having a meltdown!
Too often, I’ll see families trying to impose movement, give choices or use other sensory strategies in attempt to calm their child in the midst of a tantrum.
Think about how you feel when you’re really angry?
Do you want someone to talk to you or ask you what behavior you should be choosing instead?
Or worse try to put you in a blanket and swing you?
When we use sensory strategies we should be following our child’s lead, not imposing sensory activities upon them.
Adding sensory strategies into everyday routines so our children’s bodies are getting their needs met regularly is more effective than using them when the child is dysregulated.
#5: The importance of reading a child’s cues.
Reading our children's cues takes time learn.
We need to be good observers and learn how our children’s systems are calmed and alerted.
Young children learn through sensory-motor experiences. They are supposed to move...A LOT!
That is how they give their sensory systems what they need and prepare their brains for learning higher level skills (aka academics) when they get older.
They’re not made to sit still for long periods of time.
However, there IS such a thing as too much stimulation!
Often I'll see well-meaning parents providing movement stimulation for their little ones, but it only serves make them more disorganized and hyperactive.
Often, behaviors of disorganization and hyperactivity from our little ones is a cue that they need help with calming themselves down.
This is typically not achieved just by providing more movement opportunities, but with providing opportunities to do other calming activities and reducing the sensory stimulation in their environment.
As therapists, it’s important that we give caregivers a chance to observe and select sensory strategies while we are working with them so that they can do this independently when we are not with them.
Sensory processing is a normal process that we all do on an everyday basis.
It can be challenging to explain to others, but we can make lasting changes in our client’s lives if we take the time to educate on the five principles above.
I hope this blog helped affirm some things you already knew about sensory and gave you some ideas on how to improve your ability to teach others.
How do you explain sensory processing in a way that families understand? I’d love to hear your comments below.
Are you an Early Intervention Therapist?
Still feeling confused about sensory processing?
Want to learn how to become a better observer and parent coach?
Do you need effective strategies to implement in the home or school environment?
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