“He pitches a fit if he has to wear a shirt with long sleeves!” . . .”She screams that the water from the shower head hurts her skin—how could that be??” . . . “He’s always bumping into things—walls and doors, etc. even other kids at school! And when he wants to hug me, he just squeezes to tight, I have to tell him to lighten up!” Do any of these scenarios sound familiar with your child? If so, he or she may have a sensory deficit. All of us have our sensory “quirks.” For me, I can’t stand the feeling of my hands being really dry, so I always carry a little container of hand lotion in my pocket. Maybe some of you can’t stand the smells or textures of certain foods. Maybe the sound of someone “smacking” on their chewing gum drives you up the wall. My wife and I have a good friend who wears a certain type of cologne. It smells fine to me, but my wife finds it repulsive—this makes it difficult for her because our dear friend is a “hugger!”
Yes, most all of us have our sensory quirks. But for many children in care, it’s more than just a quirk. Traditionally, it has been assumed that sensory challenges such as loud noises, food and texture aversions, etc. have largely been characteristic of children on the Autism spectrum. Although this is true, extensive research and observation has shown that children with a background of trauma—even if they’re not on the Autism spectrum—are just as prone to sensory challenges. Early childhood trauma (even in-utero) adversely affects a child’s brain development, and the brain is the “seat” of all our senses—taste, hearing, smell and tactile.
As a parent, how do you determine if your child has a sensory challenge? I tell parents to look for patterns. Is your child consistently averse to loud noises, certain smells or temperatures? Does he refuse to eat certain foods? Does she scream that the bathtub water is too hot, when to you it is only pleasantly warm? These responses are not necessarily a sign of your child being stubborn—they are quite possibly indicative of a sensory problem. Does your 8-year-old son seem clumsy for his age? Is he consistently bumping into things, hugging people too tightly, or getting into trouble at school because he always wants to horseplay and wrestle the other boys? He’s not a bad kid, but may actually be a “sensory seeker”—enjoying the sensation of physical pressure.
If you have concerns that your child may struggle with sensory issues, it may be wise to consult your pediatrician or get him/her connected with a qualified occupational therapist. Some children with more pronounced sensory deficits may actually have a diagnosable condition called Sensory Processing Disorder. There are qualified professionals this field who can help. Stay tuned for more on this subject in my next blog. Thanks for reading!
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