Give your child sensory toys, such as squeezy balls or buzzers, or make sure they always have their favorite blanket or stuffed animal. This can help create a sense of calm and security. Make time for physical exercise. Children with autism often spend several afternoons in therapy.
Many things can be triggers
As you may expect, loud noises and bright lights can be triggers for sensory hypersensitivity – and what can be a trigger for one person, can be very different from another.
Use words rather than actions. Words help children with sensory processing disorder understand why a behavior is unacceptable and why another is more appropriate.
“In the majority of people, sensory issues resolve on their own, or become significantly milder and less interfering as a child grows,” explains Wendy Nash, MD, a child and adolescent psychiatrist. Dr. Nash, who has treated many children with autism, adds that sensory issues associated with autism tend to last longer.
Yes! Although they sound similar, sensory processing difficulties can be present without autism. Often children or adults with other neurodevelopmental or psychiatric conditions such as Developmental Delay, Intellectual Disability, Anxiety, ADHD, or mood disorders can also exhibit Sensory Processing Disorder.
About sensory sensitivities and autism
Autistic children are sometimes oversensitive or undersensitive to sensory information. This means their senses take in either too much or too little information from the environment around them. Not all autistic children have sensory sensitivities, but some might have several.
Meltdowns can come in the form of physical flailing, withdrawing from spaces and events where their peers are present, yelling, crying, kicking and more. Sensory overload can occur just about anywhere, but especially in newer environments where your child is most sensitive to the sensory information they're receiving.
Sometimes sensory differences are significant enough to impact everyday life. If you notice that your child's sensory issues are interfering with their daily routine, talk to a doctor. It's important to get help, as untreated SPD can lead to behavioral problems, anxiety, depression, school problems and other issues.
Sensory meltdowns are what I consider to be extreme temper tantrums that have a sensory trigger to them. These typically involve extreme aggressive behaviors (head banging, hand biting, scratching or pushing others), and require a lot of assistance to recover.
SPD becomes worse with injuries and when with normal aging as the body begins to become less efficient. So, if you always had balance problems and were clumsy, this can become more of a problem in your senior years.
Sensory processing issues are often first recognized during the toddler years, when parents notice that a child has an unusual aversion to noise, light, shoes that are deemed too tight and clothes that are irritating.
"Sensory dysregulation tends to get better with neurological maturation, but in many cases, it does not go away altogether," says Allison Kawa, PsyD, a Los Angeles child psychologist. "Most people learn coping strategies as they grow up.
It happens when an ADHDer is hyper-sensitive to the sensory information their brain receives, causing them to experience certain sensations more intensely or longer than normal. This leads to overstimulation and a “fight or flight” response, which may affect how a person functions daily.
More than just autism and anxiety
Did you know that sensory overload is more often associated with autism, Asperger's, the Highly Sensitive Person, anxiety, fibromyalgia, and PTSD? However, there are many more things that can make people experience overstimulation in daily life.
Sensory modulation disorder is the most common form of SPD. It indicates trouble regulating responses to stimulation. People with it are under or over responsive, since the nervous system does not know when to pay attention to or ignore stimuli. It leads to abnormal sensory seeking, or hiding from stimulation.
Any of the five senses, taste, touch, smell, sight, and sound can be affected. Often children with sensory issues also have poor fine motor skills or have a hard time with social cues and interactions. They have a hard time regulating their emotions.
For these individuals, everyday situations can be challenging. For them, going to the school or office cafeteria can lead to sensory overload. The sounds of people talking loudly, strong smells of food, and flickering fluorescent lights can all trigger feelings of being overwhelmed and uncomfortable.
Due to sensory sensitivities, someone with autism might: display unusual sensory seeking behaviour such as sniffing objects or staring intently at moving objects. display unusual sensory avoidance behaviours including evasion of everyday sounds and textures such as hair dryers, clothing tags, vacuum cleaners and sand.
While many children with autism feel averse to hugging, some children with autism like to be hugged. Some children can swing the opposite way and want so many hugs that they feel hug deprived when they aren't getting enough.
Additionally, some people with autism may experience sensory overload as they get older. This can make it difficult to tolerate loud noises, bright lights, or crowded spaces. They may also become more sensitive to certain textures or smells.
Ostovar noted that people with SPD don't show the traits of someone with autism, such as difficulties with social and communication skills or stimming behaviors such as repetitive sounds or movement.