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Children’s Sensory Difficulties Strategies

These strategies are a good starting point to try with your child. Implement your chosen strategies on a daily basis, allowing a period of time (12 weeks is recommended) so see which strategies are working.

Oral Strategies

Under Responsive

  • Introduce strong flavoured foods
  • Vibrations (electric toothbrush)
  • Sucking, blowing, making noises, whistles, blowing raspberries
  • Crunchy snacks
  • Sour and fizzy foods
  • Use small sensory activities as part of your child’s communication system

Over-responsive

  • Deep pressure to lips and palate
  • Chewing
  • Forewarn of the need to touch their face, lips etc
  • Build choice into essential activities with a definite end point
  • Use bland tasting foods
  • Reduce the pressure on your child to eat foods they are unsure of
  • Avoid strong perfumes, scented cosmetics, fabric conditioners or air fresheners
  • Work away from areas with food smells

Proprioceptive strategies

Under-Responsive

Your child can only be under-responsive for this sensory system. Introduce lot’s of ‘heavy work’ activities that have a clear purpose.

  • Pushing, pulling and moving heavy objects
  • Carrying books and boxes around to ‘help’
  • Door frame pushes and chair push-ups
  • Push-ups and handstands (if possible)
  • Standing up to draw and write or lay on the floor to read
  • Sitting cross legged
  • Dance sacks
  • Digging in the garden or sandpit
  • Sweeping
  • sitting on an exercise ball to watch TV
  • Emptying the washing machine of wet clothes

Tactile strategies

Under-responsive

Introduce a variety of touch activities that involve exploring objects with hands.

  • Contrasting tactile experiences with learning such as drawing in shaving foam
  • Fidget toys
  • Having a shower rather than a bath for constant changes in sensation
  • A good rub with a bath towel and a big bear hug

Over-responsive

  • Do not approach from behind
  • Use firm constant pressure not light touch
  • Let your child control touch and hugs
  • Forewarn before any activity involving touch
  • Avoid sitting or standing in the middle of large groups of people
  • Positing your child Away from main walkways in cafe’s or school classes

Auditory strategies

Under-responsive

  • Give strong auditory clue (clap your hands or ring a bell)
  • Establish eye contact before giving an instruction
  • Position child close the sound source
  • Provide short and clear directions (chunk information with frequent pauses to allow processing time)
  • Allow child to make noise themselves

Over-responsive

  • Reduce auditory stimuli (room acoustics, echoes, background noise)
  • Do not talk over a distinct background noise
  • Make noise/speak in the visual line of the child
  • Give visual instructions
  • Establish a ‘quiet corner’ or retreat
  • Provide ear plugs/headphones or have background music on
  • Avoid noisy environments without supports in place
  • Forewarn child of loud sounds/environments whenever possible

Vestibular strategies

Under-responsive

  • Allow leaning against objects as required to balance/sit down
  • Allow child to seek more supportive seating
  • structure movement breaks during longer seated activities and in lessons
  • Provide activities that require different body positions (obstacle courses are good)

Over-responsive

  • Allow the child to control the movement
  • Do not force the child into movement situations or environments that are scary
  • Use playground equipment that allows their feet to remain on or close to the ground
  • Slow and rhythmical/predictable movement first
  • Avoid fast movements before expecting them to settle

Visual strategies

Under-responsive

  • Highlight the area for attention on paper or computer screen
  • Remove visual clutter from home/work space
  • Use bright colours
  • Provide clear boundaries or borders
  • Use activities with movement in them to keep stimulating the eyes

Over-responsive

  • Avoid fluorescent or bright lights when possible
  • Allow wearing of peaked caps in sunlight
  • Reduce visual distractions
  • Allow time to retreat from bright environments
  • Avoid flickering and flashing lights
  • Forewarn about bright environments

Establishing good sleep habits

Set the stage:

  • Limit screen time (TV, phone or tablets) up to 2 hours before bed
  • Resist the temptation to use TV to support falling asleep
  • Prepare environment by removing distractions such as interactive schools, reducing light levels with black out curtains
  • Check if the bedding is compatible with your child’s needs (avoid scratchy sheets, lumpy surfaces)
  • Limit awake time, daytime naps reinforce good sleep cycles
  • Manage activities to prevent over stimulation
  • Practice separation games during the day e.g peek a boo or hide and seek to reduce separation anxiety at night