Some common activities, events, or daily living activities can be especially challenging for children with SPD. Examples include:
- Hair cuts
- Brushing teeth
- Bath/shower
- Nail clipping
- Bedtime
- Car/bus rides
- Large gatherings (holiday, birthday, fair)
Depending on your child’s sensory processing differences, these occurrences may pose unique challenges. It is important to remember to plan for specific sensory activities that meet your child’s sensory seeking or sensory avoiding needs.
A sensory diet is a tool that integrates a variety of activities (appropriate for seeking or avoiding) into your child’s daily routine. A sensory diet is beneficial because it addresses sensory seeking/sensory avoiding throughout the day, not only when the child is dysregulated or struggling with their sensory processing.
Consider some of the following ideas for your child’s daily routine:
|
Sense |
Ideas for Sensory Avoiding | Ideas for Sensory Seeking |
| Proprioceptive/ Vestibular |
Short car rides Firm mattress or seating Weighted vest, blanket, etc Heavy work tasks (taking out the garbage, carrying heavy items) Deep pressure Body sock Hugs Massages |
Swinging Trampoline Rocking Sit on yoga ball Crash pad Sports Exercise Wiggle seat Flips/somersaults |
|
Sight |
Dimming lights Screen filters Sunglasses Slow or still images Muted or few colors |
Bright lights Colorful Lots of moving images Multiple types of lights |
|
Sound |
Low volume Non-busy environments Ear plugs Noise cancelling headphones Quiet toys |
High volume Busy/noisy environments Sound making toys |
| Tactile | Seamless/tagless clothing | Variety of textures (soft, rough, smooth, bumpy) |
| Gustatory/Olfactory |
Reduce exposure to strong scents (candles, farms) Scent-free detergents and soaps Bland food |
Spicy food Aroma therapy Diffusers Essential oils |
