Sensory Processing Disorder: Smell & Taste

Each week I post about some type of therapy we use, who recommended it, and the reason we are using it.  Remember, I am not a licensed therapist and I am sharing our experiences. Please feel free to share your experiences in the comments. We would love to hear from you! 

For the last month, I have been highlighting the different senses that Sensory Processing Disorder affects, a checklist of symptoms and some activities we do to help.  We started with proprioception, which is the internal sense of knowing where your body parts are without looking a them.  Then we went on to the tactile system, which is how our brain receives information coming from the receptors on our skin about touch, pain and temperature.  Next was the vestibular system, which coordinates movement and balance through receptors in the inner ear and in relation to Earth's gravity.  Then we looked at the visual sense and how it is much more complex than just viewing an image.  Last we visited the auditory sense which is much more complex than just hearing sounds.  And finally, to wrap it up, we are sharing about the olfactory (smell) and gustatory (taste) senses.

Sensory Processing Disorder: Olfactory and Gustatory

Olfactory is our sense of smell and gustatory is our sense of taste.  I have combined these into one post because they definitely work in tandem.  The best analogy of this is how when you have a stuffy nose it is difficult to taste food.  Our olfactory system carries odors directly to the portion of our brain which is involved with memory, emotion, behavior, and pleasure.  Do certain smells bring back specific memories for you, good or bad?  To this day I still cannot make corned beef hash because when I was pregnant with our daughter (19 years ago) the smell of it made me nauseous.  

There are four basic tastes: sweet, salty, sour, and bitter.  However, food texture and temperature can also affect our children with sensory processing disorder.  One of our children used to go around licking everything, even at the age of 5.  He also stuffs his mouth when he eats and is our child who loves spicy foods (peppers, salsa, guacamole).  Then we have another child who doesn't eat very many different foods and in fact we supplement his diet with nutritional drinks.  He was also born with a cleft lip/palate, has mild cerebral palsy, and has difficulty with oral motor tasks (speech & drooling).      

Here is the olfactory and oral input portion of the complete sensory processing disorder checklist found on Sensory-Processing-Disorder.com.

Signs Of Olfactory Dysfunction (Smells):

1. Hypersensitivity To Smells (Over-Responsive):

__ reacts negatively to, or dislikes smells which do not usually bother, or get noticed, by other people

__ tells other people (or talks about) how bad or funny they smell

__ refuses to eat certain foods because of their smell

__ offended and/or nauseated by bathroom odors or personal hygiene smells

__ bothered/irritated by smell of perfume or cologne

__ bothered by household or cooking smells

__ may refuse to play at someone's house because of the way it smells

__ decides whether he/she likes someone or some place by the way it smells

2. Hyposensitivity To Smells (Under-Responsive):

__ has difficulty discriminating unpleasant odors

__ may drink or eat things that are poisonous because they do not notice the noxious smell

__ unable to identify smells from scratch 'n sniff stickers

__ does not notice odors that others usually complain about

__ fails to notice or ignores unpleasant odors

__ makes excessive use of smelling when introduced to objects, people, or places

__ uses smell to interact with objects

Signs Of Oral Input Dysfunction:

1. Hypersensitivity To Oral Input (Oral Defensiveness):

__ picky eater, often with extreme food preferences; i.e., limited repertoire of foods, picky about brands, resistive to trying new foods or restaurants, and may not eat at other people's houses)

__ may only eat "soft" or pureed foods past 24 months of age

__ may gag with textured foods

__ has difficulty with sucking, chewing, and swallowing; may choke or have a fear of choking

__ resists/refuses/extremely fearful of going to the dentist or having dental work done

__ may only eat hot or cold foods

__ refuses to lick envelopes, stamps, or stickers because of their taste

__ dislikes or complains about toothpaste and mouthwash

__ avoids seasoned, spicy, sweet, sour or salty foods; prefers bland foods

2. Hyposensitivity To Oral Input (Under-Registers)

__ may lick, taste, or chew on inedible objects

__ prefers foods with intense flavor; i.e., excessively spicy, sweet, sour, or salty

__ excessive drooling past the teething stage

__ frequently chews on hair, shirt, or fingers

__ constantly putting objects in mouth past the toddler years

__ acts as if all foods taste the same

__ can never get enough condiments or seasonings on his/her food

__ loves vibrating toothbrushes and even trips to the dentist

Some ideas that were recommended to us by our children's occupational therapists are adding additional flavors to food to awaken the taste buds, offering different/new foods with one meal of the day, promote activities that allow chewing (sugar free gum, licorice, chewy tube, or straw), sucking (milkshake, smoothie, eating yogurt/applesauce with a straw, using a straw to pick up small pieces of paper during table activities), or blowing (whistle, balloon, or musical instrument).  We have used a wet washcloth to rub around the cheeks, chin, jaw & eventually the tongue and inside of cheeks as tolerated.

Our therapist also recommended KT tape used around the outside of the mouth to bring awareness to the area.  It is amazing the difference it makes with drooling!

~Nicole~

Sensory Processing Disorder: Auditory

Each week I post about some type of therapy we use, who recommended it, and the reason we are using it.  Remember, I am not a licensed therapist and I am sharing our experiences.  We would love to have you share too.  Please leave us a comment.

For the month of August, I am highlighting the different senses that Sensory Processing Disorder affects, a checklist of symptoms and some activities we do to help.  We started with proprioception, which is the internal sense of knowing where your body parts are without looking a them.  Then we went on to the tactile system, which is how our brain receives information coming from the receptors on our skin about touch, pain and temperature.  Next was the vestibular system, which coordinates movement and balance through receptors in the inner ear and in relation to Earth's gravity.  Last week we looked at the visual sense and how it is much more complex than just viewing an image.  

Sensory Processing Disorder: Auditory Sense

Auditory is the sense of hearing.  It is more complex than just sounds though.  There is the loudness (decibels), pitch, how long the sound lasts, and where it is coming from.  Some children are more sensitive to sounds.  Our 7 year old son wakes up at the slightest noise.  Other children may be sensitive to loud sounds  and cover their ears with their hands.  Not only that, but if a child has auditory processing disorder the brain can misread the sound coming in.  This is usually not due to a hearing deficit though.  It is a processing (or decoding) problem.    

Here is the auditory portion of the complete sensory processing disorder checklist found on Sensory-Processing-Disorder.com.

Signs Of Auditory Dysfunction: (no diagnosed hearing problem)

1. Hypersensitivity To Sounds (Auditory Defensiveness):

__ distracted by sounds not normally noticed by others; i.e., humming of lights or refrigerators, fans, heaters, or clocks ticking

__ fearful of the sound of a flushing toilet (especially in public bathrooms), vacuum, hairdryer, squeaky shoes, or a dog barking

__ started with or distracted by loud or unexpected sounds

__ bothered/distracted by background environmental sounds; i.e., lawn mowing or outside construction

__ frequently asks people to be quiet; i.e., stop making noise, talking, or singing

__ runs away, cries, and/or covers ears with loud or unexpected sounds

__ may refuse to go to movie theaters, parades, skating rinks, musical concerts etc.

__ may decide whether they like certain people by the sound of their voice

2. Hyposensitivity To Sounds (Under-Registers):

__ often does not respond to verbal cues or to name being called

__ appears to "make noise for noise's sake"

__ loves excessively loud music or TV

__ seems to have difficulty understanding or remembering what was said

__ appears oblivious to certain sounds

__ appears confused about where a sound is coming from

__ talks self through a task, often out loud

__ had little or no vocalizing or babbling as an infant

__ needs directions repeated often, or will say, "What?" frequently

It is not uncommon for auditory problems to accompany learning difficulties, speech delays and

other developmental disabilities.  There is also a strong correlation between the auditory and vestibular senses since both of their receptors are located within in the inner ear.

One therapy that our Occupational Therapists recommended for our boys is a therapeutic listening program, which can be used in conjunction with traditional therapy.  Watch the YouTube video below which explains therapeutic listening.

Another Occupational Therapist recommended Mozart music for periods when concentration is necessary. The link below is a great one. It can be used without headphones, or with with headphones for best results. It contains binaural beats. For more information on what it is and how it can improve concentration and reduce anxiety, here is a link to an article: What are binaural beats and how do they work?

When we know we are going to be in a loud environment, such as a ride on a train or during fireworks, we provide our children with noise reducing ear muffs such as the ones below.  This makes for a much more enjoyable experience all around.

I am currently trying to find out who tests for Auditory Processing disorder (APD).  Our 10 year old son has suspected APD, but he has also recently been diagnosed with hearing loss in one ear and referred for a hearing aid.  I have been told to contact the school district, the school district has told me to contact an audiologist, the audiologist has advised me to check the local university, and the university no longer offers testing for APD, however they do offer therapy for it.  If you have any helpful suggestions I sure would appreciate them!

Update: We were able to get in with the local university for Auditory Processing Disorder testing, however, they could not test our son because of the hearing loss in his right ear. I have since learned from his Audiologist that is it thought that everyone who has hearing loss, also has APD. So there you go! 

~Nicole~

You can find me on youTube and Instagram @DivergingLives.  

Sensory Processing Disorder: Visual

Each week I post about some type of therapy we use, who recommended it, and the reason we are using it.  Remember, I am not a licensed therapist and I am sharing our experiences.  We would to hear your stories too. Please leave a comment below!

For the month of August, I am highlighting the different senses that Sensory Processing Disorder affects, a checklist of symptoms and some activities we do to help.  We started with proprioception, which is the internal sense of knowing where your body parts are without looking a them.  Then we went on to the tactile system, which is how our brain receives information coming from the receptors on our skin about touch, pain and temperature.  Last week was the vestibular system, which coordinates movement and balance through receptors in the inner ear and in relation to Earth's gravity. 

Sensory Processing Disorder: Visual Sense

The basics of vision: our eyes pick up an image and it is sent to the brain via the optic nerve.  Our brain then sorts that information.  But there is more to it.  Our eyes also have muscles that allow them to move together.  Imagine if your eyes were not tracking together and you had two different images going into the brain at the same time.  How would you know where to step?  Could you follow words across a page?  I imagine the world would be a confusing place.  

Do you know that feeling when you've been in a dark movie theater, then you walk outside and it is a bright sunny day?  You may have a hard time keeping your eyes open.  Some children are sensitive to light that way all the time.

Here is the visual portion of the complete sensory processing disorder checklist found on Sensory-Processing-Disorder.com.

Signs Of Visual Input Dysfunction (No Diagnosed Visual Deficit):

1. Hypersensitivity To Visual Input (Over-Responsiveness)

__ sensitive to bright lights; will squint, cover eyes, cry and/or get headaches from the light

__ has difficulty keeping eyes focused on task/activity he/she is working on for an appropriate amount of time

__ easily distracted by other visual stimuli in the room; i.e., movement, decorations, toys, windows, doorways etc.

__ has difficulty in bright colorful rooms or a dimly lit room

__ rubs his/her eyes, has watery eyes or gets headaches after reading or watching TV

__ avoids eye contact

__ enjoys playing in the dark

2. Hyposensitivity To Visual Input (Under-Responsive Or Difficulty With Tracking, Discrimination, Or Perception):

__ has difficulty telling the difference between similar printed letters or figures; i.e., p & q, b & d, + and x, or square and rectangle

__ has a hard time seeing the "big picture"; i.e., focuses on the details or patterns within the picture

__ has difficulty locating items among other items; i.e., papers on a desk, clothes in a drawer, items on a grocery shelf, or toys in a bin/toy box

__ often loses place when copying from a book or the chalkboard

__ difficulty controlling eye movement to track and follow moving objects

__ has difficulty telling the difference between different colors, shapes, and sizes

__ often loses his/her place while reading or doing math problems

__ makes reversals in words or letters when copying, or reads words backwards; i.e., "was" for "saw" and "no" for "on" after first grade

__ complains about "seeing double"

__ difficulty finding differences in pictures, words, symbols, or objects

__ difficulty with consistent spacing and size of letters during writing and/or lining up numbers in math problems

__ difficulty with jigsaw puzzles, copying shapes, and/or cutting/tracing along a line

__ tends to write at a slant (up or down hill) on a page

__ confuses left and right

__ fatigues easily with schoolwork

__ difficulty judging spatial relationships in the environment; i.e., bumps into objects/people or missteps on curbs and stairs

If your child has been newly diagnosed, an online support that I have thoroughly enjoyed is the SPD Blogger Network.  It is a community blog, written by parents of children with SPD.  I laugh and cry as I read the stories of other parents who are also in the trenches.

Here is a video on Visual Processing Disorder:

A couple of our boys have vision problems/sensitivities.  James is supposed to be having surgery soon to correct his eye muscle so that both of his eyes will "see" together and he won't have to tilt his head.  He is also light sensitive and requests his sunglasses when going outside.

For schoolwork I have found that it is much easier if he has a box to write or stamp each letter in.  This also applies to math.  Our older daughter did much better in solving math problems with using graph paper so each number had it's own box.

Worksheet by Confessionsofahomeschooler.com

~Nicole~

Therapy Thursday: SPD Vestibular System

Each week I post about some type of therapy we use, who recommended it, and the reason we are using it.  Remember, I am not a licensed therapist and I am sharing our experiences.  We would love to hear your stories too! Please leave a comment below!  

Sensory Processing Disorder: Vestibular System

For the month of August, I am highlighting the different senses that Sensory Processing Disorder affects, a checklist of symptoms and some activities we do to help.  We started with proprioception, which is the internal sense of knowing where your body parts are without looking a them.  Then we went on to the tactile system, which is how our brain receives information coming from the receptors on our skin about touch, pain and temperature.  

This week we are introducing the vestibular system, which coordinates movement and balance through receptors in the inner ear and in relation to Earth's gravity.  Have you ever experienced dizziness when you've had a cold and your ears feel plugged?  This is due to an imbalance in your vestibular system.  Children who experience this may be fearful (or crave) their feet being off the ground and movement, or get dizzy very easily or not at all.

Here is the vestibular portion of the complete sensory processing disorder checklist found on Sensory-Processing-Disorder.com.

 Signs Of Vestibular Dysfunction:

1. Hypersensitivity To Movement (Over-Responsive):

__ avoids/dislikes playground equipment; i.e., swings, ladders, slides, or merry-go-rounds

__ prefers sedentary tasks, moves slowly and cautiously, avoids taking risks, and may appear "wimpy"

__ avoids/dislikes elevators and escalators; may prefer sitting while they are on them or, actually get motion sickness from them

__ may physically cling to an adult they trust

__ may appear terrified of falling even when there is no real risk of it

__ afraid of heights, even the height of a curb or step

__ fearful of feet leaving the ground

__ fearful of going up or down stairs or walking on uneven surfaces

__ afraid of being tipped upside down, sideways or backwards; will strongly resist getting hair washed over the sink

__ startles if someone else moves them; i.e., pushing his/her chair closer to the table

__ as an infant, may never have liked baby swings or jumpers

__ may be fearful of, and have difficulty riding a bike, jumping, hopping, or balancing on one foot (especially if eyes are closed)

__ may have disliked being placed on stomach as an infant

__ loses balance easily and may appear clumsy

__ fearful of activities which require good balance

__ avoids rapid or rotating movements

2. Hyposensitivity To Movement (Under-Responsive):

__ in constant motion, can't seem to sit still

__ craves fast, spinning, and/or intense movement experiences

__ loves being tossed in the air

__ could spin for hours and never appear to be dizzy

__ loves the fast, intense, and/or scary rides at amusement parks

__ always jumping on furniture, trampolines, spinning in a swivel chair, or getting into upside down positions

__ loves to swing as high as possible and for long periods of time

__ is a "thrill-seeker"; dangerous at times

__ always running, jumping, hopping etc. instead of walking

__ rocks body, shakes leg, or head while sitting

__ likes sudden or quick movements, such as, going over a big bump in the car or on a bike

3. Poor Muscle Tone And/Or Coordination:

__ has a limp, "floppy" body

__ frequently slumps, lies down, and/or leans head on hand or arm while working at his/her desk

__ difficulty simultaneously lifting head, arms, and legs off the floor while lying on stomach ("superman" position)

__ often sits in a "W sit" position on the floor to stabilize body
__ fatigues easily!

__ compensates for "looseness" by grasping objects tightly

__ difficulty turning doorknobs, handles, opening and closing items

__ difficulty catching him/her self if falling

__ difficulty getting dressed and doing fasteners, zippers, and buttons

__ may have never crawled as an baby

__ has poor body awareness; bumps into things, knocks things over, trips, and/or appears clumsy

__ poor gross motor skills; jumping, catching a ball, jumping jacks, climbing a ladder etc.

__ poor fine motor skills; difficulty using "tools", such as pencils, silverware, combs, scissors etc.

__ may appear ambidextrous, frequently switching hands for coloring, cutting, writing etc.; does not have an established hand preference/dominance by 4 or 5 years old

__ has difficulty licking an ice cream cone

__ seems to be unsure about how to move body during movement, for example, stepping over something

__ difficulty learning exercise or dance steps

If your child has been newly diagnosed, an online support that I have thoroughly enjoyed is the SPD Blogger Network.  It is a community blog, written by parents of children with SPD.  I laugh and cry as I read the stories of other parents who are also in the trenches.

This week I'd like to "show" you a few activities we have fun with but that also offer therapeutic advantages.

My husband built this platform swing (Yes, I know how blessed I am!) after searching OT catalogs and realizing he could customize one for us and at a lesser cost.  We had it hanging in our front room until we had to move.  Our entire family had tons of fun with it as evidenced by all the smiles and giggles.    

One of our children, James, has sensory processing disorder but he also suffers with (mild) cerebral palsy and seizures.  He really has a hard time with balance, coordination, movement, and has a difficult time with his feet leaving the ground.  We had him in hippotherapy, which is PT/OT/speech done on the back of a horse.  We were surprised by everything his therapists were able to get him to do and with a smile on his face.  James is a sensory seeker and is constantly seeking more input from his environment.  I have not found any therapy that equals hippotherapy in the amount of sensory input it provides.

~Nicole~

Therapy Thursday: SPD Tactile

Each week I post about some type of therapy we use, who recommended it, and the reason we are using it.  Remember, I am not a licensed therapist and I am sharing our experiences.  We would love to hear your stories too! Please leave a comment below. 

Sensory Processing Disorder: Tactile (Touch)

I first heard of sensory processing disorder during a workshop I took as part of James' early intervention program.  The information they were presenting to us and allowing us to experience was truly a light bulb moment for me.   I walked away from that workshop wanting to find out more.  I was beginning to understand why our younger children were behaving in certain ways, like screaming when having their hair washed (and it wasn't because they got shampoo in their eyes).  

For the month of August, I will be highlighting the different senses that Sensory Processing Disorder affects, a checklist of symptoms and some activities we do to help.  Last week we started with proprioception, which is the internal sense of knowing where your body parts are without looking a them.

This week we are introducing the sense of touch or tactile system.  The tactile system is the first sensory system to develop in the womb and is the largest sensory system in the body.  There are millions of receptors  on the outer skin.  Don't forget the receptors inside the ears, nose, throat, mouth, and digestive system, covering the reproductive organs, etc.  You get the idea. 

Let me also say this, there are 2 types of reactions to stimuli with sensory processing disorder: hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity.  Hypersensitivity is a child who is oversensitive to a stimuli and may avoid it.  For example, our sons who are hypersensitive to touch do not like to be bumped accidentally and may scream or lash out.  Hyposensitivity is a child who is undersensitive to a stimuli and may seek it.  For example, we have one son who is hyposensitive to touch and he loves to rub shaving cream or lotion all over his body.  And then you may have a child who has mixed reactions. 

Confused yet?  Hang in there with me for a minute.  Here is the Tactile portion of the complete sensory processing disorder checklist found on Sensory-Processing-Disorder.com.

Signs Of Tactile Dysfunction:

1. Hypersensitivity To Touch (Oversensitive)

__ becomes fearful, anxious or aggressive with light or unexpected touch

__ as an infant, did/does not like to be held or cuddled; may arch back, cry, and pull away

__ distressed when diaper is being, or needs to be, changed

__ appears fearful of, or avoids standing in close proximity to other people or peers (especially in lines)

__ becomes frightened when touched from behind or by someone/something they can not see (such as under a blanket)

__ complains about having hair brushed; may be very picky about using a particular brush

__ bothered by rough bed sheets (i.e., if old and "bumpy")

__ avoids group situations for fear of the unexpected touch

__ resists friendly or affectionate touch from anyone besides parents or siblings (and sometimes them too!)

__ dislikes kisses, will "wipe off" place where kissed

__ prefers hugs

__ a raindrop, water from the shower, or wind blowing on the skin may feel like torture and produce adverse and avoidance reactions

__ may overreact to minor cuts, scrapes, and or bug bites

__ avoids touching certain textures of material (blankets, rugs, stuffed animals)

__ refuses to wear new or stiff clothes, clothes with rough textures, turtlenecks, jeans, hats, or belts, etc.

__ avoids using hands for play

__ avoids/dislikes/aversive to "messy play", i.e., sand, mud, water, glue, glitter, playdoh, slime, shaving cream/funny foam etc.

__ will be distressed by dirty hands and want to wipe or wash them frequently

__ excessively ticklish

__ distressed by seams in socks and may refuse to wear them

__ distressed by clothes rubbing on skin; may want to wear shorts and short sleeves year round, toddlers may prefer to be naked and pull diapers and clothes off constantly

__ or, may want to wear long sleeve shirts and long pants year round to avoid having skin exposed

__ distressed about having face washed

__ distressed about having hair, toenails, or fingernails cut

__ resists brushing teeth and is extremely fearful of the dentist

__ is a picky eater, only eating certain tastes and textures; mixed textures tend to be avoided as well as hot or cold foods; resists trying new foods

__ may refuse to walk barefoot on grass or sand

__ may walk on toes only

2. Hyposensitivity To Touch (Undersensitive):

__ may crave touch, needs to touch everything and everyone

__ is not aware of being touched/bumped unless done with extreme force or intensity

__ is not bothered by injuries, like cuts and bruises, and shows no distress with shots (may even say they love getting shots!)

__ may not be aware that hands or face are dirty or feel his/her nose running

__ may be self-abusive; pinching, biting, or banging his own head

__ mouths objects excessively

__ frequently hurts other children or pets while playing

__ repeatedly touches surfaces or objects that are soothing (i.e., blanket)

__ seeks out surfaces and textures that provide strong tactile feedback

__ thoroughly enjoys and seeks out messy play

__ craves vibrating or strong sensory input

__ has a preference and craving for excessively spicy, sweet, sour, or salty foods

3. Poor Tactile Perception And Discrimination:

__ has difficulty with fine motor tasks such as buttoning, zipping, and fastening clothes

__ may not be able to identify which part of their body was touched if they were not looking

__ may be afraid of the dark

__ may be a messy dresser; looks disheveled, does not notice pants are twisted, shirt is half un tucked, shoes are untied, one pant leg is up and one is down, etc.

__ has difficulty using scissors, crayons, or silverware

__ continues to mouth objects to explore them even after age two

__ has difficulty figuring out physical characteristics of objects; shape, size, texture, temperature, weight, etc.

__ may not be able to identify objects by feel, uses vision to help; such as, reaching into backpack or desk to retrieve an item

I think my child may have Sensory Processing Disorder, now what?  The Ultimate Guide to Sensory Processing Disorder by Roya Ostavar, Ph.D. has a ton of great information, including Chapter 5: Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment - Where to Begin.  She also includes a very thorough (20 pages worth) sample Developmental History Form.  

Then obtain a referral to an Occupational Therapist.  All three of our boys have been treated by an OT at one time or another.  Currently our two youngest sons are receiving treatment 1-2 times a month.  They give us many great ideas of therapies activities to do at home.  For more ideas, The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun by Carol Stock Kranowitz, M.A. has tons of activities for kids with sensory processing disorder.

A few of our family favorite activities are:

Brushing.  This is a technique that was shown to us by the OT and followed up by her.  We definitely noticed a difference when we were brushing the kids regularly.  Problem is, you need to do it frequently (every couple of hours) for maximum benefit.  Kids can also be hyped up more when this is started, but the desired result is calming.

Deep pressure.  This is another calming strategy.  We use wet suits (over clothing), pressure vests, ankle weights, weighted blankets, wrestling, and wall push-ups to name a few.  Pretty much anything you can think of that gives a heavy touch.  Even filling a backpack up with toys and wearing it around the house.

            

Play-doh or Theraputty.  I hide coins or beads in them for the kids to find.  We sometimes just play with it.  Last summer I made Flubber and Johnathan (pictured above with the ankle weights) could not stand the touch or smell of it, to the point of gagging.

 

We take many trips to the ocean so the kids are used to walking on the sand with bare feet now.  Our youngest, Amada, cannot stand to get wet.  If she has even 1 drop of water on her clothes she has to go change, so this was a good trip to the beach for her.

Shaving cream.  I will warn you...this makes a mess!  I usually try to limit it to in the bathtub otherwise it gets out of hand quickly.  We also go outside and they draw on the sliding glass door with shaving cream, which can then be hosed off.

 



Practice writing our letters or names in a tray of rice.  Play with moon sand inside a plastic container at the table.  You can put hair gel or pudding inside a plastic bag and have the kids feel it without all the mess. We also have a "taggie" blanket with the tags all around it because James, who is our sensory seeker, loves tags.

This was recommended by our OT also.  It is called KT tape (sports players use it to tape up their muscles or injuries).  Using it around James' mouth brings more awareness to that area and helps cut down on the drooling.  He also likes to stuff his food in his mouth when eating (so he can feel the food in his mouth) and this helps with that.

                           

Does your child have Sensory Processing Disorder?  What are some activities you have fun doing with your child?

~Nicole~