Children with sensory processing disorder (a fair number of whom are on the autism spectrum) often experience overwhelming responses to everyday stimuli. As our Brecksville occupational therapists can explain, these challenges can affect their ability to participate in daily activities, from getting dressed to eating meals to functioning in a classroom.

For these kids, sensory input such as loud noises, bright lights or certain textures can provoke extreme discomfort, anxiety and avoidance.

Desensitization is a therapy strategy used by our Brecksville occupational therapists to manage their responses to sensory input. Through systematic exposure and gradual adjustment, kids can learn to tolerate stimuli that would otherwise impede their ability to function in everyday life.

Types of Sensory Issues in Children With Sensory Processing Disorder

Children with sensory processing challenges often exhibit different types of sensitivities:

1. Hypersensitivity (Over-Responsiveness): These children may become overwhelmed by everyday sensory experiences, such as the feeling of clothing on their skin, the sound of a vacuum cleaner, or the brightness of fluorescent lights. Their heightened sensory perception causes discomfort or even distress, leading to avoidance of certain situations.
2. Hyposensitivity (Under-Responsiveness): Conversely, some children may not notice or appropriately respond to sensory input. They might seek out intense sensory experiences, such as banging into objects, chewing on non-food items, or preferring very loud environments, as they need stronger input to register sensation.
3. Sensory Seeking: These children crave specific types of sensory input, engaging in behaviors like spinning, jumping, or chewing to satisfy sensory needs. While not inherently negative, these behaviors can sometimes disrupt daily life or become socially inappropriate.

How Sensory Issues Impede Life Functions

Sensory challenges can significantly affect a child’s ability to carry out essential daily functions. For example:

• Social Participation: Noises in crowded environments or the unpredictability of physical touch during play can make social activities overwhelming. Many children with sensory issues withdraw from interactions with peers, impacting their social development.
• Personal Hygiene: A child with hypersensitivity to touch may resist bathing, tooth brushing, or haircuts due to the unpleasant sensations these tasks create.
• Eating: Texture aversion is common in children with sensory processing disorder. The feel of certain foods in the mouth can trigger gagging or refusal to eat, leading to nutritional deficiencies or severely limited diets.

Why Desensitization is Important for Everyday Life

Desensitization helps children gradually adapt to sensory input they previously found unbearable. Our Brecksville occupational therapists understand that for many families, this process is life-changing, as it allows children to engage more fully in daily activities. Whether it’s helping a child tolerate the texture of certain clothing or enabling them to participate in family meals without distress, desensitization builds a foundation for independence.

Through desensitization, children learn that they can manage sensory input without becoming overwhelmed. This can lead to improved self-regulation, fewer meltdowns, and greater participation in daily routines. For families, this means fewer battles over everyday tasks and an overall higher quality of life.

Strategies Occupational Therapists Use for Desensitization

Pediatric occupational therapists (OTs) employ a variety of strategies to help children with sensory processing disorder and autism become desensitized to challenging sensory stimuli. These strategies are often individualized based on the child’s specific needs, sensitivities, and sensory profile. Some of the commonly used approaches include:

1. Graded Exposure: One of the cornerstones of desensitization is gradually introducing the child to the sensory stimulus in small, manageable doses. For example, if a child is hypersensitive to touch, the therapist may start by brushing the child’s skin lightly with soft textures and gradually move toward rougher textures as tolerance builds. The process is slow and carefully monitored to prevent overwhelming the child.
2. Sensory Diets: A sensory diet is a personalized set of activities and exercises that provide the child with specific types of sensory input. For children who are hypersensitive, the diet includes calming activities like deep-pressure therapy or swinging, which help the child regulate their sensory system. For children who are hyposensitive or sensory-seeking, more stimulating activities may be included, such as bouncing on a therapy ball or using vibrating tools.
3. Use of Deep Pressure and Proprioceptive Input: Deep pressure, like that from weighted blankets, compression clothing, or tight hugs, helps children with sensory processing issues feel grounded and calm. These techniques can be particularly helpful for children with autism, who often struggle with feeling in control of their bodies.
4. Visual and Auditory Desensitization: Children with sensitivity to bright lights or loud sounds may benefit from gradual exposure through visual aids, such as dimming lights incrementally or wearing sunglasses, and auditory aids like noise-canceling headphones. The therapist may also play specific sounds at lower volumes and slowly increase the intensity over time to build tolerance.
5. Adaptive Equipment and Sensory-Friendly Modifications: Pediatric OTs may also recommend adaptive equipment, such as textured chew toys for oral sensitivities or fidget tools to help sensory-seeking children self-regulate. Environmental changes like creating quiet corners or using sensory-friendly lighting can help reduce sensory overload at home or in the classroom.

Desensitization as part of a plan of care in pediatric occupational therapy can go a long way toward helping children with sensory processing disorder build their tolerance to sensory stimuli so they can participate more fully in everyday activities.

For more information about pediatric occupational therapy in Brecksville, Contact Us Online or call our office (330) 748-4807. Our educational services and multidisciplinary therapy are available in Brecksville, Broadview Heights, Cleveland, Akron and surrounding communities.

Additional Resources:

Home Desensitization Program, University of Michigan Hospitals, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, PT/OT Therapy Division

More Blog Entries:

Daily Living Skills: How Akron Occupational Therapists Help Kids Work Toward Independence, July 10, 2024, Brecksville Occupational Therapists’ Blog