Sensory Savvy: How Occupational Therapy is Transforming the Lives of Children with Processing Difficulties

Sensory processing difficulties can greatly affect a child's ability to function in daily life. These difficulties can manifest in a variety of ways, such as difficulty with attention and focus, fear and avoidance of grooming tasks or “activities of daily living” (eating, brushing teeth, bathing, dressing, etc.), difficulty with emotional regulation, or difficulties with social participation and play skills. Occupational therapy can play a vital role in helping children with these difficulties. One of the key ways that occupational therapists can help is through the use of sensory integration techniques. 

Sensory integration is the process by which we take in information from our environment through our senses, and then use that information to organize and respond appropriately to the demands of daily life. Children with sensory processing difficulties may have difficulty with this process and may experience sensory overload or under-responsiveness to different sensory inputs. A child can demonstrate consistent behaviors with one particular sensory input or may demonstrate different behaviors towards different stimuli. Occupational therapists can use a variety of techniques to help these children better process and respond to sensory information. 

One popular technique used in occupational therapy is sensory integration therapy. This therapy uses a variety of activities and exercises to help children better process and respond to sensory information. These activities can include things like swinging, climbing, and jumping on a trampoline, as well as activities that involve different textures, smells, and sounds. These activities can help children to become more aware of their own bodies and the world around them, and can also help them to better regulate their own responses to different sensory inputs. 

Another technique used in occupational therapy is the use of sensory diets. Sensory diets are customized plans that are designed to help children with sensory processing difficulties to better regulate their own responses to different sensory inputs. These plans may include things like deep pressure “squeezes”, heavy work activities, oral motor tasks, and many other activities that can provide proprioceptive, tactile, vestibular, auditory, visual, olfactory, and gustatory inputs in an organized and predictable way that helps to promote self-awareness. A sensory diet and the inputs received help the child to feel more regulated and focused throughout their day and can decrease both sensory seeking and avoidance behaviors. 

In addition to these techniques, occupational therapists use assessments to evaluate and treat children with sensory processing difficulties. They can also suggest environmental modifications and sensory tools, toys, and equipment to promote sensory regulation in the child’s natural environment. 

It is important to keep in mind that every child is different and may have unique needs, so the interventions and techniques used in occupational therapy will be tailored to the individual child. With the help of an occupational therapist, children with sensory processing difficulties can learn

to better process and respond to sensory information, which can greatly improve their ability to function in daily life.