April 26, 2019Tri-County TherapyBlogoccupational therapyOTpediatric therapyphysical therapysensory processing

Sensory Processing: Multi-Sensory Input

Now let’s put it all together and have some fun!! Obstacle courses are a great way to provide your kiddo with various types of sensory input at home!  What you’ll need: something soft to “crash” on, something to walk across requiring balance, something with weight, something to crawl under, something to jump on, something to push, and some place to spin. 

Get creative and have your little one help as well!  Pillows work great for crashing.  Try filling a bookbag with canned goods to have your child carry through parts of the course.  If you don’t have a swing nearby, help your child spin in standing a few times and then see if he can regain balance to complete the course.  Can he remember each step without needing to be reminded? 

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April 19, 2019Tri-County TherapyBlogoccupational therapyOTpediatric therapyphysical therapysensory processing

Sensory Processing: Proprioception

Are you able to close your eyes and touch your nose with the tip of your finger?  You can thank your proprioceptive system for this!  This sensory system is responsible for sensing where our body is in relation to its surroundings.  Having impaired proprioceptive processing can cause children to both seek and avoid deep pressure activities. Kids with low proprioceptive awareness may appear lazy, clumsy, or uncoordinated, while kids that seek input tend to enjoy rough play, use too much force with daily tasks, and can be described as being aggressive. 

Including ‘heavy work’ activities in your child’s routine is very important!  Animal walks are an easy place to start and a great way to provide input.  Try bear walks, crab walks, and frog jumps with your child!! 

Bear hugs are quick way to provide input through your child’s upper body and core.  These can be very calming and organizing for lots of our little pressure seekers!    

Have your child lay on his tummy to play games or watch a show.  This allows for maintained input through his upper body and encourages activation of his core which are both great forms of proprioceptive input! 

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April 12, 2019Tri-County TherapyBlogoccupational therapyOTpediatric therapyphysical therapysensory processing

Sensory Processing: Vestibular

The vestibular system is our sense of movement and the mechanisms that control the vestibular system are located in the inner ear.  Kiddos that display vestibular-seeking behaviors may be described as ‘always in constant motion’, ‘a thrill seeker’, or even ‘never gets dizzy.’  On the other hand, those that avoid vestibular input may be fearful of playground equipment, become carsick easily, or dislike being picked up. 

Looking for some SAFE activities to provide your little wild one with the input he’s seeking?   Have your child hang upside down!  You can have them hang from monkey bars, hang their head off the couch, or hold them in your arms and tip them backwards.  Remember to only go as far as the child is comfortable. 

If your little one is fearful, take it slow by having him try sitting on a large ball with his feet off the floor.  Will he tolerate some slow rocking?  Will he roll over the ball on his tummy?  Bouncing? 

Every sensory system is unique so be sure to take it slow and consult your OT for specific strategies that may work best for you! 

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April 5, 2019Tri-County TherapyBlogoccupational therapyOTpediatric therapyphysical therapysensory processing

Sensory Processing: Oral Sensory Seekers

Does your child tend to put everything in his mouth?  Likely, he is trying to calm himself with oral input but don’t worry- here are lots of safe strategies you can try at home to help him regulate! 

Be sure to offer chewy snacks throughout the day, including fruit snacks, gummies, or even chewing gum (if able to manage).  Crunchy foods such as pretzel sticks, carrots, and celery are all great options to provide heavy work through the jaw. 

Resistive sucking is a great strategy for providing oral proprioceptive input.  Try using a water bottle or even curly straws!  

Blowing!  Have your child blow bubbles or have a cotton ball race with straws! 

Chewelry is a great option if you find your child benefits from a readily available tool!

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March 29, 2019Tri-County TherapyBlogoccupational therapyOTpediatric therapyphysical therapysensory processing

Sensory Processing: Tactile Play

Our tactile systems help us interpret everything related to our sense of touch, including textures, temperatures, vibration, pressure, and pain.  Development of a child’s tactile system has a huge impact on his daily experiences.  A healthy tactile system makes gaining independence with grooming, bathing, and dressing tasks fun!  A few common tactile-avoiding behaviors are listed below: 

Avoids certain textures or clothing 

Dislikes being messy 

Avoids hugs or physical contact 

Toe walking 

Refusal to walk barefoot 

Try making dry sensory bins filled with rice, flour, beans, or corn.  Have your child scoop and pour with cups, spoons, and shovels or hide small toys! 

Sensory dough is great for hand strengthening, as well as tactile play!  See if your child can make a worm, ball, or even bird’s nest out of playdough, cloud dough, and moon sand. 

Messy play can be a bit more challenging for some kiddos.  Try painting with finger paint, shaving cream, even pudding.  If your child is upset by having his hands messy, start out with a paintbrush or even a glove… baby steps! 

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March 22, 2019Tri-County TherapyBlogoccupational therapyOTpediatric therapyphysical therapysensory processing

Toys vary based on the age and targeted activity for the child.  For infants beginning to work on rolling and sitting, musical, light up toys are always a favorite!  Entertainment is always needed when performing tummy time which a child, as most children do not initially enjoy placement in this position, but it is vital to development.  Anything that can distract a child in these positions is beneficial, usually music and lights are favorites and promote calming or distraction from the challenge.  Some great toys to use include:  

1. Baby Einstein Turtle – this adorable turtle plays calming music for a fussy baby disliking tummy time, encourages visual tracking with its bright flashing lights, and encourages reaching to activate the music/lights with a hand. 

2. Rattle Shaker Toy – this simple toy mimics a rattle sound when shaken, but also provides a soothing, rainlike sound when placed on its end.  Babies enjoy reaching for this toy, knocking it over, and rolling or reaching for it when it rolls just beyond their reach.  It is also a great toy for teethers who want to pick everything up and put it against their gums. 

3. Laughing Monkey Toy – this laughing monkey entertains babies with his silly sounds and ability to roll in every direction.  The monkey shifts back and forth over the ball, as well as  rolls in circles to encourage rolling and reaching beyond a child’s comfort zone in sitting. 

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