This Scribble was scribbled by Fatima Khodary (Occupational Therapist at TCP) 

AN UNDERSTANDING OF SENSORY OVERLOAD

Imagine yourself walking in the middle of Times Square, New York, on a hot day, chaperoning eight children, and worst of all, you are lost! Just imagine all the senses you would be feeling—hot, sticky, screaming kids, pedestrians bumping into you, conversations of people around you, music from the shops, ambulance noise, cars honking… well, you get the picture. Do you think you would be able to find your destination? Most unlikely, because there is too much going on around you and the sensory information your brain is receiving is getting all jumbled up and is not being registered properly creating frustration and a ‘shut down’ feeling. This is what sensory overload feels like for a child who has sensory processing difficulties.

We are constantly experiencing sensory input from our environment, whether it be visual, touch, hearing, smell, or taste. In addition to the five main senses, our bodies also receive information from our inner ears regarding movement (vestibular), and from our muscles and joints regarding our understanding of our body in space (proprioception).

Some children experience difficulty in filtering out unnecessary information from their environment. This in turns, interferes with their ability to participate and function adequately in their daily activities. A child may overreact to each sensory input or may respond by becoming non-responsive to the environment. A child may present with some difficulty focusing attention and may show hyperactive behaviours. As a result of the sensory overload, there may be unwanted behaviours such as hitting, biting, screaming, and head banging which is the child’s way of communicating frustration and confusion. Poor eye contact is also very common which allows to the child to reduce the sensory input. Rhythmical self-stimulation activities such as rocking, spinning, and flapping hands/fingers in front eyes are common as well. These behaviours indicate a child’s attempt to provide some type of rhythmical input to the nervous system to deal with the overload. Most often, the child shows more appropriate responses in situations where the environment is calm and relaxed.

 

WHAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP?

Not to worry, with consistent strategies provided by an Occupational Therapist, usually in the form of a sensory diet, children eventually learn to modulate the sensory input and make new connections or pathways in the brain to integrate the sensory information. In the meantime, here are three calming strategies that are often recommended to parents and caregivers:

Rhythmical linear motion

Any type of rhythmical linear motion such as slow forward/back movements in a straight line is calming as the vestibular system receives a more organised input from the fluid in the inner ear. In contrast, bouncing, spinning, or jumping up and down can provide an alerting effect to the vestibular system.  The best way for obtaining linear movements is using a swing. However, it is often difficult for parents to install or have access to a swing. Parents at home can swing their child in a blanket (where two people hold on either sides). Parents can also place their child on their laps and use a rocking chair to provide a smooth rhythmical movement. If no rocking chair is available, sit on the floor and rock gently with your child on your laps. Finally, rocking your child slightly back and forth in a sitting position or while lying on their tummy on a gymnastic ball can also produce the same effect.

Deep pressure input

This is my all time favourite calming strategy. Think about your mood after a full body massage, or being covered in heavy blankets during a cold winter night, or simply receiving a nice hug from a loved one. Deep pressure input provides a grounding sensation, it allows you to settle in, calm down, while information is unconsciously being sent to your brain about what the muscles, tendons, and joints are doing and where they are in space. It also causes the release of both serotonin and dopamine, which are “happy” neurotransmitters, in the brain and produce a calming feeling within the nervous system.  Deep pressure input can include, among other things, firm holding, firm stroking, cuddling, hugging, and squeezing. Simple activities to do with your child can include bear hugs, deep pressure massage, placing a heavy weighted stuffed animal on their body, wearing a weighted vest or wrist bands, or squeezing your child between two pillows (make sure the head is never covered). You can be creative and think of any other activity to do with your child to provide that deep pressure input.

Calming auditory input

Use music to help your child organise and integrate sensory input. At first, try playing baroque or Mozart music with a slow tempo of 60 beats per minute. Research has shown that this type of music is very calming as the tempo is the same as the child’s resting heart rate. Observe your child for feedback on the appropriateness of the music. Changes in respiratory pattern, vocalization, and general activity level can be used as guides for continuing, withdrawing, or changing the music.

You can always combine some strategies together to provide an even more relaxing feeling, such as cuddling your child while doing linear motion on the rocking chair and playing soft classical (Mozart) music in the background. Dimming or turning off the lights is always recommended as it diminishes the visual distractions.

These simple strategies should be beneficial for an over-stimulated child, however, every child is unique. Therefore, it is important to understand your child’s needs, try out different activities and strategies, and seek the help of an Occupational Therapist for further support.