Little Wooden Toybox Blog: A Sensory World

After my son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in October 2011, I was hearing the word ‘sensory’ a lot but I had no real idea what it meant or how it affected his day to day life. I understood that children with Autism have sensory issues; meaning that they have trouble processing noise, lights, smells etc. but I didn’t understand how this difficulty in processing could cause such extreme reactions and tantrums, as well as a behaviour called ‘stimming.'

Before I go on, here are some definitions: (Please note these are my simple definitions for the purpose of this blog)

Sensory: Simply means to learn or experience life through our senses. We all, in most cases, have five senses including taste (mouth), smell (nose), hearing (ears), sight (eyes) and touch (hands – and mouth for babies).

All babies and young children are sensory learners, as everything they hear, smell, touch, taste and see is new to them. Babies will ‘mouth’ toys as this is another way for them the feel and discover objects. That’s why the first place that my wooden toys will go is in your bubba’s mouth! That is also why I choose toys that are non-toxic and ‘edible’ for your little ones.

Sensory Processing Disorder or SPD: Difficulty in processing and making meaning (in the brain) from information gained by the five senses (outside, around and on the body). A child can have SPD and not have Autism. SPD is not a recognised or funded diagnosis in Australia but it affects around 1 in 20 children. Treatment includes working with occupational therapists and/or psychologists.

Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD: Includes wide umbrella of disorders (including Asperger’s Syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified – PDDNOS) with a wide range of symptoms where most will include some form of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). A child with ASD will not be diagnosed with SPD as well. Treatment includes working with occupational therapists, speech pathologists, paediatricians, psychologists and the list goes on.

Stimming: Self Stimulation including spinning, rocking, rolling, and head banging etc. that gives the child a sense of control and calm in a world that they cannot control.

Tantrum: A general sort of ‘hissy fit’ typical of young children that do not get their own way. Tantrums are controlled attempts to manipulate a situation.

Meltdown: This goes beyond a normal tantrum where the child completely loses control of their body, thoughts, and actions as a result of being too overwhelmed, stimulated, confused etc. This can come in many forms including crying, lashing out, violence and withdrawal.

Back on track…

Although children with special needs share our world and its day to day activities, the way in which they experience the world can be very different to the way that you and I experience it.

For many children with ASD or SPD, concentrating on a one-on-one conversation can be as hard as you trying to talk to your friend at a loud concert.

For others, wearing shoes and socks is simply unbearable due to the seams and fabric rubbing against their skin.

Walking into a room with bright lighting can be the equivalent (and as overwhelming) as you or I staring at a strobe light.

Clothing can feel like prickles. Wind can hurt.

Brushing hair can feel like the hair is being ripped out strand by strand.

Loud noises become deafening. Certain sounds like scrunching paper to a child with ASD or SPD can sound like nails on a chalk board to us.

Some children appear deaf when in fact they may not be able to separate your voice from the surrounding background noise and chatter.

Food colours and smells appear repulsive. Water can hurt, clothes can hurt, and someone looking at you in the eyes can hurt.

Weight can be comforting or suffocating.

Spinning, rocking, rolling, head banging (stimming) is relieving.

I don’t quite understand why my boy needs to be rolled up tightly in a blanket to calm down during and after a meltdown, other than he finds deep pressure and dark spaces calming. For this same reason we use weighted blankets and toys, both at home and at school. He doesn’t always need them, but they are close by and ready for stressful situations or when concentration is required.

If you tried to do this with another child, they may well hit you over the head and a meltdown may start or intensify. Each child is different and responds differently to ‘calm down’ techniques depending on if they are over stimulated or under stimulated. What I use for my son often won’t work for my daughter.

My son will react to being overstimulated by crying and screaming while my daughter completely withdraws and will stop talking and even stop moving. You'll often find her standing like a tin soldier with glazed over eyes when you ask her to do something that she can’t comprehend or doesn’t want to do (yes she has a stubborn streak too!) A huge ‘break through’ recently in getting her to respond has been through using Velcro picture strips where her life is sorted into lines, events and step by step routines. Since starting the picture strips about six weeks ago, we have seen less verbal repetition, she is talking more at school, has less meltdowns at home and overall she seems more calm and secure. A simple thing like pictures has made her world make sense.

How do we, those who experience the world as we should, understand and cater for those who experience the world differently? In many cases we can’t fix things or change them, but the first step is to acknowledge that what you see or feel may not be what the next person sees or feels. Although we may not understand how sand (insert any sensory thing here) can be painful, we can listen to our children and acknowledge that what they are experiencing may in fact be very real to them.

I could write a book on all the sensory issues that go on in our house, but for now I want to begin to create awareness on an issue that is so common in our children (and adults if you look closely enough!)

This short clip by Carly gives you an insider’s view to what Autism can look and sound like on a day to day basis for someone on the spectrum. It looks exhausting. This is by no means what every person with ASD or SPD sees, hears and feels, but it does give you an idea of how someone, who may look completely normal on the outside, may be experiencing the world very differently on the inside.