Sensory Processing Exercises for Your Sensitive Child

Children with sensory processing disorder (SPD) may sense things intensely or not at all. They may be emotional to sound, fluorescent light, smelling, and new action. They may feel their senses are silenced and physically seek out stimulation, playing rough, jumping boundlessly, or touching everything all the time.
These sensory processing south africa difficulties often interfere with reading and learning, especially for students with SPD and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who already battle impulsivity. At school, these students may work regularly with an occupational therapist (OT). During school vacations, parents can make a difference by addressing their children’s sensory requirements at home.

What Your Child’s OT Wants You to Know About Sensory Difficulties
Sensory input enables us to feel the world more intimately by our sensations. Most brains can receive sensory input from the world, process it, and respond. But some brains have difficulty coordinating and answering the learning they acquire from the feelings. Kids with these difficulties may harm a peer by pressing them too tightly and cry when a classmate touches their hand.
Self-harming in reply to a loud environment or requiring more verbal cues are also common indications of SPD, which usually co-occurs with ADHD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and distinct developmental delays. Gauging if your kid’s behavior is sensory-avoiding or sensory-seeking can help you to find what type of activity to use.

Receptors for this learning area in the muscles and joints. Children with proprioceptive challenges misjudge how much force to use when picking up objects and may play too roughly with others. Some enjoy the feeling of pressure and may prefer wearing tight clothing. Clumsiness and bumping into things also cause safety concerns and maybe signs of difficulty with balance, the seventh or vestibular sense.

Guide Touch Sensitivity and Foster Tactile Awareness

If you see your child obsessively touching things or picking at their hair or skin, they are trying physical sensory stimulation. Try certain sensory processing exercises for your sensitive child:

• Play with water. Turn on the sprinkler. Break out the water guns or fill spray bottles and have water fights.
• Explore sensory bins. Fill boxes with rice, drained beans, or water beads. 
• Drop down to the floor and play. Encourage coordination through jumping, climbing, pushing, moving, and rolling on, around items like pillows, mattresses, blankets, or soft furniture. 
• Paint with your fingers. 
• Build an obstacle course indoors or out. 
• Jump for joy.
• Exercise using their own body’s power for 15 minutes. Begin with a 5-minute warm-up, and then complete a minimum of three sets, 10 reps of five or more exercises such as push-ups, planks, sit-ups, and wall squats. 
• Give body massages at least once a day. Focus on the arms, legs, and back.
• Use sensory swings.
• Scoot around on scooters.
• “Cook” with your hands. Make dough from flour, water, and salt. 
• Use the Muscles and Joints to Build Body Awareness.
• Play with pillows. 
• Develop Judgment and Coordination to Enlarge Vestibular Sense.
• Get rough play batter. Add beads or buttons to the putty or play dough and have your child pull out the objects.
• Tear paper or rip apart Velcro.
• Practice gymnastics. 
• Use yoga balls instead of chairs. 
• Use wobbles seats and swivel cushions. 
• Use weighted goods. Weighted blankets, vests, or shoulder straps can be useful during stationary tasks or when making transitions. 
• Have a daily dance party.