Sensory Needs

We use our sensory system for everything from knowing where our body is in space, controlling our movements and balancing, to knowing if we are hungry, hot, tired, thirsty or even emotional.

Are you someone that loves spicy food or loves rollercoasters? Or do you find these sensations unpleasant, and you avoid them?

Maybe you are someone that prefers a light on when you sleep, or someone who prefers the room to be completely dark?

Perhaps you like to listen to music when you are working or cooking, or do you prefer the room to be silent?

Everyone is different. We all process information differently and have different sensory preferences.

We have made the video below to introduce the topic of sensory needs and explain how you can support your child sensory needs. It has been made by the social communication team, so some of the advice or ideas may be more suitable for younger children, but the general principles apply to all children.

Video goes here.

Click here to read a written transcript of this video.

Click on the buttons below to find out more about your child�s sensory world and how you can support them.

More about our senses

How will I know if my child experiences sensory differences?

These interactive child development questionnaires are reproduced courtesy of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

How can we help?

Be a detective!!!!
What aspect of the activity is your child finding difficult?
What are the sensory aspects of the activity? (consider all 8 sensory systems)
What are your child�s sensory preferences?
What else is happening in the environment at the time?
What have you tried? What has worked?
Try to involve the young person in problem solving.

Ask yourself, are there any smells or sounds you haven�t noticed? How does it feel on their skin? Are there better times of day? Is there a more �sensory friendly� environment you could try the activity in?

A sensory friendly environment is one that meets your child�s sensory needs. This could mean:

dimmed lights / blinds or curtains if they don�t light bright lights
reducing clutter / visual distractions if they have low thresholds to visual input
lots of soft textures or cuddly toys to curl up in if they enjoy tactile sensations
heavy blankets if they like the feeling of being �squashed� and have high thresholds to proprioceptive input
rocking chairs or stools if they have high thresholds to vestibular input
certain smells can be calming such as lavender or camomile, your child might like to explore and find out which ones work for them

Tips to try with self-care:

Sensory friendly clothing such as seamless socks. Cut labels out. Explore preferred fabrics.
Offer choices with clothing. Do they prefer tighter or looser clothing.
Offer noise reducing or noise cancelling headphones in busier environments.
Offer your child goggles to wear in the shower when hair washing.
Use dry shampoo.
Try cutting one finger nail a day rather than all 10 in one go. Trial a nail file.
Try substituting scissors for clippers when having hair cut or vice versa.
Try a vibrating toothbrush.
Carry paper towels to avoid having to use hand dryers.
Use accessible toilets / disabled toilets or use more familiar toilets if they are more comfortable.
Remind your child to eat and drink if they are not noticing their body cues.
Give your child a �massage� / some deep pressure touch prior to self-care activities.

*it is important we don�t expect children to �get used to� sensory input they find uncomfortable but try to find alternate means or make adaptations to the activity to accommodate these differences.

Other strategies:

Visual timers and visual prompts can be helpful to show your child how to break down the activity and for how long they need to participate.
Provide as much information as possible beforehand so your child knows what to expect and how long they are expected to be there.
Allow extra time for more demanding sensory activities, for example allowing more time to get dressed in the morning so it is not a rush.
Offer choice and give your child a sense of control over the activity, for example let them brush their own hair or file their own nails with you modelling next to them.
Try to structure activities so they become predictable, for example hair washing always being the same day and time and with the same preferred products.
Generally using firm touch is easier for the body to tolerate rather than lots of light �tickly� touch.
Embed lots of �feel good� activities into your child�s day as this will give them more resources in order to cope with sensory demands.
Children may struggle with sensory differences more when experiencing other stressors in their life such as poor sleep, feeling unwell or feeling anxious. You may find during these times they may need more support from you.