This document discusses the importance of identifying and accommodating the individual sensory needs of children with autism. It notes that each child's sensory system is unique and that they deserve opportunities to have their needs met. The responsibility lies with taking the time to understand each child's specific sensory functioning through observation and communication with parents and therapists. Developing individualized sensory diets tailored to each child's needs, rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach, is emphasized. Intervening with sensory support before problem behaviors occur, rather than just in response to behaviors, can help avoid reinforcing negative behaviors through sensory rewards. Recognizing and respecting individual needs through effort and understanding of each child is key.
1. Sensorial needs in autism.
Without saying, it is imperative that we identify needs. Once
identifying specific needs, which are extremely varied from child
to child, we must respect the obvious. That each child deserves
to not only be identified but acknowledged and accommodated.
Then, it is our responsibility to take to the next step. Expectation
being placed on the child to constantly change to fit into our
world is not unrealistic, it is degrading. Each child is a person
worthy of us recognizing that our environment is perceived
differently, and yes, painfully. Their sensory system is as unique
and different as you and I. They deserve the opportunity that
every child deserves. The responsibility lays in our hands. To
spend quality time with each child to familiarize ourselves with
their particular functioning from a sensory integration
standpoint. A sensory diet must be developed for each child.
This is where we so often lose our children, by using a cookie
cutter theory of establishing a sensory diet. Worse yet, sensory is
not used properly. So many times, when the child is desperately
communicating in the only way they know, with misbehavior.
Then the child is removed from the situation, and taken to a
sensory room. This is reinforcing the negative behavior. By
rewarding negative behavior with the sensory that the child is
2. seeking is making negative behaviors worsen and causing lack
of communication as now the child only knows, naughty equals
sensory reward. A huge opportunity is being missed, dismissed,
overlooked.... there is always a way to communicate. After all,
the child is smart enough to recognize that bad behavior
equates to removal from undesired task rewarded with
pleasurable sensory. Why are we not intervening before the
behavior? Why are we not seeing the obvious outcome of
demands on the child? Spending time observing the child's
sensorial needs is the best way to prepare. Strong
communication with involved parents, therapists, despite
workers is our best way of understanding. It may take years. This
is not an easy task by any means, but it is worth every moment.
Logging, journaling, even just jotting down a few lines of
observation at the end of each day by the parent can mean the
difference between a child we understand and can begin to
relate to and a child that is troubled by inability to be
understood.
Recognizing and respecting the individual needs is all that is
needed. It's so simple, yet so simply overlooked. Each child
deserves to be understood. We need to take the time and make
the effort to understand them. Some may think this is too much
work. But correcting behaviors that have been reinforced by
3. being rewarded with sensory is far more work and far more
lengthy.
WrittenbyCOLLEEN NAGLE TRYNER
Parentof 18 yearold,non-verbal sonwithAutism
