Sensory Diet for Children

Despite how it sounds, a sensory diet has nothing to do with food. It's actually more like a schedule of activities to help kids with sensory difficulties get through the day. Through careful planning, you can improve the life of your sensory-sensitive child by helping navigate the highs and lows of his day.

Working with an OT

• If your child has autism or sensory processing disorder, you may already have an occupational therapist (OT) working with him. If not, it's a good idea to consult one to help develop a sensory diet. An OT will observe and evaluate your child and talk to you about things that bother him. Kids with sensory difficulties often have trouble with transitions, sounds and textures. They may be over- or under-sensitive to a variety of sensory stimuli. Once the OT knows what your child's specific issues are, she can offer suggestions to help him cope. These things will become key parts of the sensory diet.

Building the Diet

• The key to building a sensory diet is to include behaviors your child already exhibits, along with behaviors that calm her and ease transitions. If your child is a sensory-seeker, constantly jumping on the furniture and leaning back in her chair, make it safe for her to experience those feelings. A mini-trampoline or pile of cushions provide a safe place for jumping. A piece of thera-band tied between the front legs of her chair provides the resistance she seeks when she's leaning her chair back.

  If your child finds a certain smell soothing, look for a plug-in air freshener in that scent, or place a few drops of essential oil on her pillow and curtains. If she's soothed by being held tight, give her a soft, heavy comforter to wrap herself in.

  Pay attention to when she displays certain behaviors. If she gets wound up after lunch, build time into the diet for her jumping. If transitioning home from school is challenging, have her blanket waiting when she walks through the door and allow her to settle in before going through her backpack and asking about her day. By alternating stimulating and soothing activities throughout the day, you're giving your child balance that she's unable to provide for herself.

  The sensory diet isn't only for home. If you're going to be away from home around the time your child usually starts to melt down and likes to snuggle with her lavender-scented pillow, carry a swatch of cloth with you, with a few drops of the scent added. She can hold and smell this wherever you are. Teething rings or chewy tubes (available from online stores like Southpaw) are portable solutions for kids who mouth everything, and thera-band (also available from Southpaw) can be stretched and pulled no matter where you are if your little one is fidgety. The sensory diet can be changed and adjusted as your child's needs change and over time, you'll see that following the diet makes life easier not only for your child but for the entire family.