The smell of new markers, the feel of new back-to-school clothes, the sight of new kids and adults bustling about in the school building—all are a part of the back-to-school experience. For a student with sensory issues, everyday sensations such as these can register in the brain much more intensely than they do for other kids, and it can be anxiety-provoking to sort out all the sensory input. It's common for kids with sensory issues to really struggle with self-regulation at

Are you off to the beach with your child who has sensory issues? My coauthor, Lindsey Biel, pointed out in a recent article on baby development and beach time that beaches offer a lot of sensory input. Some children will be calm by sounds at the beach and will enjoy sensory seeking in the water and sand. Others will find the sounds distressing and be distressed by the bright sun and scratchy sand. In our award-winning book Raising a Sensory Smart Child, Lindsey and I explaine

What's the difference between sensory processing issues and sensory processing disorder? As Lindsey Biel and I described in our book Raising a Sensory Smart Child, sensory processing disorder is when sensory sensitivities and atypical sensory processing are so challenging that the individual experiences significant dysfunction in activities of daily living (ADL, as occupational therapists call it). For a child, ADL means what our kids do at home, at school, and away. Lindsey

A sensory diet is key for helping a child with sensory processing disorder to develop self-regulation skills. Throughout the day, activities that provide sensory input to calm a child who is hyperactive or to rev up a child who is sluggish can help a child with sensory processing issues to function better and more easily meet your behavioral expectations. For example, the child who is too active can start to ignore safety rules while a child who is in a low state of energy ma

Toys for kids with sensory issues do not have to cost a lot of money. Here are some ideas for low-cost toys and equipment your child with se

A sensory diet of activities and accommodations helps a child or teen with sensory processing disorder to stay regulated throughout the day. Over time, a sensory diet will actually train the brain to process sensory information more typically, lessening sensory issues and improving self-regulation skills. Here are some ideas for toys and equipment for a sensory diet that you can purchase–or in some case, create on your own. A crash pad. You want your sensory child to be able

Specific sensory input throughout the day as part of a sensory diet of activities and accommodations designed to promote self-regulation of focus, energy, and mood is vital for any child with sensory processing issues. Let’s face it: Every child needs a little environmental support to calm down after an exciting activity, to perk up and focus when he’s feeling tired and has been processing information for too long of a stretch, and to shift from frustration into a sense of ca

Concerned about how your child with sensory processing disorder will function at school this year? Why not consider a letter to your child’s teacher or teachers to ensure that they know of your son or daughter’s sensory issues and how best to support your sensory child at school? Even if your child has a IEP, these documents only provide a quick snapshot of the kinds of issues sensory kids deal with in classrooms, on the playground, in the gym or art or music rooms, in the ca

Is your child with sensory issues chewing, licking, and biting inappropriately? This is a common behavior among kids with SPD and/or autism, and there are many ways to address it. The mouth has many sensory receptors: for taste, texture, temperature, wetness and dryness, movement (in the jaw and in the tongue, for instance), and so on. The information from these receptors is sent to the brain, which organizes and processes the information. When sensory processing is dysfuncti