Kids need discipline, but what exactly does "discipline" mean? The word comes from a Latin root meaning "to teach," so "discipline" does NOT mean punishment. It means teaching. What do we need to teach our kids with sensory processing disorder? First and foremost, we have to teach self-regulation skills. We also want to teach social skills—along with what are the natural consequences for behavior. We need to teach social rules which, as we all know, can be very complicated. H

Kids with sensory issues tend to be disorganized, yet the organizational systems set up for them by others often don’t work. Julie Morgenstern, author of the fantastic book Organizing from the Inside Out, has written about how organizational systems have to match up with how an individual operates. Customizing the organizing systems in your home can really help the clutter and messes from getting out of control. Here’s an example. Your child with sensory issues might insist t

It is differences that make communities and families strong. If we were all alike, we would be weak as a group. Every family needs a planner and someone who is spontaneous. Every community needs people who are great at tending to relationships and people who are great at taking care of practical tasks. And every school needs children with different qualities so that everyone can learn from each other. As a parent, you want to give your children the clear message that while it

Kids with sensory processing disorder often are anxious because of their sensory processing differences—and their SPD can worsen any anxiety they already have. That’s because they are constantly working to make sense of the signals they’re getting from their environment (sights, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile sensations) and from inside their bodies (vestibular, proprioceptive, and interoceptive senses of movement, body awareness of muscles and body parts, body awareness of

At the end of the school year, when so many kids are receiving prizes, awards, and scholarships, it's important for us to remember that

Kids with sensory processing disorder often have trouble understanding time and sequence without the help of visual supports. One of the best tips I ever got from another parent was to make and use a visual to do list for my son when he was in preschool to keep him on task during the morning routine. My quickly scribbled list was like a magic wand! Suddenly, instead of redirecting him 176 times before getting him on the little yellow bus, I had him showing me just what he nee