Sensory Issue and Autism
Dakota is a hypo active sensory seeker. In other words he searches out for activities that involve motion. Some of the motion that Dakota seeks out is climbing, jumping, and spinning. He doesn’t stand and spin in circles per say. He loves to spin endlessly on the merry go round and the tire swing. He loves going really fast too. He won’t stop until he is so dizzy that he is sick to his stomach.
Extreme sensory issues are very common amongst kids with autism. You might notice that some autistic kids do not like loud sounds and some do not even like hugs. Dakota has gotten better as far as the loud noises. There are some noises that really bother him to the point he will cover his ears or say his ears hurt. It will be interesting when he goes back to school to see if he can handle the noise in the classroom. The noise was pretty overwhelming for him and he would tell me he didn’t feel good or that it was to loud. Of course they have head phones with a certain type of music that can help calm him in situations like that. When Dakota was smaller he didn’t really like to be touch nor did he liked to be hugged. At times he still is like that and other times he is huggable and lovable!
On the other side of the spectrum you have hyper sensitive sensory seeker. Those kids or adults may avoid engaging in activities that involve motion. For example they may seek out assistance in simple tasks such asking to be carried instead of walking. Walking instead of running. Dakota at one point was hyper sensitive where he didn’t want to engage in activity. He didn’t play with the kids he played side by side. He wanted the older kids and the teachers instead of kids his own age. He is now starting to socialize with kids his own age. He doesn’t understand how to socialize correctly. Part of the autism is that he has to do things his way. He has to learn that things can’t always go his way.
I want to share this video as it sort of explains why we are trying to figure out a room around Dakota and his sensory needs. I think it explains it really well. I think Dakota could benefit from a crash area in his room.
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Josh and I have some interesting and sometimes apparently conflicting sensory issues. You’d think that two people who are terrified by heights would hate rollercoasters… nope. We love them, but you won’t catch either of us on free-fall type rides.
Things that have helped when my son was little: I put Blue of Blues Clues on one wall, with the entire room in calming blue tone. I set up a huge stack of stuffed animals, bolster pillows, etc. in one corner of the room. He benefited from being in the bottom bunk for years; these days, he still prefers a bed close to ground. He and I have thought about re-creating a Japanese-styled capsule hotel for his bed – still to be determined…
Trampoline in back yard [padded outer edge]. He’s a teen but it still gets good use.
“Trance” music, or music with continuous rhythm. Yes, it’s annoying, but he seemed to be calmer with it. These days, he chooses pop music, etc. – but in the early years…
He loved three particular toys when he was little; the boggle ball [ a ball with soft rubber/plastic nubs that had a motor in it], the grabber ball [ a stuffed toy that had several textures for him to grab onto], and his “pet rock” – a specific rock that he found somewhere, much like a billion other rocks in the area, but which was somehow special to him, for reasons only known to him.
Come to think about it, even now he seems to enjoy textures of an old, hand-made quilt – although does not like to sleep with one.
The sofa he seems to most enjoy hanging out on is the overstuffed kind; however, he needs a firm mattress to sleep on. Sometimes, he likes to switch out sleeping on this bench I have in my office, rather than his bed – on occasion, I allow it – but not as a matter of habit.
The sofa he seems to most enjoy hanging out on is the overstuffed kind.
His room has khaki colored walls these days, his preference. Low-key, low-lighting. I switched out a bright incandescent for a three-way lamp that had one standard bulb, two green Christmas bulbs – and I see that he often prefers to shade the lamp and keep the green lights on [option 3].
Basically, watch for what direction he goes towards, and see if there is a way to incorporate it to his home environment.