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Sensory-Friendly Tools and Resources for Autism Caregivers
As registered and licensed occupational therapists (OTR/L) in pediatric school-based settings, many of the students we support are diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). Therefore, we have extensive experience with various developmental, motor, social, and sensory conditions, and the...
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Supporting Sensory Diversity: Building Inclusive Classrooms
Traditional classrooms were initially designed in the early 1900s, and some school districts have retained a similar structure. These settings typically involve large groups of children seated, remaining stationary, and primarily learning through listening and reading. Traditional classrooms...
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The Power of Sensory Integration: Enhancing Communication for Non-Speaking Individuals
Communication is complex and extends beyond verbal expression. This is especially important to understand in non-speaking individuals. Non-verbal cues such as facial expression, body language, and sensory experiences play crucial roles in conveying and understanding messages. Sensory integration...
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The Role of Sensory-Focused Education in Inclusive Classrooms
In inclusive classrooms, all student learners have strategies, techniques, support, respect, and a welcoming environment to promote academic success (Webster, 2014). Inclusive classrooms require the integration of differentiated instruction tailored to the unique academic, mental, and physical...
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All Are Welcome: Creating an Inclusive Festival
Almost 11 years ago, I founded an organization, Autism Personal Coach, that provides coaching to autistic adults and teens to improve the quality of our lives. Within the first year of our existence, I realized that the lack of community was a glaring and alarming need for many of our clients. That...
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Sensory Processing Differences and Autism
In 2013, the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) included for the first time sensory reactivity within the diagnostic criteria for autism. The DSM-5 describes three categories of sensory differences: Sensory hyperreacitivty is an...
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Sensory Scanning for Self-Advocacy
Many individuals with autism, like myself, have challenges with the sensory world. Sometimes these challenges are difficult for us to identify, and quite often it’s even harder for those around us to see or understand them. Our senses provide our brains with information about the environment,...
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A Practical Guide for Parents of Children with Sensory Processing Difficulties
Having a child diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) necessitates parents to make a host of lifestyle and emotional adjustments. Many of these adjustments are in response to behavioral challenges exhibited by their children due to difficulty appropriately processing sensory information....
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Sensory Processing Difficulties – Dressing For Success
Many Children with Aspergers experience sensory processing difficulties or sensory processing disorder (SPD). Sensory Processing is the neurological processing and interpretation of sensation within one’s own body and from the environment. In short, it is the brain’s organization and...
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Addressing Sensory Processing Differences in Children with ASD
There is a growing body of literature describing unusual sensory processing patterns in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. A proliferation of writing from individuals with ASD such as Temple Grandin, Donna Williams and others have noted sensory processing impairments as one of the key...
