Journey Of Parenting - Kidnectivity

Sensational Sensory System

Sensory systems...more important factors contributing to regulation and behavior!

Our sensory systems help us maintain regulated states and are foundational to learning new skills and participating in life. We all have sensory systems that require different levels of sensory input and activity to help our bodies get ready and be focused. As we improve awareness of our own and our child’s sensory needs, preferences, and/or sensitivities, we can increase our effectiveness as parents.
Keep in mind, as children develop they often need intense sensory experiences. When children's sensory needs are unmet and/or sensory sensitivities are disregarded, learning and self-regulation are difficult.

As we become better parent detectives, we can be responsive to our child's sensory needs and can learn to:

Modify the environment
Account for sensory differences
Change our approach
Adapt our expectations

As we explore each sensory system and its contribution to regulation and behavior, keep in mind your child’s unique sensory system. For each sensory system ask yourself, or take notes, when answering the following questions:

Is your child able to use this sensory system effectively?
Is your child sensitive to this sensory system?
Does your child crave this type of sensory input.

The Visual System

Our VISUAL SYSTEM allows us to obtain quick information of our surroundings. It aids us in learning more about the environment. This system helps us with:

Visual skills
Ability to judge near and far space and distance
Visual perception (making sense of what the eyes see)
Eye contact
Coordination of fine and large motor movements
Non-verbal communication

Suggestions for “working out” the visual system:

Finding items in piles
Engaging in near/far vision activities
Navigating from a map
Catching/rolling ball
Playing with a balloon
Connecting the dots, mazes, and puzzles
Making Origami
Playing I-Spy

the auditory system

Our AUDITORY SYSTEM is used for hearing and responds 1000x faster than the visual system. It works with other systems to provide spatial and auditory information about our environment. This system helps us with:

Auditory processing
Recognizing sound location/spatial concepts (backward, near, far)
Responding to auditory changes
Analyzing different parameters of sound (duration, frequency, and tone)
Verbal communication

Suggestions for “working out” the Gustatory system:

Listening to different types of music
Listening to environmental sounds without vision
Playing a musical instrument
Learning about rhythm
Playing auditory games
Using shaker bottles

the gustatory system

Our GUSTATORY SYSTEM houses our taste buds and is responsible for detecting taste, pain, and temperature. The signals of this system travel from our brain stem and are easily paired with emotions. This system helps us with:

Eating a wide and varied diet
Detecting the texture of foods
Trying new foods
Distinguishing basic characteristics and flavors of foods
Discriminating what is edible and not
Tasting the temperature of foods
Discerning the quality and intensity of foods

Suggestions for “working out” the Gustatory system:

Role Modeling by eating a wide and varied diet
Engage child in grocery shopping & meal prep
Play with food
Introducing changes in small increments
Presenting colorful meals
Experiment with various temperatures

Our OLFACTORY SYSTEM has receptors that allow for rapid behavioral responses. Our sense of smell is also connected to our memory.

Detecting odors
Food selecting
Tolerating daily environmental scents
Connecting affective terms to an experience (pleasant or aversive)
Staying alert

Discuss various scents in the environment
Using essential oils
Using scented projects/crafts (scented play-doh, scented markers, making scented candles etc.)
Playing scratch and sniff activities
Cooking with different ingredients
Smelling spices in jars

Our TACTILE SYSTEM is housed within our skin. Our sense of touch, in collaboration with other systems, gives us a map of our bodies at all times. This system helps us with:

Recognizing body awareness
Identifying the quality of objects (texture, size, shape, etc.)
Detecting which part of your body is being touched
Recognizing danger (ie. feeling heat)
Performing fine motor skills
Using motor planning

Playing with messy materials (shaving cream, sand, etc.)
Finger painting
Making crafts with various objects
Incorporating different textured objects
Drawing on skin
Playing with sensory bin
Playing Ned's head (game)
Swimming
Building (i.e. obstacle courses, legos, crafts)
Cooking or helping in the kitchen

Our INTROCEPTION SYSTEM is intertwined with the organs throughout your body. It is responsible for giving us the information regarding the internal condition of our body. This system helps us:

Knowing when we are hungry, hot, thirsty, sleepy, etc.
Knowing when to use the bathroom
Knowing when we have muscle/stomach aches
Staying emotionally regulated
Detecting the emotions of others.

Noticing and connecting body signals to emotions
Creating a list of words to describe internal feelings
Visualizing supports to support daily habit
Reading social stories
Using prompting and questions throughout the day that focus on interal body signals
Practicing mindfulness with emphasis on body sensations

Our VESTIBULAR SYSTEM is housed in our inner ear. It allows us to coordinate movement needed for balance and posture. This system helps us:

Balance
Posture
Muscle tone
Bilateral coordination
Motor planning
Alertness

Swinging, spinning, bouncing, rocking, dancing
Slides
Scooter board activities
Matching games
Sports
Balancing activities
Blowing bubbles
Crossing midline
Yoga, gymnastics, swimming
Ball play (ie. catching, throwing, batting)
Free play with sports skills (ie. soccer, basketball, tennis, volleyball, lacrosse, hockey, etc…)

Our PROPRIOCEPTIVE SYSTEM is housed within our joints. Proprioceptive input is provided when our joints are compressed. This system helps us with: