Working Through the Back to School Jitters for Parents and Students
Deanna Macioce, MS, OTR/L

Sarah Gilbert, MS OTR/L

Have you ever had a pediatric client with an ASD diagnosis who presented like this...Spirited and struggling at school, at home and in the community, with challenges that include anxiety, attention, emotional modulation and positive participation in functional, school and play activities?

Did he or she demonstrate some or many of the following challenges?
*    Understanding abstract thought/humor, sensory triggers
*    Repetitive behaviors; tough social communication
*    Struggles with physical activities, especially with initiation and interactive play, with a tendency toward clumsiness
*    Lack of insight and rigid thinking
*    A reduced ability to incorporate learned skills into daily activities, such as play and social participation
*    Verbosity, with repetitive or obsessive conversations and thoughts
*    Anxiety that manifests in many areas of daily life, all to the exclusion of smelling the roses
*    Easily tripped up by others' emotions, while struggling to identify and express their own
*    Reduced or absent displays of joy and emotional modulation
*    Very little allowance of hugs or any other physical contact
*    Does not relate to the activities and conversations of the other children at school, and has trouble developing and maintaining friendships
*    Discomfort with appropriate eye-contact
*    Timid to approach new activities
*    Strict daily routines with predictable home environment required for success
*    Unexpected changes or perceived failure at a task results in withdrawal or outbursts
*    Difficulty with transitions
*    Strong reactions to sensory input with accompanying scores on standardized sensory processing assessments
*    Sleep interruptions

Whew! And the list could go on and on.

Lindsey Biel, OTR/L

Just as your child needs food throughout the course of the day, the need for sensory input must also be met. A "sensory diet" (coined by OT Patricia Wilbarger) is a carefully designed, personalized activity plan that provides the sensory input a person needs to stay focused and organized throughout the day. Just as you may jiggle your knee or chew gum to stay awake or soak in a hot tub to unwind children need to engage in stabilizing, focusing activities too. Infants, young children, teens, and adults with mild to severe sensory issues can all benefit from a personalized sensory diet.

Read this entire article, which includes a Sensory Diet Checklist, at SensorySmarts.com.


Lindsey Biel is the author of the book "Sensory Processing Challenges: Effective Clinical Work with Kids & Teens" available at southpaw.com.