Author: Yates, Katrina

JuliaDyer
Children’s Physiotherapy practice
Sensory Diet

A sensory diet is a planned and scheduled activity programme designed to meet the child’s specific sensory needs. Just as we need a healthy and regular diet of food and drink throughout the day, similarly children with sensory processing difficulties need a sensory diet that fulfils their sensory needs to keep an optimum state of arousal. One of the main aims of a sensory diet is to prevent sensory and emotional overload by satisfying the nervous system’s sensory needs.
There are certain types of sensory activities that are similar to eating a main course and are very powerful and satisfying. These activities provide movement, deep-touch pressure and heavy work. They are the powerhouses of any sensory diet, as they have the most significant and long-lasting impact on the nervous system.
There are other types of activities that may be beneficial, but their impact is not as great. These ‘sensory snacks’ are activities that last a shorter period of time and generally include mouth, auditory, visual or smell experiences.

Every child has unique sensory needs, and the sensory diet must be customised for individual needs and responses. The most successful sensory diets include activities where the child is an active participant.
The sensory diet can be a powerful behaviour tool. It can help prevent many challenging behaviours, including self-stimulating and self-abusive behaviours. Engaging the child in sensory experiences on a regular schedule can help them focus, attend and interact. Children can feel less anxious when they feel more comfortable and in control.
For children with pervasive development disorders, the use of visual aids is helpful to ensure that the child understands their daily routines and also to enable the child to choose activities.

First Then

Tom’s Sensory Diet

Choose

Deep Touch Pressure (Tactile input) Activities
This involves any kind of firm input through the muscles, joints and skin. It is generally organising and unlike other forms of sensory input, rarely overloads the nervous system. Therefore, it is an excellent strategy to use to alert or calm down the child. It helps to develop body awareness at the same time.
Provide a small box with a blanket or cushion for the child to squeeze into to calm or quiet himself
Consider other ‘womblike’ places such as a small pop-up tent filled with cushions or foam pieces, a barrel to climb into, or a small ball pit
Make a ‘sandwich’ by firmly pressing the child’s arms, legs and back with pillows or large cushions
Create a ‘burrito’ by rolling the child up tightly in a blanket/towel
‘Roll out cookie dough’ by evenly rolling a big ball
firmly over each limb and the back
Get the child to commando crawl under a heavy blanket or mat
Give the child bear hugs
Provide firm towel rubbing after bathing or swimming
Wrap the child in a big towel after bathing
Provide and receive massages

Encourage the child to sit with a pillow or large beanbag on their lap
Use weighted vests, blankets or wrist/ankle weights (only wear for 20mins at a time, after the child acclimatizes to weight and therapeutic value is lost)
Give firm pressure through the child’s shoulders when giving instructions
Provide fidget items to hold in hands (e.g. textured ball, squeeze toy, other small, quiet toys). Place in bag/basket so child can choose their toy.
Use vibration: vibrating toothbrush, a vibrating pen, foot massagers, vibrating pillows, vibrating head massagers, vibrating balls

Proprioceptive activities to include in daily activities and routines:
Unpack heavy groceries, go shopping
Carry heavy items, push or pull boxes with toys or books in it
Rearrange bedroom furniture
Chair push ups
Put large toys / equipment away
Open and close doors for other people
Walk up a ramp, incline or hill
Wear a heavy backpack
Vacuum, sweep, mop, dust
Empty rubbish, carry laundry basket, load and unload the washing machine
Push chairs under the table after a meal
Carry buckets of water to water plants outside, wash the car
Push a wheelbarrow, rake the leaves, dig the soil

Heavy Work Activities (Proprioceptive Input) for the Classroom
Do wall push ups
Use theraband to pull on or wrap theraband round chair legs so child can push weight against it when sitting
Use a weighted vest, heavy shoes, back pack or weighted hat
Clean blackboard
Help rearrange desks
Place chairs on desk
Carry books round classroom
Move PE equipment
Open doors for people
Use squeeze toys
Do chair push ups
Do animal walks
Jump on mini trampoline
Stack chairs
Obstacle course – climbing, commando crawling, jumping, crawling under heavy mats

Vestibular activities include any movements that involve the head moving through space. Movement that is slow, rhythmic and done in a linear motion is generally calming. Fast and more variable motion is generally alerting. Movement can also help improve muscular strength and balance.
Jumping on a trampoline
Bouncing on a therapy ball or space hopper
Riding a bicycle or scooter
Using a scooter board
Swinging and playing on other types of playground equipment
Sports and extracurricular activities such as swimming, horse-riding, trampoline, gymnastics, martial arts#
Dance
Do somersaults/cartwheels
Use a rocking horse/chair
Play on toys that spin
Roll or bounce on big balls
Log roll to knock over blocks, plastic skittles
Roll down an incline like a log
Swing in a hammock
Go roller skating or ice skating, rock climbing or horse riding
Twirl self around while standing or seated in an office chair
Hang upside down from a bar

Vestibular

School based vestibular activities:
Use a inflatable/vibrating cushion on chair
Sit on a ball or roll
Stand to do written work
Running, jumping, playing on playground equipment at break time
Trampoline

Touch (Tactile Input) Activities
Tactile activities are those that provide touch or texture or to the skin. In general, a child who is over responsive to touch will be more able to tolerate firm touch than light touch. Tactile activities help children gain awareness of their bodies and are useful for helping children learn to move and manipulate their body and hands in a coordinated, planned manner.
Cuddle stuffed animals or favourite blankets
Messy play with hands in pudding, yogurt, ice cream etc.
Manipulate various putties into shapes and letters
Find objects hidden in a container, of sand, beans, macaroni, rice etc.
Play water games with squirt guns, water balloons
Write and colour with vibrating pen
Squeeze or walk on bubble wrap
Textured halls, cloths, mitts
Feel magic bags filled with surprises
Finger paints
Walk barefoot on different surfaces
Go to the beach
Paint body parts with powder using a brush
Play pretend shaving using shaving foam
Rub arms and legs using a variety of textures
Play carpet games such as commando crawling and rolling
Roll over different surfaces
Play washing machine games – put plastic balls into large bag, have child crawl in and shake it up and wash the child

School based tactile activities:
Beanbags or weighted lap pads for child’s lap
Fidget toys
Bear hugs
Classroom fidget basket

Special Educational Needs Support Service
Communication, Interaction & Access Team
Room 227 County Hall
Bond Street
Wakefield
WF1 2QL
T 01924 303660
F 01924 303683

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