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E-Learning Resources for Children of All Ages
At Twenty-One Senses, our mission has always been to help families with sensory issues navigate typical childhood events, play spaces, and activities. However, we recognize the world is quickly changing and all families, not just those with special needs, are adjusting to a new way of life.
To better support social distancing measures intended to curb the spread of COVID-19, we will be pausing our regular programming to focus on e-learning resources for children of all ages and abilities. We’ll be adding to the list daily, so check back often. Please share it on social media or with anyone you think might find it useful. Finally, let us know if you’ve found a great resource we should include.
We believe in the power of community, cooperation, and positivity in the face of adversity. While there are certainly challenges ahead, we can all use this moment to pause and reflect on the things that matter most: our families and our communities.
Take care of yourselves and each other.
Sensory Spotlight: Auditory (Sound)
This is the second installment of our nine-part Sensory Spotlight series.
The auditory system is responsible for the body’s ability to perceive, process, and understand sound. Children with auditory processing issues may be able to hear background noises others tune out or can’t detect, have a hard time controlling the volume of their own voices, or experience delays in their speech and linguistic development.
Auditory Seeking Behavior
- Seeks out noisy or busy environments
- Makes loud, repetitive, or specific sounds (snapping, clapping, etc.)
How to Support
- Schedule times throughout the day to sing, clap, and make noise.
- Allow music and television to be played at an increased, but safe, volume.
- Keep headphones or earbuds handy and allow listening to music during otherwise quiet or boring times (waiting in long lines, on family car trips, etc.).
Auditory Avoiding Behavior
- Seeks out quiet or secluded environments
- Is bothered by loud, repetitive, or specific sounds (appliances, clapping, etc.)
- Is startled or frightened by unexpected sounds (alarms, laughter, etc.)
- Is bothered or distracted by background noises others can’t detect
How to Support
- Schedule quiet times and breaks throughout the day.
- Encourage using earplugs, earbuds, or noise canceling headphones when needed.
- Give advanced warning of loud or unexpected sounds whenever possible.
- Use white noise, a fan, or other soundproofing in the home to muffle background noise.
- Keep headphones or earbuds handy and encourage listening to calming music or soft sounds in crowded, noisy environments.
Auditory Discrimination Challenges
- Speaks too loudly or too softly
- Appears aloof, distracted, or detached from others
- Appears confused or unresponsive when given directions
- Has difficulty distinguishing between background and foreground noises
- Has difficulty distinguishing between similar sounding words (cat, rat, sat, etc.)
How to Support
- Teach your child to use visual cues to stay safe and know what to do next (look for signage, flashing lights, other children lining up at the door, etc.).
- Collaborate with your child’s teachers on ways to reinforce key concepts and revisit lectures or lessons (share presentations, audio recordings, notes with key terms, etc.)
- Play the “same or different game” to help your child practice telling the difference between similar sounding words (“Ball and fall. Are these words the same or different?”).
Keep in mind, many children with SPD demonstrate a combination of sensitivities and seeking/avoiding behaviors, depending on their level of arousal and how familiar they are with their current environment.
Further Reading:
Announcement Regarding Spring Events
Due to concerns about the spreading rate of COVID-19, Twenty-One Senses will not be hosting or participating in any spring events. Sadly, this means Tuesday’s Sensory Night at Altitude Trampoline Park is canceled. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Remember, there are a few simple things you can do to protect yourself and others around you.
Practice good hygiene.
- Don’t touch your face!
- Wash your hands often with soap and water and scrub for at least 20 seconds.
- Wipe down frequently touched surfaces with a bleach or antibacterial solution.
- Cough/sneeze into your elbow or a tissue and wash your hands immediately afterwards.
Practice social distancing.
- Work or study from home if at all possible.
- Avoid any unnecessary travel, public events, and large gatherings.
- If you must go out in public, try to keep roughly six feet between yourself and others.
- Avoid shaking hands, giving high fives, or kissing on the cheek.
- Stay home if you’re feeling sick, even if your symptoms are mild.
Finally, stay calm. Your children will look to you to see how they should react.
Stay tuned in the coming weeks for the continuation of our Sensory Spotlight series, plus some sensory focused tips and tricks on how to manage prolonged stays at home.
Sensory Spotlight: What Is SPD?
This is the first installment of our nine-part Sensory Spotlight series.
Sensory processing occurs when the brain receives and organizes information from external sources, such as light or sound, and internal bodily cues, such as hunger or balance. Individuals with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) do not respond to this everyday sensory information the same way most people do. They may feel bombarded or assaulted by even the smallest bit of stimulation, or they might be unable to recognize even very extreme sensations or changes in their environment. Studies suggest as many as 1 in 20 people have sensory processing issues, and symptoms are typically much more pronounced in children.
Children with SPD often have a hard time fitting in with their peer group. They might show signs of anxiety or depression, be withdrawn, struggle socially and academically, or appear clumsy. Many children have learned to cope with their symptoms in ways that might appear odd to others, such as rocking, constantly learning on walls or furniture, sucking on their thumbs or other objects, etc.
SPD is generally broken down into the three patterns and thirteen subtypes listed below. Keep in mind the exact symptoms will vary greatly from one individual to the next. Many people with SPD demonstrate a combination of sensitivities and seeking/avoiding behaviors, depending on their level of arousal and how familiar they are with their current environment.
Pattern 1: Sensory Modulation Disorder (SMD)
Hypersensitivity
Sensory Over-Responsivity
Over-responsive individuals, or avoiders, are hyperaware of sensory input and may have extreme or upsetting reactions to even mild stimulation, such as crying out in pain while brushing their hair or gagging at very faint smells. Avoiders often feel overloaded and overwhelmed by everyday situations and may appear anxious, withdrawn, or defensive as a result.
Hyposensitivity
Sensory Under-Responsivity
Those who are under-responsive have difficulties detecting and/or responding to sensory input in a timely manner. They might not notice that the lighting or temperature in the room has changed, for example, or that they’ve bumped into something and injured themselves. As a result, under-responsive individuals often appear distracted, dismissive, or clumsy.
Sensory Craving
Sensory cravers, or seekers, have a seemingly inexhaustible appetite for sensory stimulation, though they tend to become more keyed up and deregulated as they take in more input. Seekers usually demonstrate behaviors associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), such low impulse control and constant moving, fidgeting, bumping into things, or fiddling with objects.
Pattern 2: Sensory-Based Motor Disorder (SBMD)
Postural Disorder
Postural disorder affects the body’s ability to stabilize itself and maintain a sense of balance. Individuals with this subtype often have problems slouching or bad posture. They might also appear to be weak, move awkwardly, or have extremely low endurance.
Dyspraxia (Motor Planning Problems)
Those with dyspraxia have difficulty planning and performing new, nonhabitual gross and fine motor tasks. They might appear to have extremely poor hand-eye coordination, problems with concentration, and take much longer than their peers to learn a new skill.
Pattern 3: Sensory Discrimination Disorder (SDD)
Individuals with this pattern have difficulty recognizing and interpreting sensory information. They’re often unable to gauge the physical differences between objects, such as size, color, shape, or distance. They might be unaware of the pressure or force they’re exerting at a given moment and appear awkward, clumsy, and prone to spilling drinks or breaking toys.
SDD is further broken down into eight subtypes, one for each sensory system:
*Auditory
*Visual
*Tactile
*Vestibular
*Olfactory
*Gustatory
*Proprioception
*Interoception
We’ll be taking a deeper dive into each of these systems, including strategies for supporting children with SPD, as our Sensory Spotlight series continues. Stay tuned!
Additional Resources:
- STAR Institute
- The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder*
- Understanding Your Child’s Sensory Signals: A Practical Daily Use Handbook for Parents and Teachers*
*Remember to choose Twenty-One Senses Inc NFP on AmazonSmile and Amazon will donate 0.5% of all eligible purchases!
Spring Break Tips
The holidays are just barely over, but Spring Break is already coming up fast! Whether you’re planning on relaxing at home or flying off to Disney World, accounting for your child’s sensory sensitivities can feel overwhelming–but, with a little extra thought and careful planning, it can be done! Here are a few things to keep in mind as you plan your week off.
If You’re Going Away
- Don’t stop at online research. Call up the resort, park, or club manager to talk about your child’s specific needs and any available accommodations. (Disney, for example, has a wide variety of services for those with disabilities.)
- Talk to your child about what to expect. Print out maps, brochures, and photos from Google or Yelp and go over them together. Practice waiting in line and develop strategies for dealing with overwhelming situations.
- Try to keep your routine as intact as possible and consider renting a house or Airbnb instead of a hotel room. Having your own space will let you have much more control over meal prep, baths, and sleeping arrangements.
- Think about your child’s triggers and pack accordingly. Helpful items might include noise canceling headphones or earplugs, sunglasses, bar soap (sniff to reset after a bad smell), bath items with pleasant/familiar smells, or a picky eater’s favorite snack.
- Be sure to bring any other special items that help your child relax and recenter–comfy pajamas, pillows, toys, books, etc. Download a favorite movie or a few songs to your phone/tablet and keep it handy in case of a meltdown.
- Use your transition time well. Take the few minutes between events to make sure your child has a bathroom break, a snack, or even just a few deep breaths.
- If you’re driving, make sure to plan your stops along the way. Pack a cooler and eat at rest areas or parks instead of sit-down restaurants. Build in time to let your child run around and burn off excess energy.
- Keep your expectations in check and leave plans open ended whenever possible. Remember, you will have bumps in the road, and your child’s reaction to hiccups and setbacks will reflect your own.
If You’re Staying Home
- Try to keep your routine as intact as possible. If you do need to change up your family’s schedule, talk to your child about how this week will be different than usual.
- Take day trips! Shorter, focused outings are generally cheaper and allow you to maintain more control over meals, timing, etc. Some great ideas for day trips are:
–Museums, aquariums, and planetariums
–Hiking trails, nature centers, and zoos
–Skiing, snowboarding, and water parks
–Concerts and sporting events - Seek out less trafficked alternatives to popular destinations. Check out the local train or art museums, for example, instead of fighting the crowds at Chicago Children’s Museum.
- Be conscious of when other local schools are on break. Keep in mind that play places and other popular destinations will be much, much busier than usual.
Finally, no matter what your plans are, be sensitive to the fact that everyone’s routine is changing and everyone needs some time to recenter. Build in downtime for each member of the family–yes, even parents–to take a long walk, go for a run, read a book, or listen to music. Taking time to yourself will allow you to be more present, more engaged, and more able to fully enjoy your time together.
Happy planning!
Join us for Sensory Night at Altitude Trampoline Park!
Twenty-One Senses is thrilled to be partnering with Altitude Trampoline Park in Skokie, IL to host a sensory-friendly jump on the third Tuesday of every month. Kids jump for $15.95 (that’s two hours for the price of one), and parents jump for just $2.
The following sensory accommodations will be available:
- Dimmer lights
- Calmer music at a lower volume
- Sensory triggering games turned off
- Noise canceling headsets available for checkout
- Paper towels as an alternative to automatic hand dryers
The next jump is next Tuesday, January 21 from 6-8 PM. Head over to our events page to purchase tickets and check out other upcoming events.
Hope to see you there!
Welcome to the Twenty-One Senses blog!
Throughout the years, my co-founder Gabi and I have watched many special needs kids, including my own, struggle to navigate typical childhood spaces and situations. As caregivers, we were constantly researching ways to set them up for the best possible success at home, in school, in extracurricular activities, at summer camp—you name it. The information we needed, however, was often hard to locate, scattered across various sites, or incomplete.
Most community and enrichment spaces are built with neurotypical kids in mind and, as a result, are often partially or totally inaccessible to kids with sensory sensitivities. As parents and caregivers, it can be hard for us to understand just how our kids might struggle in these spaces, how to help them integrate successfully, and how to find providers that will accommodate them appropriately. Many businesses are starting to recognize the need to support all participants, but they aren’t always sure just how to go about or how to get the word out to the people who need to hear it.
We knew that bringing kids into these spaces and experiences needs to be easier for everyone. Gabi and I started Twenty-One Senses in order to create an online space that makes it much easier for:
- Caregivers to find sensory supportive businesses, public spaces, enrichment activities, and resources
- Business to access resources and materials that allow them to better support the special needs community
We’re just getting started and will be adding new content all the time, so check back often for sensory information, tips and tricks, business profiles, and more. In the meantime, you can learn more about our mission and ways you can get involved.
Thank you for all your support now and in the future!
Jen Puccini, Co-Founder
