Sensory Issues Related to Autism: An Overview

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that makes it hard for children to navigate social environments and unfamiliar experiences. It takes time, care, and patience to help these children build a healthy lifestyle, especially since the condition has no cure. Often, children with Autism display sensory processing issues, in which one or more of the bodily senses are inappropriately reactive to stimulus. Sensory issues in Autism can lead to distress, meltdowns, and potentially dangerous behaviors. This can be taxing for both the child and the parent. Here, we discuss how sensory issues manifest in children with Autism and how to manage them.

Understanding Autism

Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) refers to a range of neurodevelopmental disorders that affect social, behavioral, and communicative abilities. Children with Autism often find it hard to interact with others in social settings and at home and may display either reclusive or aggressive tendencies. Autism has no cure, although regular therapy helps to equip the child with the skills they need to navigate social interactions.

What are sensory issues in Autism?

Many children with Autism experience difficulty responding to information that they receive, and are unable to use their senses. This is known as a sensory processing issue and may take the form of hypersensitivity (easily stimulated) or hyposensitivity (difficult to stimulate). It is still not known why some children with Autism have sensory issues while others do not. Some studies link it to premature birth or complications during birth, while others cite hypersensitivity to light and sound, linked to genetics.

There are two main types of sensory processing issues that children with Autism face, sensory overload and sensory deficit.

Sensory overload

This happens when children are exposed to sensations that are too overwhelming for them. Such children may cover their ears when there are loud noises, shut their eyes when they see bright lights, refuse to wear certain clothing fabrics, refuse to be touched in any way, or cry when made to sit on a swing or a see-saw. Symptoms include:

• Frequently covering eyes or ears
• Being extremely picky eaters
• Having a low pain threshold
• Appearing to be clumsy
• Fleeing situations without regard for safety

Sensory deficit

This happens when children do not receive adequate stimulation. In this case, children keep seeking out sensations they like. They may jump repeatedly on the bed, turn up the volume on their earphones or TV, chew on their nails or hair, spin the wheels of their toy car, play in sandboxes or ball pools for long hours, and so on. Symptoms include:

• Constantly touching things or bumping into walls or surfaces
• Putting things into their mouth
• Giving bear hugs or not letting go
• Crashing into people or things
• Having a high pain threshold

Children with sensory processing issues are often at risk of injuring themselves, particularly if they are less sensitive to pain or if they keep crashing into surfaces in search of stimulation. For hypersensitive children, trying to flee from sound or light that they dislike, could cause them to trip and fall.

Treatment for sensory processing issues in Autism

For any child with Autism, starting a regular treatment program as early as possible is crucial. Acquiring social and behavioral skills takes time and effort, especially as the child grows older and is exposed to new environments. In particular, sensory issues in Autism call for trained intervention to help your child acclimatize to sensations they may not like or may seek in excess. Intervention options include:

• Occupational Therapy, using physical strategies to help your child safely process sensory input in different environments
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, to boost your child’s tolerance to different sensations in different environments
• Speech Therapy, including both sensory-stimulating and sensitivity-reducing exercises to help with chewing, swallowing, and facial muscle control
• Feeding programs, to help your child adjust to foods with different tastes and textures

The role of sensory integration

One of the most popular ways to treat sensory issues in children with Autism is through sensory integration. This involves introducing them to new situations in a fun and playful way, to elicit appropriate responses from them. Trained occupational therapists will chalk out a sensory integration program tailored to your child’s individual needs. This will consist of special activities, especially those related to balance and movement. Bouncing on trampolines, swinging, climbing jungle gyms, doing jumping jacks, and holding yoga poses are some of these activities. Another component of sensory integration is the use of sensory toys. These are designed to provide safe sensory inputs in the case of a sensory deficit and to gently acclimatize the child to new textures in the case of a sensory overload. Some sensory toys that your child may like are fidget spinners, slime or putty, chewable beads, liquid floor tiles, and so on.

How can parents help their child navigate sensory issues?

Since your child spends most of their time at home, it is important to create a safe environment where they can get appropriate sensory input outside of therapy sessions. Based on what the therapist recommends, the following are useful tips to keep in mind.

• Rearrange the furniture at home so that your child is less at risk of bumping into hard or sharp surfaces
• Avoid taking your child to places that are likely to trigger sensory issues, such as malls with loudspeaker announcements or restaurants with flashing lights
• Keep a sensory kit on hand whenever you travel, including items that can calm your child if sensory issues crop up. Examples include noise-canceling headphones, weighted blankets, and chew toys
• Choose a diet for your child that accommodates any strong aversions (such as with regard to temperature), while including all the nutrition your child needs
• If they have trouble communicating verbally, provide visual cues to guide them through how to respond to sensory input
• Talk to teachers at school about allowing your child a structured break to get the sensory inputs they need, so that they can participate in school activities more effectively
• Keep monitoring how your child is responding to treatment. If their sensory issues are not improving, or if new behaviors crop up, consult a doctor immediately

To sum it up, while there is no cure for sensory issues, treatment and care can help your child process sensory input safely and appropriately in different situations. As a parent, it is important to exercise patience as they navigate through the treatment and show them love and care at all times.

https://www.Autsimspeaks.org/sensory-issues

https://www.healthline.com/health/childrens-health/sensory-issues-in-children

FAQs

• What do Autism sensory issues feel like?

Sensory issues in Autism can involve both hyper-sensitiveness (over-responsiveness) and hypo-sensitivities (under-responsiveness), to a range of stimuli. These can involve sight, sounds, smells, taste, touch, and balance.

• What are examples of sensory issues?

Below are a few examples of sensory issues:

• A soft touch feels too hard
• Experiencing different food textures causes gagging
• Poor balance or clumsiness
• Afraid to play on swings or slides
• What is sensory seeking in Autism?

When kids are hyposensitive (under reactive) to sensory input, they may look for or seek more sensory stimulation.

• What are the 3 patterns of Sensory Processing Disorders?

The 3 patterns of sensory processing disorders are:

1. Sensory Modulation Disorder
2. Sensory-based Motor Disorder
3. Sensory Discrimination Disorder

• How do you calm a child with sensory issues?
• Teaching your child to manage their own feelings and reactions is one of the best ways to calm them. These can include deep breathing and yoga, listening to music, engaging in physical exercise, and adding a pet to the family.
• Can a child outgrow Sensory Processing Disorder?

The answer is not a simple yes or no but is rather complex. There is little to no evidence that children can outgrow Sensory Processing Disorder if it is left untreated.

• How do I know if my child has sensory issues?

Sensory processing issues can affect any of your child’s five senses — sight, hearing, sound, taste, and smell. Three additional senses that it can impact include body awareness, sense of balance and movement, and an awareness of sensations inside our bodies.

• What are sensory seeking behaviors?

Sensory seeking behaviors in children usually include poor balance, coordination, and a lack of awareness of their body. Other sensory seeking behaviors include trying to touch everything in their environment or bumping into objects or people.

• What is a sensory diet for SPD?

A sensory diet is an individualized plan of physical activities and accommodations to help a person meet their sensory needs. This helps retain focus throughout the day.

A highly regarded neurologist and stem cell specialist, Dr Na’eem Sadiq studied neurology and clinical neurophysiology in London before working with some of England’s and the Middle East’s most prestigious medical institutions. He completed his MBBS