What Is a Sensory Diet?
Sensory diets can be used for both children and adults. They are created for those with specific sensory demands, consisting of a set of activities or techniques tailored to the individual. These strategies or activities are embedded into the person’s routine to help with response, attention, and self-regulation.
Sensory Diets Can Address:
- Touch
- Vision
- Hearing
- Smell
- Taste
- Vestibular
- Proprioception
- Interception
Under Responsive vs. Over Responsive:
- Under responsive
- Not as aware of information they are receiving from their senses
- Not responding properly to pain, force, temperature etc.
- Over responsive
- Hyper aware of the information they are receiving from their senses
- Example: Do not like the way certain clothing items feel on their skin
Sensory Diets Can Be Used Within:
- Home environment
- School environment
Sensory Diets Can Aid in Addressing:
- Sensory seeking or avoidant behaviors
- Attention difficulties
- Increase need for movement
- Impulsive behaviors
- Emotional reactions that are seen as not appropriate for the setting
Steps for Creating A Sensory Diet:
- More information can be found at: How to Create a Sensory Diet – The OT Toolbox
- Identify
- What is this child’s individual sensory needs?
- Strategize
- What will aid in regulation of those needs in order for them to have successful participation within the environment?
- Apply
- Create the sensory diet with developed strategies and activities
- Monitor
- Keep an eye on the child’s progress or regression with the sensory diet
- Adjust as needed
Sensory Diet Activities and Strategies For The Classroom:
These examples below can be used within the classroom setting, based on the child’s individual needs, in order to succeed and successfully participate within their school routine:
- Zones of regulation
- Belly breathing
- Place hands on stomach
- Breathe in to make belly big like a balloon
- Breathe out to deflate or let the air out of the balloon go
- Noise canceling headphones
- To reduce intensity of surrounding noise
- Weighted lap pad or blanket
- Theraband on chair or wiggle cushion
- To help with focus and concentration
- Handheld fidgets or putty
- To help with focus and concentration
- Classroom job (ie., bringing attendance to office, putting away table supplies)
- Allows for active movement and release of energy in a controlled manner
- Movement breaks
- Wall push-ups, jumping jacks, taking a lap around the classroom
- Chewerly
- Oral motor strategy
- Providing visuals (printed chart of schedule, printed out instructions with pictures)
- For planning and organization
- Options for flexible seating
- Standing
- Sitting on peanut ball
- T stool
- Having water bottle (with straw) at desk
- For body awareness
Sensory Diet Activities and Strategies For Home:
- Belly breathing
- Place hands on stomach
- Breathe in to make belly big like a balloon
- Breathe out to deflate or let the air out of the balloon go
- White noise & oil diffusers
- For relaxation and focus
- White noise machine: Amazon: White Noise Machine
- Oil diffuser: Amazon: Airome Teddy Bear
- Animal walking to and from rooms
- Weight bearing, heavy work activity
- Weighted blanket for sleeping (appropriate for child’s size)
- Help give proprioceptive (deep touch pressure) input
- Use of trampoline or swing set
- Playing with slime, shaving cream, or sensory bin with rice
- Sensory corner
- Bean bag chair, fidget toys, favorite stuffed animal, lotion etc. to allow them to have a safe space of their own to relax and calm down
- Massage and compressions with lotion or oil
- For deep touch pressure
