Viewing sensory processing patterns as strengths
by Lauren Little, PhD, OT/L, FAOTA & Winnie Dunn, PhD, OTR, FAOTA
Promoting participation in autistic children by identifying their sensory processing patterns and capitalizing on their strengths
“Learning occurs when we notice stimuli but are not overwhelmed by it.”
Sensory processing is how individuals detect sensory information from their environment and regulate their behavioral responses to the information (Dunn, 2014). Although sensory processing is a common focus for practitioners that work with individuals with ASD, our work can have a significant impact if we think about sensory processing patterns as strengths among all individuals that we serve. Understanding your clients’ sensory processing patterns can help you understand their unique strengths to promote participation while supporting their caregivers in adapting their environments to reflect their sensory preferences and aversions.
For autistic children, any “outside” environment has the potential to be rife with factors that can cause sensory overload such as loud sounds, strong odors, bright, flashing lights, and social interaction that involves touching (e.g., hugging and handshaking). This sensory overload can make it difficult for them to self-regulate, often leading to exhaustion and burnout and disrupting their ability to participate in an activity, follow instructions, or effectively communicate.
Sensory processing patterns
Most people have a combination of hypersensitivity and hyposensitivity to stimuli, but understanding how an individual with autism responds to sensory information is key in adapting their environments and promoting participation.
Seekers need intense experiences to focus and learn. They often multitask well, need opportunities for movement, and prefer noisy environments with bright lights.
Avoiders can be detailed oriented and like order in their environment. They prefer visual schedules because they need to know what’s next.
Bystanders are very easygoing and attend more community outings than sensory avoiders or seekers but might need extra support or cues to encourage them to participate.
Sensors are very discerning and like to observe before they choose an activity in which to participate but will still need time to warm up beforehand. They will not typically choose an activity that requires a lot of movement or one that occurs in a crowded space.
Some strategies for “bystanders” and “seekers” that promote child participation include:
- Taking movement breaks throughout the day
- Using big voices or movements to get child’s attention
- Using bright colored paper or highlighting to draw attention to details or tasks
- Using a bright visual schedule to display details of tasks
Some strategies for “avoiders” that promote child participation include:
- Using a visual schedule so the child knows what to expect next
- Letting the child control light, sound, and movement of activity
Some strategies for “sensors” that promote child participation include:
- Allowing the child increased physical space
- Allowing the child time to observe an activity before participating
- Allowing the child time to “warm up” to an activity
If we can use observation, autistic individuals are very good at telling or showing us what works best for them. They are creating their own spaces and choosing their own activities, so by observing these cues, we are able to gain a better understanding of their sensory preferences and aversions. We can use this information to choose activities that would be a good match and draw on their strengths to participate in those activities. What are their favorite things to do? Do they gravitate toward intense physical activities, or do they like quiet spaces? Through observation, you can discover each individual’s sensory preferences and aversions.
Research suggests that by coaching parents and teachers to notice a child’s sensory processing patterns and preferences, they have a better understanding that these are not features we need to change about the child, but rather the activity should be chosen to capitalize on the child’s strengths.
Promoting self-advocacy
Research shows that our sensory processing patterns remain consistent throughout our lives, so sensory-seeking children will most likely be sensory-seeking adults and sensory-avoiding children will most likely be sensory-avoiding adults. Instead of trying to change sensory processing patterns, it may be helpful to think about how to work with autistic individuals to self-advocate for what they like and don’t like based on their sensory processing. An even more effective way would be to consider what activities the person is really good at based on their sensory processing. Can we match a seeker with an active role in the classroom? Can we match a sensor with planning a community outing with friends?
Another way that practitioners may try to change sensory processing is related to stimming, or self-stimulation (e.g., flapping arms). Autistic adults tell us that stimming is a healthy response to stimuli and can often lead to lifelong hobbies and even careers. For example, a child who stims with a shoelace or thread may end up a lifelong knitter, while another child who prefers soft, dough-like textures might gravitate toward a career in pottery or baking. A child who prefers loud environments could become a successful sound engineer whereas a child with an aversion to sound might invent the next great pair of noise-canceling headphones. Observing what a child gravitates toward or avoids and encouraging these individual preferences can help them harness their own strengths to foster success.
In your work with the individuals that you serve, I invite you to consider how you conceptualize sensory processing and how you might best create environments and activities that best match those patterns.
For more resources and tools for autism, visit Pearson’s Autism resources.
Lauren M. Little, PhD, OT/L
Associate Dean of Research, College of Health Sciences
Associate Professor, Occupational Therapy
Rush University
lauren_little@rush.edu
Winnie Dunn, PhD, OTR, FAOTA
Distinguished Professor
Department of Occupational Therapy Education
University of Missouri
dunnwi@health.missouri.edu