The Miami Valley Autism Coaching Team presents our latest blog series, Regulation Rendezvous, featuring all of the wonderful sensory supports around the Miami Valley.
To get started, we will review the 8 sensory systems starting with the common, external systems: tactile (touching), gustatory (tasting), olfactory (smelling), visual (seeing), auditory (hearing)
Tactile system:
The tactile sensory system provides information about temperature, pain,
pressure, and textural qualities of objects. It is also responsible for
reactions to food. The tactile sensory system assists with the social and
emotional development of an individual.
Gustatory/Olfactory
systems: These sensory systems work together. The Olfactory system has
the fastest impact on an individual’s nervous system and takes around 20
seconds to have an impact since it does not have to be processed by the brain.
Gustatory Strategies/Supports
Alerting flavors: lemon, peppermint, salty foods
Olfactory Strategies/Supports
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aromatherapy diffuser
Alerting scents: lemon, peppermint
Calming scents: lavendar, vanilla, rose |
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| homemade aromatherapy dough made with essential oils |
Visual/Auditory
systems: These sensory systems also work together. The visual system in
individuals with autism is an extremely sensitive system. This is why it is such
a powerful system through which to work. Blue/green color palate is calming
whereas red/orange color palate is alerting. It is important to remember that
children with Autism tend to struggle with filtering auditory input and take
longer to switch between the two sensory systems.
Visual Strategies/Supports
Block out overwhelming visual stimuli
Auditory Strategies/Supports
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| Homedics Noise Machine |
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| noise-reduction headphones** use with caution and for short periods of time to prevent increased sensitivity** |
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| Calm app |
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| Relaxify app |
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use acoustic sound blankets to dampen the sound in an echo-y bathroom
Jennifer McGowan, Smith Middle School |
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use gym mats to dampen the sound in a small sensory space
Helke Elementary |
Many people are not familiar with the internal sensory systems: proprioception (deep pressure), vestibular (movement), interoception (internal feelings)
Proprioceptive
system: The proprioceptive, or heavy work, sensory system is
primarily a calming sensory system. It has a regulatory effect over all of the
sensory systems. Proprioceptive input has a calming effect on the nervous
system for up to 90 minutes. When using passive proprioceptive input (e.g.
weighted vest), it needs to be applied 15 minutes prior to the calming input to
begin. When in doubt with which sensory supports to utilize, especially with a
student showing signs of anxiety/escalation, begin with sensory strategies from
the proprioceptive system.
Proprioception Strategies/Supports
Vestibular system:
This sensory system is responsible for giving information about where our body
is in space in relationship to surrounding objects, coordination of both sides
of our body, overall muscle tone/posture, and visual tracking. It has a direct
connection to our digestive tract (think motion sickness) and the language
center of the brain. Active vestibular input has an impact on the nervous
system for 3 to 6 hours. Vestibular (or movement) input that is linear and
predictable encourages calming for a student, whereas, rotational and
unpredictable movements are alerting for a student. Always begin with linear
and predictable movement until you are very familiar with the student’s
responses to vestibular input.
Vestibular Strategies/Supports
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| linear two-point suspension swinging |
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| purposeful walks such as school/office messenger |
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| rocking chair |
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stepper
Stevenson Elementary |
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rocker
Orchard Park Elementary |
Interoception system: There are receptors throughout our organs, muscles, skin, bones, etc which gather and relay internal information to our brain. The brain helps to make sense of these messages and enables us to feel sensations such as hunger, fullness, itch, pain, temperature, nausea, need for the restroom, tickle, exertion and arousal. Interoception also allows us to feel our emotions.
Interoception Strategies/Supports
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| body check |
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Interoception: The Eighth Sensory System
Kelly Mahler, MS, OTR/L |
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