Most of us don’t give a second thought to navigating the sights, sounds and smells of daily life, but for a child on the autism spectrum it can be difficult. Everyday things like the sound of wind, car travel or exposure to bright sunlight can trigger negative emotions. Some autistic children and teenagers are overly sensitive to environmental stimuli and might try to avoid these experiences. Others are under-sensitive and might seek out greater stimulation.
Sunshine Physical Therapy Clinic has a unique tool called sensorium to help children learn to comfortably engage with their environment, especially those on the autism spectrum, or with ADD, ADHA and other communication disorders.
The sensorium is a multi-sensory integration room with equipment and therapies to benefit sensory processing needs. It provides an array of stimulating and calming features to help patients regulate their senses through vibroacoustics, visual cues and other stimuli.
“As far as we know this is the only sensorium of its kind in the state,” said Katrena McMahan, chief operations officer at Sunshine Physical Therapy Clinic. “We use it to improve motor skills, manage behavioral problems and alleviate hyper- or hyposensitivity to the environment. It often helps relieve stressors so patients can get the most benefit from their therapy session.”
Hyper- or over-sensitive children take in too much information from the environment around them and are unable to process it. They often try to avoid sensory experiences, and if they encounter one they don’t like, they might cry, run, withdraw or shut down. They might put their hands over their ears and eyes or appear jumpy, stressed and irritable.
Children who take in too little sensory information also have difficulty functioning in their environment. These hyposensitive (under-sensitive) children seek out things to see and touch. They might hold items up to their eyes or touch and rub against things. Because they aren’t sensitive to sound, they might increase the volume of music or speak loudly. They may not notice strong odors or temperature changes.
The sensorium is used for both groups. It’s like a giant playroom with all kinds of activities and devices that can be used to either stimulate or calm a child. Dynamic color changing bubble columns and fiber optic light strands can be dialed up for stimulation and dialed down for relaxation. Upbeat music can be played to encourage movement while ambient noises can soothe a child in distress. Kids can jump on a trampoline, bury themselves in color-changing balls, or chill in a vibroacoustic rocker or waterbed while experimenting with touching different textures.
“Certain smells often trigger strong emotions in autistic children,” said Mindy Mayer, an occupational therapy assistant with Sunshine Physical Therapy Clinic. “We have an aromatherapy station to engage the olfactory senses for increasing and decreasing arousal.
Some scents like lavender and geranium are soothing, while others like cinnamon and spearmint are more alerting. We introduce the scents to our patients and increase their exposure little by little until they can tolerate the scent without distress.”
For children who have a problem with touch, therapists encourage tactile stimulation by introducing different textures to their hands and feet. One method utilized in the sensorium is a set of textured steps with different surfaces. One may be slippery, another sandy and another carpeted. By gauging the reaction to each step, the therapist can isolate which surface evokes negative a reaction and work on overcoming the aversion. Sensory boards prompt touch with curved surfaces, soft fabrics, smooth metals and sandpaper.
“A lot of patients we see struggle with emotional and physical regulation, which just means they are not able to control their body or use their thoughts in their physical environment,” Mayer continued. “We use the sensorium to help them regulate, because if your body is not regulated, you can’t learn a new skill and you can’t advance and grow.
“We have a lot of things to help them get to a regulated state. If your body is calm, you can learn those new tasks and you can add on from there. We are trying to assimilate them into society so they can tolerate all the triggers in the environment around them. We can’t change the environment, but we can teach them coping skills.”
Parents are usually the first ones to notice sensory disorders. When they report their concerns to their pediatrician, the doctor may refer them to occupational therapy.
“When they come to see us, we do a formal assessment to see how they are doing compared to typically developing children,” McMahan explained. “The parent tells us what their concerns are with things at home and school and how they are getting through everyday life.
Then we put that all into a plan of care and create goals with the patient. If the child is old enough, we want their input as well, as it’s very important for them to be motivated to reach their goals.”
Typically, a patient will come to the sensorium for an hour, one-on-one therapy session one or two days a week. Parents are educated on things they can practice at home, which can play a big part in their children’s tolerance to external triggers. Treatments can last from six months to six years depending on the child’s developmental progress.
“Take for example a child who has issues calming before going to sleep,” McMahan said. “We help the parents set up a bedtime routine so they can be on schedule. We teach them how to do joint compressions and to restrict screen time for an hour before bed. If it’s appropriate we’ll suggest things like the projector or aroma therapy. We also share tips and solutions with their teachers at school if needed.
“It helps that we offer speech, occupational and physical therapy for children who need more than one service. Having all the disciplines within one house makes it easier to schedule back-to-back appointments to accommodate the parents’ schedules.”
“I absolutely adore playing in the sensorium with my patients,” Mayer concluded. “It’s so rewarding to see a child who was so sensitive to certain stimuli overcome the fear and learn to tolerate whatever triggered that emotion.”
Sunshine Physical Therapy Clinic is a nonprofit organization that has operated for more than 70 years in Indian River County. It’s located at 1705 17th Ave. in Vero Beach. You can call 772-562-6977 or visit sunshineptc.org to learn more about their services.