Sensory Integration Dysfunction? A Sensory Diet Can Change Your Life

Many children and adults alike with autism spectrum disorder struggle with sensory issues, often resulting in a diagnosis of sensory integration dysfunction. The term is a mouthful that basically means one or more of the senses are either over-reactive or under-reactive to stimulation. One of the ways to assist those with sensory integration dysfunction is putting them on a sensory diet, and no, it doesn’t involve food.

But, first let’s dive more into sensory issues.

Sensory integration can be described as how someone reacts to touch, smell, taste, sound, and sight as well as balance, body position, and tactile. Usually, it’s not an atypical reaction to all of the above; rather, individuals may react strongly to a few of things.  Maybe bright lights and certain textures really bother a person, while another individual may have adverse reactions to smells or certain sounds (like how pickles smell or how load a firetruck can be). With other areas, they may underreact or simply not react at all.

Reactions from autistics or others with differences may be considered atypical due to intense reactions, and may be the underlying source for certain behaviors often associated with autism, such as stimming, covering the ears, shrieking, shielding the eyes, or even meltdowns. Having such intense reactions (or none at all, such as pain) can make daily life exceptionally challenging.

Working through these behaviors and helping someone manage sensory issues to improve focus and participation in situations typically requires assistance from a professional therapist experienced in sensory integration dysfunction.

One strategy that is often prescribed is implementing a “sensory diet.” A sensory diet provides customized sensory input to help the nervous system stay balanced and regulated. Just as we eat healthy foods to fuel our bodies, a sensory diet “feeds” the brain appropriate sensory stimulation.

Sensory Integration Dysfunction: What Exactly is a Sensory Diet?

A sensory diet is a carefully designed, personalized activity schedule that provides the sensory input an individual’s nervous system needs to perform well throughout the day. It incorporates items like:

• Specific sounds, music, or rhythmic inputs
• Textures like clay, fuzzy blankets, or vibration
• Movement activities and body positions
• Oral motor input like chewing gum or using a straw
• Smells from essential oils or scented toys

Typically, a therapist will evaluate a person’s unique sensory needs and design a tailored program for home and school or work. Remember, a diagnosis of sensory integration dysfunction can be made at any age and stage and isn’t something specific to autism, although many individuals may have it.

A sensory integration program may include a mix of high and low intensity sensory input performed on a schedule throughout the day. The goal is to help the brain modulate its arousal levels, avoid becoming overloaded, and maintain an alert yet relaxed state optimal for attention and learning.

Activities and equipment used during a sensory diet session will vary greatly based on each person’s needs and challenges. For example, a person bothered by loud noises may listen to calming music on headphones. An overstimulated individual may spend time in a darkened quiet space enveloped in a weighted blanket. Someone with low muscle tone may do wall push ups or jump on a trampoline.

Examples are endless, with new tools emerging all the time. Creativity and sometimes even artificial intelligence support play a big role in designing an effective child or adult sensory diet.

Benefits of a Sensory Diet for Individuals on Autism Spectrum

Sticking to a consistent sensory diet offers many benefits for individuals on the autism spectrum:

Reduced Sensory Seeking Behaviors and Meltdowns

Preventing a hyper-aroused or hypo-aroused state helps minimize adverse reactions to sensory stimuli. A person who is able to regulate sensory stimulation effectively is less likely to cover their ears and scream when a classmate sniffles. 

A teenager no longer rips their shirt off when a clothing tag scratches their neck.

Adults may be able to participate in activities with their peers that involve lights and sounds (such as fireworks displays). 

Caregivers see reduced frequency and intensity of meltdowns when the nervous system remains regulated.

Improved Ability to Focus and Stay on Task

Adequate sensory nourishment enhances one’s ability to achieve and maintain alert focus, essential for work and school. Neurological arousal levels impact attention span, impulse control, and executive functioning skills. After swinging or squeezing stress balls, a person with sensory challenges can sit to complete activities that were previously intolerable.

Deeper Sleep Cycles at Night 

Unfilled sensory cravings during the day often present as sleep issues at night. Providing sufficient sensory input enables restful sleep. Conversely, improved sleep maximizes readiness to absorb sensory input and actively participate in therapeutic activities.

Read more about Autism and Sleep: Top 4 Reasons for Sleepless Nights

Increased Fine Motor Control

Regulating neurological input positively influences development of fine and visual motor skills. Activities like tracing, cutting, buttoning and handwriting may progress more rapidly within the context of sensory diet sessions. Success here boosts self-confidence.

Better Concentration and Memory

Obtaining sensory regulation cultivates cognitive skills essential for learning. A student that is either too hyper-focused or too scatterbrained will struggle to comprehend or remember information. After jumping on a trampoline for 10 minutes, they may demonstrate improved cognition.

Increased Comfort with Social Interactions

For many with ASD, anxiety and sensory overload severely restrict social encounters. Providing sensory nourishment helps make group activities more pleasurable and worthwhile, improving quality of life.

How to Design an Effective Sensory Diet to Help With Sensory Integration Dysfunction

Creating and sticking to a sensory diet requires patience, consistency, creativity and teamwork. Here are some tips:

Schedule Regular Sensory Breaks 

Make sensory activities part of daily home and classroom or work routines, at scheduled intervals. Consistency is key in realizing benefits. Intervals between sessions should be based upon duration of positive impact and warning signs of arousal states getting too high or low.

Make Sensory Activities Fun and Inviting

Use special equipment like swings, trampolines, textured balls, tunnels, fidgets, vibrating toys, and music. Schedule sessions in quiet spaces with calming lighting. Incorporate preferred interests when possible.

Individualize to Sensory Processing Abilities

Carefully observe reactions to various sensory stimuli to discover what inputs are tolerated versus avoided or elicit negative responses. Design activities specifically to fill developmental gaps and match sensory cravings.

Collaborate With Occupational Therapist 

Consult regularly with a trained therapist to design the program, tweak what is not working, and update the diet as the individual’s needs evolve. Seek guidance on proper pacing of stimuli and determining “sensory saturation” levels. 

Educate All Caregivers

Provide education, training and guidance to caregivers so they understand the individual’s unique sensory needs and the “why” behind activities prescribed. Ensure teachers, therapists, respite staff, employers, and family members comprehend specifics of implementing the existing sensory diet.

Pursue Advanced Sensory Integration Therapy

Some individuals on the more severe end of the autism spectrum require intensive sensory integration therapy with trained occupational therapists. This treatment fosters neurological development to process and organize sensory input from one’s body and environment. Goals involve helping the brain form appropriate adaptive responses to stimulation.

Essential Elements of a Sensory Diet Toolbox

Constructing an effective sensory diet requires assembling various equipment, tools and supplies matched to the user’s developmental age, interests, abilities and challenges. While each person’s needs differ immensely, these are staple items for most sensory diet toolboxes:

Auditory

• Noise cancelling headphones
• Calming music or nature CDs
• Musical or vibrational toys
• Rhythm instruments like drums, rain sticks   
• Recorded books and stories

Oral-Motor

• Chewy tubes and necklaces
• Whistles
• Straws
• Water bottles
• Bubble mix and blowers 
• Sour candies

Movement/Vestibular

• Therapy or yoga balls
• Trampoline
• Scooter board
• Balance board
• Swing or suspended swing chair
• Trapeze bar

Touch/Deep Pressure 

• Weighted blanket, lap pad or stuffed animal
• Massage tools like rollers and vibrating balls 
• Compression vests
• Body socks
• Play tunnels or foam pits

Visual

• Fiber optic lamps
• Lava lamps
• Visual light filters
• Prism glasses if prescribed

Smell

• Essential oil diffuser necklace
• Scented lotions or soaps
• Perfume dabbers
• Scented stress balls

Fidget/Fine Motor Skill Toys

• Squishy or textured balls
• Tangle toys
• Chewable jewelry
• Velcro strips
• Spinners and fidget cubes

As occupational therapists customize sensory diet protocols, additional equipment like rocking chairs, textured mitt gloves, vibrating pen grips or tactile discs may prove useful for some. With a diverse toolbox, the age-appropriate child or adult sensory diet can be adjusted as needed.

Implementing a Sensory Diet at Home, School and Beyond

While occasional sensory diet sessions provide some relief, best results require weaving activities throughout one’s entire day and environments. Home, school and therapy offices all play a role.

At Home

Make sensory spaces where needed in bedrooms, play rooms or quiet nooks. Train all family members on warning signs and appropriate responses. Transport portable tools to integrate short sensory breaks into errands and outings to restaurants or friends’ homes. Employ strategies at bedtime to encourage restful sleep. 

At School

Provide a sensory room for the student to self-regulate when overwhelmed and focused sessions scheduled into the school (or work) routine every 60-90 minutes. Allow access to tools like chewing gum and headphones as desired.

Arrange accommodations like alternative seating, reduced classroom clutter, and exam aids. Add visual schedule and gentle warnings before transitions.

At Therapy Offices

Physical, occupational, speech and behavioral therapists should communicate to align sensory diet goals into their therapeutic interventions. Share insights on sensory cravings, skill deficits and neurological responses observed across environments. Coordinate respective efforts. 

Beyond Core Environments

Portable sensory supports enable participation in community activities like sports, music lessons, camp and theaters. Fidget tools allow air travel or doctor visits. Consistent sensory nourishment facilitates transitions to new environments and daily demands.

Overcoming Sensory Diet Challenges When You Have Sensory Integration Dysfunction

Implementing a sensory diet has its challenges. Success requires commitment, problem solving, creativity and flexibility from caregivers.

Getting Buy-In

Some parents or teachers may be skeptical about integrating sensory activities into routines. Taking time to educate them is key. Explain what happens inside the brain and nervous system when sensory needs go unmet vs. when they are appropriately nourished.

Share research. Relate success stories. Address concerns. Customize sensory supports to conveniently align with existing classroom or home structure. Provide training. Start small if needed, then add to the program. Monitor progress.

Battles Over Screen Time Rules

Some individuals insist screens are the only sensory input that makes them feel regulated. While technology overuse often worsens arousal disorders, certain video games, apps and movies can serve sensory cravings. 

Strict limits remain important, but some screen time can be designated as the sensory diet’s “dessert.” As alternatives relieve stress and teach self-regulation skills, screen “desserts” should be used less.

Learn more about how Video Gaming Fun Can Build Social Skills for Autistics

Affording Special Equipment

Sensory gyms stock amazing tools, but costs add up fast. Many items can be replicated at lower cost or borrowed. Schools often provide certain equipment like therapy balls or trampolines with grant funding. Explore adaptive reuse ideas through online parent forums. Search for local or online second hand stores, retailers of weighted products and businesses that sell equipment to therapists.

Preventing Sensory Addiction

While sensory input offers temporary relief and control, becoming overly dependent on any item prevents learning to self-soothe. Schedule weaning off certain tools into treatment plans. Teach coping strategies to use when favorites are unavailable, like taking deep breaths or squeezing one’s own muscles. Rotate materials to prevent boredom.

Learn more about Dangers of Social Media Addiction: How to Leave the Screens and Face the Real World

Finding Time and Space

Caregivers struggle balancing packed schedules already. But regularly feeding one’s sensory needs is essential, just like meals. Identify windows of time and places at home, in classrooms, during commutes or appointments. Get creative. Convert a closet to a sensory station. Use outdoor spaces, vehicles, time between activities, while siblings are occupied or when helpers can engage other family members. Think flexibility.

Learn more about Top Ways Nature Therapy Transforms Lives of Individuals with Autism

Overcoming Sensory Food Avoidance

Many with sensory issues display overly picky food preferences or aversions. Expanding diet variety remains important for health. Respect extreme tactile or taste sensitivities, but gently and creatively broaden horizons. Offer new items repeatedly, even if refused at first. Pair unfamiliar foods with strong likes. Encourage licking or smelling options before tasting. Provide requested utensils. Present slowly, respecting this may be a long journey.

Learn more about Selective Eating: Ways to Beat the Autism Picky Eater Test

While challenges exist in executing a sensory diet, commitment paired with resourcefulness, consistency and compassion for self and others creates optimal conditions for success.

Measuring Progress of a Sensory Diet

How do you know if a sensory diet is effective? Key indicators involve:

• Decreased frequency, intensity or duration of meltdowns
• Willingness to try new environments, foods, clothing textures, activities
• Improved sleep patterns
• Growth in play skills, social interactions and language
• Longer focus on tasks without reminder prompts
• Learning new self-regulation techniques during overwhelming stimuli
• Better grades and work output after sensory breaks
• Reduced avoidance behaviors and distraction tendencies

Individuals or caregivers should track target symptoms, skill goals and frequency of sensory supports. Note responses observed following particular activities. Over time, patterns confirm helpful tools versus ineffective strategies. Progress is rarely linear, so ample trial is needed before eliminating any element when considering sensory integration.

Tweak the diet based on data, input from therapists, and the individual’s evolving interests and needs. Maintain what works. Ready the toolbox with fresh ideas before former favorites become dull.

With carefully documented tracking guiding the way, the perfect sensory diet recipe for helping with sensory integration dysfunctions keeps improving quality of life.

While the child or adult sensory diet approach takes commitment from caregivers, teachers, partners, and therapists, most agree it is worth the effort. By feeding the sensory cravings of those with regulatory disorders, individuals with sensory challenges can be provided building blocks needed for regulated behavior, expanded skills, cognitive growth, emotional stability and meaningful social connections. Life opens up.

For many with sensory integration challenges, autism or similar diagnoses, appropriate sensory nourishment through these carefully designed “sensory meals” is just as essential as daily food. A sensory diet promises enhanced functioning at home, school and work, and beyond.

Autism in Adults:  Living, Learning, and Overcoming Challenges for a Fulfilled Life

Autism in adults requires additional support and coping skills to achieve independence in today’s world.
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