Our children are very precious to us. We’d do everything in our power to provide for them. As parents, we work hard in giving them the best education, a loving family, and a comfortable home.
This is especially true for parents of children with special needs. Creating a home that’s conducive to their development is essential. After all, children are taught first at home, it’s just right to set up a healthy and nurturing environment at a place where they feel safe, secure and happy.
Several parents go to great lengths in creating a sensory-friendly home for their child.
Provide a Sensory-friendly environment
Data from UNICEF points out that the family’s home plays a pivotal role in the survival and development of young children, the same goes for children with special needs. The home should be a place where they can grow, learn, explore and discover.
For parents of children with special needs, it’s all about creating a positive, nurturing, and least restrictive household with special regards to their sensory needs and sensitivities.
In today’s blog, we have gathered simple tips to help you create a sensory-friendly home for your child with special needs. Before moving further, let us first discuss what sensory processing is and how it affects your child with ASD.
Sensory Processing For Children With ASD
In simple terms, sensory processing, also known as sensory integration, is the process of receiving and organizing different sensory information from the different parts of the body to the brain.
Children with ASD have a higher risk of having SPD, according to Autism Speaks, the largest Autism advocacy organization in the US. A paper[1] published by the University of Washington states that nearly 70-90 percent of children and adults with ASD have impairments in sensory processing.
Most children with special needs, especially with ASD, can experience difficulties in their sensory abilities. This makes their everyday experience challenging. They have the tendency to be hypersensitive within their environment.
Noise
Children with ASD are sensitive to noise and vibrations. As a parent, it is vital to address sounds in your home that can overwhelm your child. For instance, loud noise such as your hairdryer or your vacuum cleaner can aggravate your child. Surprisingly, sounds we recognize as calming such as waves rolling on the shore or the crackling sounds of a furnace can either irritate or hurt your child’s hearing. These noises may hinder your child’s activities at home and distract them from functioning or concentrating.
To help your child with their noise sensitivity, it is important to identify which sounds or type of noise they respond negatively to. This way, you will be able to determine what sounds to slowly introduce to your child. Having noise-canceling headphones also helps especially for situations that noise in your home is inevitable. Reducing the sound distractions at your home will help your child be focused on his or her tasks and chores.
Lighting
Each child with ASD have different sets of needs. Other children may be hypersensitive to visual stimuli. Certain lighting and colors can be overwhelming for them. As a parent, you can create an environment in your home that could reduce the visual stimuli that may aggravate your child.
One thing that parents of ASD having SPD need to have is a lighting that comes as close as possible to natural sunlight. If you have flickering lights around your house, change it immediately. There are dimmable lights that could be purchased. These make it easier to control the brightness and dimness of a room.
Colors
Your child may respond to the colors of your home. Avoiding bright, bold colors can keep your child from being distracted. Choose pastel and cool hues- these colors are soothing and calming for your child with ASD. As suggested by Abilities, an online resource platform, choosing shades associated with calmness and tranquility; such as lavender, gray, soft blue, and sage green, is best for a child with ASD.
In addition, sticking to a monotonous color palette is beneficial in creating a neutral space for your child.
Avoid Too Many Visual Stimuli
Your home should be kept organized and tidy. A cluttered household can harm your child’s sensory processing. Keep your home clean and clutter-free. You can start by limiting the number of objects that are hanging on your walls.
An organized home can relieve the stress from your child and enables him/her to process sensory information with ease. Also, routines are easier if a home is organized. Several studies prove that children and adults with ASD do well routines in place.
Conclusion
If you live in a busy city like Dubai, creating a safe home and sensory-friendly environment is vital for your child’s development. Consider working with a trusted Autism Center in Dubai, to learn more about methods and various strategies such in Occupational Therapy. This will empower you as a parent in providing the exact needs that your child with ASD will require, especially if they are experiencing difficulties in sensory processing. Talk to us today at Pulse Therapy and Learning Center.
References
[1] http://depts.washington.edu/lend/pdfs/Making_Sense_Sensory_Processing_Disorder103114.pdf
Miller, L.J. (2014). Sensational Kids Hope and Help for Children with Sensory Processing Disorder. Revised
http://www.spdfoundation.net/about-sensory-processing-disorder/
http://depts.washington.edu/lend/pdfs/Making_Sense_Sensory_Processing_Disorder103114.pdf