3. Temple is an individual that has lived with
Asperger's all of her life!
She is a professor at Colorado State University
4. Utilize a visual schedule throughout the day
(both at home and at school). Visual schedules
are often easier to understand for a child with
autism, or any young child, as there is a
pictorial representation of each activity or time
of day.
5. Allowing the child to take a 2-3 minute movement
break every 10-15 minutes. This break should
involve intense movement when possible, such as
jumping jacks, pushups, jumping on a trampoline,
etc. When intense movement is not appropriate,
breaks may involve the student walking to the
drinking fountain, getting up to sharpen his/her
pencil and/or walking to the bathroom.
If an assigned task involves intense academic work, such as
testing, lengthy projects or problem-solving assignments the
child should be given the opportunity to take a longer break
(approximately 10 minutes) to allow time for more intense
physical exercise.
6. Utilize a timer during activities and make sure it is
visible to the child. Timers can be either visual,
meaning that there is an area of the clock that
becomes shaded and as time elapses the shaded
area becomes smaller and smaller however there is
no noise associated with it, or auditory, in which
there is a digital display and an alarm that sounds
when the time has fully elapsed. Using a timer is
especially helpful during preferred activities, such
as free-play, as it sets a clear limit for the child
regarding how long they will have to participate in
this designated activity.
7. Provide a toy or item for the child to
manipulate during solitary work. These items
are often referred to as “fidgets,” and provide
the child with an outlet to release their
restlessness. Rather than continuously moving
his/her body, the child can move his/her
hands quietly in their lap or on their desk while
manipulating the fidget.
8. These sensory strategies can be implemented in the
classroom, at home and in most other settings
where a child is expected to be able to sit and
attend to a task. Incorporating these strategies into
particularly difficult parts of the day can also have
a positive impact on the child; for example,
incorporating physical exercise into transitional
periods may lessen the stress that these times put
on both the child and the adult. These sensory
strategies are not strict rules to abide by, but are
general ideas for you to be expanded upon or
adapted to fit each child‟s individual needs.
9. The sensory system that responds to changes in
head position and to body movement through
space.
It coordinates movements of the head, body, and
eyes
Activities:
Hokey Pokey with “big” movements
Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
Dancing (Just Dance on smart board)
Sit „n‟ Spin
Rolling
Rocking Chair
10. Unconscious awareness of sensation coming
through the muscles, joints, and tendons that
tells you what position you are in
Activities
Stair climbing and/or sliding
Picking up items from the floor (trash, paper
clippings etc.)
Pulling or Pushing
Big Ball activities
Scooter activities
11. The sensory system that receives sensations of
pressure, vibration, movement, pain, and
temperature through connections in the skin
This system helps to tell the difference between
threatening and non-threatenting sensations
Activities:
Finger painting
Clay/Play-Doh/Putty
Walking on the grass with no shoes
Texture adventure bins
Glue projects
12. Running, Spinning, or other movements
Provides vestibular and proprioceptive stimulation
Treatments to try:
Movement games like tag or relay races
Bouncing on large therapy balls
Rocking chair
Jumping
13. Pinching, Squeezing, or Grabbing
A students hand may be extremely sensitive compared to other body parts and
sensory input in the palm may help to override the painful response to a light
touch
Treatments to try:
Deep pressure massages
Hand massages or pressing hands together
Wristbands that provide pressure
Vibration toys
14. Takes off clothing
Clue to the fact that the clothing and touch is uncomfortable to the child‟s skin
Treatments to try:
Calming techniques
Soft fabrics
Allow child to choose their clothes
Allow the student to take off shoes
Avoids eye contact
Peripheral vision could be less stressful or processing visual and auditory input
could be difficult, looking away allows the child to process the auditory input
better
PLEASE DO NOT YELL AND TELL THEM TO LOOK YOU IN
THE EYE!
Treatments to try:
Look into a mirror and gradually increase to someone‟s eyes
Social Stories about making eyecontact
15. These are especially helpful for children with sensory
defensiveness.
They help to relax the nervous system
• Techniques:
• Help with heavy work
• Ripping paper
• Joint compression
• Lavender, vanilla, or banana scents
• Reduced noise or light levels
• Sucking through a straw
• Bear hugs
16. Can help a child who is either over or under
reactive become more focused and attentive
Techniques:
Hard candy
Catching/throwing heavy balls
Pulling apart toys (Legos, etc)
Adding rhythm to the activity