As a mommy of a little boy with an autism spectrum disorder,
I learned I had to develop the mentality of a detective. One area I had to decipher was sensory
input. Sensory input is how each
individual learns but I found that it also could keep him from concentrating
causing his education to suffer. Here
are some common classroom difficulties for many children.
· Florescent Lighting-this lighting is
used in most classrooms and it causes many children havoc on their sensory
systems
· Visual distractions with many items
(designed for learning) . Anchor charts
are meant to be helpful but many times too much of a good thing becomes highly
distracting. It can bombard the sensory
system so much that it can cause headaches or intense anxiety.
· The smell of cleaning products, food
in students backpacks or even the teacher’s perfume can cause emotional upset
or physical symptoms.
· Noise is often an issue. Think of 30 students scooting chairs in and
out of their desks all day. Add all the
other noises in a classroom and the students with sensory sensitivities will be
ready for a meltdown before the morning recess.
· Touch – tactile. Bumping with other students at the lockers
can cause a student overload very quickly.
Think about how many times a day this occurs for a secondary school
student. Textures of various items in the classroom can cause the same
response.
· Standing in line may cause many
elementary students difficulty. They may
have a hard time walking in a straight line.
The ability to have balance, coordination and other motor skills come
from the sensory system.
· Fine motor skills are also affected
by the sensory system. Handwriting may
be a very difficult and frustrating activity. It is even harder if the student
is trying to copy from the board or a book.
More meltdowns occur right after handwriting was required or when a
student knows he must begin handwriting.
These are just a sampling of common
difficulties a child can have because of sensory difficulties. This list is to help you, as a parent, begin
your job as a sensory detective. It is
amazing to see what a difference a few accommodations can make.
