Sensory Seeking/Craving
Your child may be sensory seeking/craving. This means that he or she may not feel stimulation from the environment with as much intensity as other people do, and the amount of stimulus usually needed to activate a certain response may be perceived by your child as unsatisfactory. A child can be seeking/craving in one sense and display a different pattern in another sense. A child can also be seeking/craving one day and display a different pattern in the same sense another day. For seekers/cravers, Calming Tactile, Proprioception, and Calming Vestibular activities can be very helpful. Follow the links below for more regulating activities to try with your child.
Visual
If your child appears...
- distracted by or drawn to visual stimuli; to engage in self-stimulating behavior, such as "flapping"
- to prefer environments with a variety of colors, textures, shapes, and sizes
- to have trouble "winding down" or struggle to close eyes to rest; to fixate on objects or to look all around without attending to one object or task
- to be more focused on objects than people and seemingly distracted by objects others don't see; to rub or press on eyes vigorously to cause visual sensations
Auditory
If your child appears...
- to need to sing, speak, or vocalize loudly or repetitively; fascinated by turning up the volume on or repeatedly activate devices
- distracted by ambient noise (TV, radio, multiple conversations)
- prefer loud or funny noises; actively seek loud or busy environments
Olfactory
If your child appears...
- to crave odors, good or bad; distracted by scented items
- to frequently bring objects to the nose
- to prefer smell seeking over play or social interaction
Gustatory
If your child appears...
- to interact better if able to explore bold flavored candy or gum
- to mouth, lick, or chew on objects beyond what is age appropriate
- to show a strong preference for specific tastes (sour, bitter, spicy, bold flavors)
Tactile
If your child appears...
- to demonstrate compulsion to touch or explore textures or temperatures
- to prefer certain fabrics, textured clothing, or exposure of bare skin to the elements
- to excessively explore or play with food or objects with hands, mouth, or bare skin; to knowingly touch or mouth objects that are too hot or cold
- to struggle to understand appropriate touch within privacy circles
Proprioception
If your child appears...
- chew with excessive force, grind or clench teeth
- to enjoy crashing or bumping into objects or others; to be aggressive, agile, or athletic; to hang off of objects or others
- to be destructive, use excessive force, or apply too much pressure to objects; to crave resistance from objects
Vestibular
If your child appears...
- to struggle to sit still
- to move excessively or zoom from place to place
- to enjoy spinning, hanging upside down, or the sensation of being dropped
Interoception
If your child appears...
- to be out of touch with the body's signs of hunger and fullness
- to push too hard to have a bowel movement
- to crave feeling full