Ask Me Anything - Sensory Behaviours

Ask Me Anything - Sensory Behaviours

 

I answer lots of questions on my social media channels privately, so it makes sense to share this information (anonymously!) in case it is useful for others too.

The answers below are all linked to the topic of sensory behaviours.

"I just wanted to know if you were able to help in any way with toe-walking? A child in my care is 9 and has been toe-walking most of his life. I feel like I’ve tried everything but can’t get him to put his feet down. Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated"

Such a great question! This is a common concern, and rightly so too as tip-toe walking, if sustained and severe, can lead to needing surgery. It comes from seeking proprioception input to feel better grounded in the body and therefore environment. Anxiety often makes it worse, as in these environments they will be seeking more grounding. 
I find things that help are;
✨ Heavy boots
✨ Regular deep pressure massage on calves, including vibration if they can tolerate it
✨ Weighted blankets
✨ Heavy work like carrying books, bottles of water, wheelbarrows, etc
✨ Deep pressure massage on head, arms, legs, feet
✨ Compression vests

There are squeeze machines etc, if the child can tolerate that, these can be pricey though.

"I wondered if you have any advice regarding biting—not what to do during an incident, but more on prevention and supporting children in replacing this behaviour with something more appropriate. Chew toys/swap-ins don't seem to be helping at the moment."

There are lots of different chewable items out there, so it’s worth trying different ones—some even vibrate! Some I recommend trying are linked here. You could also try regular crunchy snacks, ideally keeping them accessible throughout the day. Encourage crunchy options particularly during snack and lunch times.

It’s important to explore the root cause of the behavior, as children are often trying to soothe or ground themselves. Consider asking:
“Why are they feeling unsafe or out of control?”

Here are some strategies:
  • Ensure the child has an accessible way to communicate and be understood.
  • Reduce demands where possible.
  • Offer regular sensory breaks.
My sensory diet print-out could help with this.

"I am working with a lovely young boy with autism, he is nonverbal and communicates with screams. He is currently in the mainstream and is very “controlling” of his environment, e.g. he lines up toys and really struggles if other children touch them, he will scream which can distress the other children. I have given him his own space in the classroom with his own things but I don't want him to be separate a lot of the time. Is there anything I can do to help him cope with sharing his space?"

Giving him his own space is exactly right. I guess the question is “what expectations will help him thrive?” and “what does he need in order to learn?” If that looks like isolation for lots of the day of his choosing in order to be regulated and able to focus, then that is okay. As long as it’s his choice to do so. 
I would look into intensive interaction and model it often, teach his peers how to interact with him and he might just feel a little more understood and safer in the environment and choose to interact more.
I have trainings that I would recommend for £5 each on my website here and here.
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"Hello, I wonder if you can help me with something. I have a child in my class who is non/pre verbal and is throwing objects? We are a small classroom, and as he keeps throwing things and hitting the other children we have had to remove lots from the rooms, but the other children are missing their things. He is new to the class."
It sounds like this child is experiencing overwhelm. Try offering him regular and safe throwing breaks outside, we find using dry rice really helpful for this. Also, try reducing overwhelm in the class by giving him his own area and prioritising visuals over speech.
"I wondered if you had any advice on how to support a 4 year old who is banging their head on walls, floors, tables,  bookshelves etc, and also will scratch his skin until he bleeds. The causes of this seem to be that he is frustrated, someone takes something from him, he’s not getting his own way, or he’s frustrated. There are certain toys that will distract him for a moment or two, but he will often go straight back to this behaviour."
It sounds like he is in complete overwhelm, crisis or state of flight, fright or fight. 
I would suggest:
1- offer him an under-stimulating space that he can access at all times. This space doesn’t have to be big or fancy sometimes a blanket over a table that he can lay beneath will be enough
2 - Reduce demands and lower expectations. No one can function at their best, or process and learn when they are in dysregulation
3 -  Learn what he loves and what motivates him, add that in wherever you can in his day. Join him in that. Shared joy will build trust.

 

"I teach in a mainstream school in SEND unit and have a new starter who is an absolute whirlwind. Such a limited attention span, probably 30 seconds at the most, he just doesn’t stay still. My room is zoned to a certain extent but just wondered if anyone has any ideas on how to occupy him and keep him busy?"
In my experience, giving the child a communication device can help here. I've experienced children going from whirlwinds to the calmest in a class as this can ground them. 


I would suggest trying:


- Making sure he can be understood and understand 
- Sensory circuits after EVERY small task 
- With everything that you do, step it up in a sensory circuit type way - thinking about “alerting” “organising” “grounding”, repeat 
- Set very short tasks and very long breaks 
- Use weighted blankets

 

"Hello, I have a bucket time question please! How do you deal with children wanting to touch the items? When I have done this activity previously the children didn’t touch, but they were less complex and could do up to stage 3 of Attention Autism. Do you let them touch and play with the objects at the end of the session or is it “bucket time finished” and you put it away? Don’t know whether to set the rules that no we are finished and move on or give them time to play and explore?"

Here are some tips that have helped me this week;

1- put a wipeable 2m x 2m sheet in between you and where the children are 

2- close the lid and put the bucket behind you when you take an item out

3- make it snappy, my stage 1 takes 2 minutes max, and my stage 2 is 3 minutes maximum 

4 - coach your adults to give deep pressure squeezes during to regulate them 

"Hello! I really love your content and it gives me so many good resources to support my students! I have one question to ask please. I have a student who takes their shoes off and fights putting them back on. I have created a picture story to show her that this isn’t correct behaviour, tried making a song about it, and putting them back on myself but nothing works. The shoes are the correct size."

I have had this with a student. I don't have a magic wand - sometimes we go barefoot because on that particular day it’s not worth the battle!!

But…I have found some ways that help:

    • Allow a lot of time so you don’t have to rush the process. (I started getting him ready one hour before) 
    • I put shoes on at the absolute last second, often just as we are literally at the door step
    • I use a now/next board to show “shoes on” then show what you are doing next and make it be the next thing they REALLY enjoy 
    • Practice wearing shoes in the house as part of a game. A shoe on/off game to get them used to the process without pressure of transition and timings added to it. The number blocks two songs have the lyric “one shoe just won’t do”, we sing this together and play out needing two socks and two shoes on. We did this inside through play at first then now it works outside the home too. 
    • I allow shoes off as soon as they can, in the car, in the house, in school, in the gym, at soft play etc. 

Thank you for your questions!

Hope this helps! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me on my Instagram, Facebook or TikTok, or through my contact form. 

please remember:

I am not a doctor or medical professional, so for some questions I will suggest you contact your GP, the National Autistic Society, or the NHS.

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