The Sensory
Diet
What on
earth is a “sensory diet”? No, this is not a diet
of only certain foods or certain calories. A sensory diet
is a term used to describe sensory activities that are used
to treat kids with Sensory Integration Disorder. Your occupational
therapist will create a “menu” of activities to
do with your child. She will have you perform these activities
in a particular order to create a sensory “meal”
or “snack”. Just like nutritional diets, the sensory
diet is designed for your child’s sensory needs. Your
occupational therapist will create a plan of activities for
you to do throughout the day.
Proprioception
activities- Proprioception has to do with body awareness
(being aware of where your body is positioned in relation
to other parts of your body). Receptors in the muscles and
joints help to coordinate movements even without vision. Proprioception
activities would include things like
- Pushing and pulling activities
- Squeezing toys or popping bubble wrap
- Wrapping your child in a “burrito” by rolling
him up in a blanket
Vestibular
activities- Vestibular input has to do with your
sense of movement and balance that is processed in the inner
ear. Vestibular activities include:
- Rocking in a rocking chair
- Swinging on a swing at the park
- Running, jumping or skipping
Tactile
activities- Tactile activities include any activities
that involve the sense of touch, texture or temperature. Some
tactile activities are:
- Messy play such as playing with shaving cream, finger
paint, or play dough
- Reading and touching textured books
- Tracing shapes on to your child’s back and letting
him guess what shape
Auditory
activities- Auditory activities include hearing and
listening. Some auditory activities might include:
- Playing with instruments, such as imitating a rhythm
with a drum or tambourine
- Playing listening games to see if your child can guess
the sound
- Listening to music or songs
Visual
activities- Visual activities involve making eye
contact, processing what is seen with the eyes and interpreting
visual input. Some visual activities might be:
- Stringing beads
- Matching games such as matching cards or matching words
to cards
- Picture games, finding pictures in a picture book like
the “eye spy” books
Smelling
and tasting activities
- Play a guessing game with scratch and sniff stickers.
See if he can guess the smell without looking.
- Add a new texture to a food your child already likes.
For example if your child likes yogurt, try adding some
crunchy granola to his yogurt.
- Play a guessing game with foods your child likes to
eat. Put two or three foods and have him try them blindfolded.
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Sensory
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