Sensory Detective

What can I do?; Sensory Detective; Learning Challenge Detective

Home; School; Stims; Play; Social

Safety, Executive Functioning

Safety
Behavior Interpretation Area Intervention
Has trouble pouring and carrying without spilling. Has trouble with motor planning related to successfully completing task. May require additional Body Aware input to judge body movements and adjustments needed. Motor Planning, Body Aware Increase the weight of the container while decreasing the amount of liquid in it. Use dishes that are heavier to carry. Have the child carry items to the table, using containers that will not spill on the way to the table. Fill cups or bowls only partially.
Seems impulsive or hurries through things, including being unaware of safety issues. May have difficulty planning and including all steps in the appropriate order of performance. May be avoiding contact with materials or activities that are perceived as unpleasant. Motor Planning, Body Aware Break the activity into steps and ask the child to perform one step at a time, completing each step before moving on. Have someone model the activity first. Use a visual for each step. Reinforce completion of each step instead of just the final project. Consider Touch sensitivity or avoidance and provide an alternate material with less threatening sensory features (i.e., use a cotton swab to glue on small pieces of the art activity instead of getting glue on fingers). Consider a cooperative assignment where different steps can be distributed among students.
Is clumsy/accident prone; bumps into things and breaks things often. Difficulty judging body positioning in relation to objects in the environment. Body Aware, Visual, Balance / Movement Provide proprioception input using weighted vest, or ankle or wrist weights. Teach the child to visually monitor movements in the environment.

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Executive Functioning
Behavior Interpretation Area Intervention
Experiences difficulty when changes occur. A routine provides predictability and helps stay organized and focused. Needs predictability, especially if his body does not "feel in control." Feels the need to structure schedules and activities to avoid unpleasant sensory experiences. Does not know what to do when change occurs.   Flexibilty Offer the child a signal before a change occurs. Prepare the child for changes using visual supports. Provide deep pressure activities that the child may utilize when a change occurs.  Give the child a script to use when an unexpected event occurs. Gradually incorporate "unplanned" activities into the schedule, starting with preferred activities. Incorporate a "change" symbol into the child's schedule.
Has rigid rituals at home and school. Prefers to have predictability in his environment. Feels the need to structure schedule and activities to avoid unpleasant sensory experiences. Motor planning challenges motivate the child to engage only in activities he feels competent about.   Flexibilty Honor the ritual whenever possible if it doesn't interfere with daily living activities.  Use visual supports/schedules to help the child to stay organized. Make changes in the "usual" scheduling and offer strategies that the child can use to help him cope with these changes.  Identify possible triggers to ritualistic behaviors. Implement deep pressure and heavy work activities to organize. Elaborate on the child's ritual by altering one sensory aspect at a time as a way to introduce flexibility. An example might be using a strong-scented or granular soap during a hand-washing routine. Warn the child ahead of time that the ritual may be different. Offer a quiet place for the child to help him calm down or reorganize. Allow the child access to a swing or rocking chair.

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