Sensory Preferences

I’ve seen a lot of posts lately on Autism and sensory issues related to summer activities (e.g. sand, fireworks, sunscreen) which motivated me to collect my thoughts on Noah’s sensory preferences. We all have sensory experiences that we seek out or avoid. Personally, I do not like bonfires (the smoke in my eyes and smell in my hair) or the sound of leaf blowers. I love hugs and curling up tight with a blanket. Noah also has sensory activities that he loves and avoids! While many of Noah’s sensory preferences enhance his life, he does have some differences that create problems in his every day life.

Touch

Noah loves playing in the sand and dirt! One of his favorite activities is going to the beach in the summer. He loves playing with sand with his bare hands and laying down in the sand. Noah also craves deep touch like cuddles and big hugs. He loves to be tickled and has so much fun with high fives and “knuckles.”  Noah has difficulty with lighter types of touch. He overreacts when getting his temperature checked at speech, OT or the Dr.’s office. Also, no one can clear a hair salon quite like Noah. His first three pre-COVID hair cuts did not go well.  However, since the pandemic, we have been giving Noah haircuts at home and he is slowly tolerating them better! Another challenge is compliance with wearing things around his face (e.g. a face mask, hats and sunglasses). Noah does not tolerate wearing a face mask which has made the activities we do with him very limited during the pandemic.

The biggest sensory challenge with Noah is oral seeking and avoiding. Noah still puts items in his mouth (e.g. foam toys) or licks things like furniture. It is a huge source of stress given the current COVID climate because when we go out in public, I’m always worried he will put his mouth to something and get sick. He is completely addicted to his pacifiers and they are a great source of comfort for him. We are constantly trying alternatives, so that we can ditch the paci habit for good but so far have not found a good substitute.  Because of his oral seeking, Noah also has difficulty with brushing his teeth as he is so obsessed with his tooth brush that he wants to suck on it instead of using it to actually brush his teeth. Lastly, I feel like I could write a novel on Noah’s picky eating. He avoids many foods which is a significant source of stress at mealtimes.

Movement

Noah is a very energetic little boy! He loves to run, jump, chase, climb and crash! He has the time of his life when Dad holds him upside down and spins him around. Noah seems to need more input in this area than other kids his age. We do a lot of outdoor play with Noah so that his need for movement is met. He does have an understanding of safety and limits; however, there are times where he does not use play equipment in a completely safe manner. We are working on this in OT and teaching him how to get his need for movement met in a safe way.  This especially becomes a challenge when doing outings with both kids by myself as I can’t always help Noah climb and jump while also taking care of Lilah.

I thought this was a good time to capture Noah’s sensory preferences in writing as I find it is really easy for people to make assumptions about him simply because he has Autism. For example, some kids with Autism don’t like loud noises or crowds but these are not areas of concern for Noah. Also, it might be easy for someone to observe Noah’s activity level and assume he is hyperactive when his physical activity level is actually part of his sensory processing.