Check out our Introduction to Sensory Processing Disorder full course. Learn to spot signs and symptoms of sensory challenges, as well as simple tips and tricks to implement immediately! 👇 harkla.co/collections/courses/products/introduction-to-sensory-processing-disorder
My daughter has SPD & ADHD & is being evaluated for autism (awaiting final report), she’s 10… she seeks certain things..swinging, jumping, running etc, but is overloaded by bright lights & loud sounds & sometimes smells!! The overload led to her not going to school for a good 2wks, begging to be homeschooled & ending up w/ truancy meeting etc etc..she’s been back to school a wk now & doesn’t look forward to going tomorrow, but the school & teachers & her counselor have come up with/ accommodations for her & have been a Godsend this past wk!
A little while ago I've discovered your channel and I'm totally in love with your content! It's all super useful - not only in my job (special ed teacher), but on a personal level as well. Recently I was at the dentist's and that high-pitched sound of drilling into my teeth and that intense vibrations really set me off. I'm usually so stressed out and on the verge of meltdown that even the painkilling injections aren't working properly. Just few months ago I've realized that if I listen to a podcast or music through earpods, that helps to solve noise problem as I have no problems with redirecting auditory attention. But that vibration was hellish! Then I've remembered your motto - prop it out! 😁 There isn't much you can do in a dentist's chair, but I could pull hands with fingers locked together. So I was just laying there with interlocked hands resting on my stomach and every time the dentist drilled, I just sterted pulling and relaxing them. It was helping so much! So big thank you! It took only few minutes to calm down enough for pain meds to properly kick in. And it worked every time the vibrations were starting to get overwhelming again 🤩
For future videos: fix the audio so its the same level all the time. all the random train sounds and random laughters are really loud and for autistic viewers more like jumpscares. get a pro to fix it or moderate yourselves girls. top content.
i dont think it's limited to children. it's like when old people can't stand that young people are having a party down the street, the sound just makes them flip out
In some of the dementia simulations, sensory experiences are sometimes included like struggling with bright light I remember. I think that makes sense that old people might struggle more when they start heading in the direction of going mentally downhill, because they simply don't have the same mental resources they used to have to deal with the same stuff. Maybe medicine or the public perception of medicine will pay more attention to old people in the future.
Hi Kerry, We are big believers in having empathy when our kiddos experience sensory overload and strong emotions about things they may not have experienced before, or are just having a hard time processing. So we pose the question to you: What happens to you when your routine is different? How can that change the course of your day, your attitude, your ability to cope, and so on. I know for me, I like to wake up and get my coffee first, THEN take my dog outside, THEN wash my face, get dressed, etc. Say I wake up and I am out of coffee!! It's a slight disruption in the grand scheme of things, but it can throw my whole day off, and I am a "well adjusted" adult. And then I find that the dog peed on the bathroom rug overnight, instead of waiting for her morning trip outside. Now my whole morning routine is off. I might feel stressed, anxious, frustrated, immediately drained and upset, because I just don't want to deal with any of these things. If I am a child experiencing all these changes to my usual, expected, routine, I will likely feel all those same things, but on a grander scale, because as a child their coping mechanisms are not as advanced as that of most adults. Hopefully that little scenario helps to shed some light on how changes in routine can affect a child's sensory system.
@@HarklaFamily Thanks so much. Often people relate "sensory" to literally sight/sound etc... and I think it is very beneficial to expand our understanding of what the sensory integration system fully entails. Thanks again!!
@@1979KerryB Of course! It is our pleasure! The sensory system encompasses SO MANY THINGS! And it does include sight and sound - which are likely not the first things we think of. Overstimulation can certainly come from lots of bright lights, or loud noises. Ever turn down the radio while you are driving and trying to follow directions? That is because your system is feeling overloaded and needs to focus on just one sense, or just one sound in this case. A lot of our sensory kiddos feel this overload all the time.
My child writes in the air (imaginary writing), what can be the cause and strategy to help with it. He also jumps on trampoline immediately after the meals
It could be that he's seeking visual input with the writing in the air. Jumping on the trampoline could be a sign that he needs more movement and he's self-regulating by going to the trampoline!
Using a loud clap thing on a video about strategies for sensory overload is ironic.... Plus it's not only children. There are many autistic, adhd or otherwise neurodivergent people that also deal with that and might've (like me) stumbled upon this looking for tips for themselves. Including "for your child" in the title might help bring the right audience.
Very true! ANYONE can struggle with sensory overload! Many of us do on a daily basis! The tips and tricks we share can be modified for any age; our channel and our company overall was created to help parents and therapists specifically! We do have content for adults as well thought!
1:01 Did you really HAVE to put high pitched random noises in the video? It's rude considering the subject of the video. 4:53 Proprioceptive Input - physical accommodations (like sensory goggles, weighted items) before, during, and after event 5:56 exercise of basic movements to encourage physical awareness 6:21 Social Story - reading for developing strategies? How to do a social story: I struggle with ____ because _____. How does this make me feel? In the future, I will do _____ in order to endure it in the future. 8:18 Co-Regulation - Give social support to those with spd by using empathy about their struggles 9:12 The Just Right Challenge - Take challenges that are possible to get any results. (example of if to use public restroom). Decide what is worth the struggle, and let some other things go. 10:53 Sensory Diet/lifestyle - Use the sensory experiences you enjoy to relieve stress. I will consider the Social Story, or journaling, to process the overwhelm. Thank you for the ideas. I also think the Just Right Challenge, or counting spoons, is important for parents to consider to avoid long-term trauma.
Check out our Introduction to Sensory Processing Disorder full course. Learn to spot signs and symptoms of sensory challenges, as well as simple tips and tricks to implement immediately! 👇
harkla.co/collections/courses/products/introduction-to-sensory-processing-disorder
I think learning to prioritize things and ignoring the rest, helps
My daughter has SPD & ADHD & is being evaluated for autism (awaiting final report), she’s 10… she seeks certain things..swinging, jumping, running etc, but is overloaded by bright lights & loud sounds & sometimes smells!! The overload led to her not going to school for a good 2wks, begging to be homeschooled & ending up w/ truancy meeting etc etc..she’s been back to school a wk now & doesn’t look forward to going tomorrow, but the school & teachers & her counselor have come up with/ accommodations for her & have been a Godsend this past wk!
Thanks for sharing! Hoping that the teachers can continue to support her!
A little while ago I've discovered your channel and I'm totally in love with your content! It's all super useful - not only in my job (special ed teacher), but on a personal level as well. Recently I was at the dentist's and that high-pitched sound of drilling into my teeth and that intense vibrations really set me off. I'm usually so stressed out and on the verge of meltdown that even the painkilling injections aren't working properly. Just few months ago I've realized that if I listen to a podcast or music through earpods, that helps to solve noise problem as I have no problems with redirecting auditory attention. But that vibration was hellish! Then I've remembered your motto - prop it out! 😁 There isn't much you can do in a dentist's chair, but I could pull hands with fingers locked together. So I was just laying there with interlocked hands resting on my stomach and every time the dentist drilled, I just sterted pulling and relaxing them. It was helping so much! So big thank you! It took only few minutes to calm down enough for pain meds to properly kick in. And it worked every time the vibrations were starting to get overwhelming again 🤩
So happy you're here! We do have a podcast - All Things Sensory Podcast - with lots of helpful information as well!
Id love a video on just right challenge with more examples
we have a podcast episode on this topic! harkla.co/blogs/podcast/194-the-just-right-challenge-for-sensory-based-activities?_pos=1&_sid=54c250531&_ss=r
For future videos: fix the audio so its the same level all the time. all the random train sounds and random laughters are really loud and for autistic viewers more like jumpscares. get a pro to fix it or moderate yourselves girls. top content.
We appreciate the feedback!
i dont think it's limited to children. it's like when old people can't stand that young people are having a party down the street, the sound just makes them flip out
Sensory overload definitely happens to adults as well!
In some of the dementia simulations, sensory experiences are sometimes included like struggling with bright light I remember. I think that makes sense that old people might struggle more when they start heading in the direction of going mentally downhill, because they simply don't have the same mental resources they used to have to deal with the same stuff. Maybe medicine or the public perception of medicine will pay more attention to old people in the future.
I would love to know how 'daily routine changes' connect to the sensory integration system and sensory overload?
Hi Kerry,
We are big believers in having empathy when our kiddos experience sensory overload and strong emotions about things they may not have experienced before, or are just having a hard time processing. So we pose the question to you: What happens to you when your routine is different? How can that change the course of your day, your attitude, your ability to cope, and so on.
I know for me, I like to wake up and get my coffee first, THEN take my dog outside, THEN wash my face, get dressed, etc. Say I wake up and I am out of coffee!! It's a slight disruption in the grand scheme of things, but it can throw my whole day off, and I am a "well adjusted" adult. And then I find that the dog peed on the bathroom rug overnight, instead of waiting for her morning trip outside. Now my whole morning routine is off. I might feel stressed, anxious, frustrated, immediately drained and upset, because I just don't want to deal with any of these things.
If I am a child experiencing all these changes to my usual, expected, routine, I will likely feel all those same things, but on a grander scale, because as a child their coping mechanisms are not as advanced as that of most adults. Hopefully that little scenario helps to shed some light on how changes in routine can affect a child's sensory system.
@@HarklaFamily Thanks so much. Often people relate "sensory" to literally sight/sound etc... and I think it is very beneficial to expand our understanding of what the sensory integration system fully entails. Thanks again!!
@@1979KerryB Of course! It is our pleasure! The sensory system encompasses SO MANY THINGS! And it does include sight and sound - which are likely not the first things we think of.
Overstimulation can certainly come from lots of bright lights, or loud noises. Ever turn down the radio while you are driving and trying to follow directions? That is because your system is feeling overloaded and needs to focus on just one sense, or just one sound in this case. A lot of our sensory kiddos feel this overload all the time.
My child writes in the air (imaginary writing), what can be the cause and strategy to help with it. He also jumps on trampoline immediately after the meals
It could be that he's seeking visual input with the writing in the air.
Jumping on the trampoline could be a sign that he needs more movement and he's self-regulating by going to the trampoline!
But I'm not a child...
Many of the strategies we suggest for children can be used for adults as well! Modify as needed
@@HarklaFamily ..or you could make the modified video for adults, and-or label appropriate children videos as "videos made only for children".
Using a loud clap thing on a video about strategies for sensory overload is ironic.... Plus it's not only children. There are many autistic, adhd or otherwise neurodivergent people that also deal with that and might've (like me) stumbled upon this looking for tips for themselves. Including "for your child" in the title might help bring the right audience.
Very true! ANYONE can struggle with sensory overload! Many of us do on a daily basis! The tips and tricks we share can be modified for any age; our channel and our company overall was created to help parents and therapists specifically! We do have content for adults as well thought!
1:01 Did you really HAVE to put high pitched random noises in the video? It's rude considering the subject of the video.
4:53 Proprioceptive Input - physical accommodations (like sensory goggles, weighted items) before, during, and after event
5:56 exercise of basic movements to encourage physical awareness
6:21 Social Story - reading for developing strategies?
How to do a social story: I struggle with ____ because _____. How does this make me feel? In the future, I will do _____ in order to endure it in the future.
8:18 Co-Regulation - Give social support to those with spd by using empathy about their struggles
9:12 The Just Right Challenge - Take challenges that are possible to get any results. (example of if to use public restroom). Decide what is worth the struggle, and let some other things go.
10:53 Sensory Diet/lifestyle - Use the sensory experiences you enjoy to relieve stress.
I will consider the Social Story, or journaling, to process the overwhelm. Thank you for the ideas. I also think the Just Right Challenge, or counting spoons, is important for parents to consider to avoid long-term trauma.
We appreciate hearing feedback on our videos so we'll take that into consideration!