A child’s reaction to life’s stimuli is often a parent’s first clue that their child might be autistic. They may notice their child reacts to sensory input in ways that other kids don’t – like an intense, adverse reaction to noisy places – and, as a result, seek guidance on how to handle these sensory challenges.
But ironically, it’s often a child’s sensory processing issues that are the hardest for newly-diagnosed families to manage. Additional sensory needs are often bewildering for parents who aren’t sure how to respond and are afraid that their response might make their child’s response worse.
We’ll help you understand your child’s sensory needs better so you can react to them in an informed, compassionate way.
Understanding your child’s sensory processing issues
For years, the extra sensory needs of autistic people were lumped in with sensory processing disorder (SPD), assuming the two conditions were one and the same.
But research has proven that SPD is a distinct condition from autism, and not all autistic people exhibit sensory processing issues. Your autistic child might not present with SPD symptoms, or their symptoms might not be what you expect. They could react to stimuli with hyposensitivity rather than hypersensitivity, meaning that they drastically reduce their communication in over-stimulating scenarios.
What do sensory processing challenges look like?
Like all children, your child is unique, and their specific reaction to sensory input is likewise unique to them. Whether they react with hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity depends on the child, their personality, and the stimulus.
The important thing to remember is that, whatever their sensory processing style, you can help your child cope with stressful situations and find mechanisms that de-escalate intense sensory discomfort without labeling their reactions problematic or embarrassing.
Types of sensory issues
All of us have sensory triggers. Autistic children and teens might need extra help navigating them, and parents can offer it by understanding the triggers and being prepared for them when they arise.
Visual input: Flashing or bright lights can create more sensory stimulation than your child can handle, and a cluttered space can make some people feel overwhelmed. They may react to visual input by screaming when they see sunlight or seeming to shut down in a crowded space. Keep sunglasses in the car, dim the lights in the room, and de-clutter the home as much as possible to create calming spaces.
Auditory input: New sounds, repetitive sounds, background noises, or loud noises – especially when they’re unexpected – can be deeply troubling for some children. Prepare your child for noise if you know it’s coming – like telling them you’re about to vacuum the carpet. Supply them with headphones to muffle sounds, and let them listen to new sounds (via YouTube or another audio source) until they feel more comfortable with them. If they’re interested, helping your child locate the source of the noise can be a fun activity!
Tactile input: From clothing or tags that make them feel uncomfortable to everyday activities that are loaded with sensory input, children with ASD often have strong reactions to tactile stimuli. Bathing and washing hair can be overwhelming. Getting dressed into clothes that cause them distress can be impossible. Touching certain textures or experiencing certain sensations – like feet on the grass or holding something cold, wet, or a bit slimy – might trigger a reaction in your child.
Taste and smell: Strong or unfamiliar tastes and smells might stop an autistic person from trying new foods or including nutritious foods in their diet. You want the best nutrition for your child, but it’s important that you remain patient with their sensory needs as you encourage new foods. Pass food around the table on serving platters so your child gets comfortable with the sight and smell of it. Play tasting games to see if they can guess the food they’re eating, even if they can’t see it. Try tasting new food items in between meal times. At dinner, your child is hungry and simply wants to enjoy the food they like rather than feel pressured to try a new one.
Managing your child’s sensory overload
When your child is experiencing overwhelming sensory stimulation, these tips can help.
Need help for an older teen or adult? This article explores how to manage sensory issues in the workplace or school.
Talk about sensory and body awareness
Acknowledge to your child that stimulating scenarios can feel overwhelming – for everyone. Normalize over-stimulation and talk about times when you’ve also felt overwhelmed by sensory input. Then, encourage your child to describe their own reaction.
When children are aware of their body’s reaction to stimuli – and they understand that there are helpful ways to navigate it – they’ll start to feel confident in their ability to handle more sensory input.
Encourage autonomy
Promote acceptance of your child’s sensory needs and empower them to speak them out loud so they can communicate them to others, even when you’re not around.
If your child is still young, ask permission or explain what you’re about to do before you wipe their face or adjust their buttons. Even better – encourage them to assume these responsibilities themselves so that they’re as in-control of the sensory equation as possible (and you can help them gain independence and skills!)
Facilitate sensory avoidance
Prepare your child for overstimulating scenarios. If you know the room you’re about to enter contains bright lights or loud noises, tell them. Allow a moment for them to find their calming techniques – like covering their ears or wearing sunglasses – before moving into the room.
You can also use the tips above to make your home more calming so that sensory avoiders aren’t harassed by too many stimuli, and sensory seekers can choose the stimuli they want – without feeling overwhelmed by options.
Apply deep pressure if it feels good
Rather than avoiding sensory input, some people are actually sensory-seeking. That means they want more sensory information, especially when they’re experiencing new, challenging stimuli.
Your child might respond well to deep pressure on their skin as they try a new tactile experience or find a tight hug reassuring when they hear a new sound.
Let them stim
First, let’s understand one undeniable fact: all children stim – even non-autistic ones. When a child twirls their hair while they speak, or shakes their leg while solving a math problem – those are examples of stimming.
Stimming is comforting – it soothes over-stimulated nerves and helps people feel safe. It’s also powerful in helping your child focus on the words they want to express or the questions they want to ask as a situation becomes stressful (a great tool for self-regulation!)
Allow, and even encourage, your child to stim as needed, and offer assistive devices like fidget toys for sensory seekers. As long as the stimming activity is safe, it should be accepted.
If you need more information, talk to us
We empower parents to support their children in navigating a world-while-autistic as positively as possible. Your child’s sensory needs are a major part of that support, and you can approach them with the sensitivity and respect they deserve while giving them the tools to manage them.
We also work with occupational therapists who want to understand ASD better so they can offer more relevant, effective techniques for their clients.
Whatever your relationship to autism, RDIconnect® deepens your understanding and broadens your ability to guide children through periods of over-stimulation. Find a Certified RDI® Consultant, register for an upcoming intro course, or learn more about professional training.
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