Sensory Processing

Information about how and why autism affects our senses from Autism Understood.

Falkirk Council Children with Disabilities Team have published 2 booklets that you can download which provide lots of useful information and ideas for supporting your child's sensory behaviours. Look for Making Sense of Sensory Behaviour and Making Sense of Your Sensory Behaviour.

The School for Fidgets video from Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust uses the voices and illustrations of children and young people to share when and why they have to fidget or chew and how they feel if they can't do what they need to do.   

Our sensory system works throughout the day to keep our system balanced. We need different amounts of input to feel comfortable or ready to learn. We use our different sensory likes and dislikes to help keep our system balanced. This allows us to feel ‘just right’ for taking part in the activity we are doing. We call this sensory regulation. For example, some people find it easier to concentrate when the radio is on, others need silence. Adults have usually worked out what they need to feel 'just right'. They can find a way to do what they need to do to help them. Children and young people sometimes need adult support to work out what helps and to find the right activities or resources.

It can be helpful to pull together a collection of toys, activities and materials that your child/young person can use to keep their system balanced. Keeping these resources together means they are easy to find when they are needed. A sensory box/bag is a box or bag filled with things for your child/young person to explore.  Sensory boxes/bags can be used in different ways for different purposes. If your child hates going to the shops but it is unavoidable then taking their sensory box could make it easier. Some public places have sensory bags you can borrow during your visit. Some children/young people like to play with the things in their box during the day just for fun.  

Here are some top tips for making a sensory box/bag for your child/young person. 

Sometimes people don't like the feel of a toothbrush or the taste of toothpaste. It takes time to get used the taste and feeling of toothpaste and toothbrushes. Take your time. Be consistent. Children under 7 years need help from an adult to help them brush their teeth.

Things to Try

• Try different toothbrushes until you find the one that suits your child/young person.
  
  • A small headed toothbrush with a straight handle and medium bristles is ideal.
  • Speak to your dental health care professional for advice if this doesn’t suit your child/young person.
  • Try a battery operated toothbrush that has a slight vibration. They might like the feeling better. If they do, move onto an electric toothbrush with a small head.
• Try different brands of toothpaste, remember it needs to be 1450ppm (always check the label).
  
  • Non foaming/SLS free toothpaste can be good for anyone who dislikes the foamy texture of standard toothpaste. Often this type of toothpaste is less minty.
  • Unflavoured toothpaste can be helpful for people who dislikes strong flavours. It is often non-foaming.
  • Speak to your dental healthcare professional for advice.
• Use a timer to make sure they brush for at least 2 minutes. Or why not try putting on their favourite song while they brush.
• If using a toothbrush and toothpaste is too much make sure you speak to their dental healthcare professional. They will be able to tell you what to try next.
• Get them to look in the mirror when they are brushing your teeth. Try a small mirror on a stand if they can’t see in the bathroom mirror.

Many people find the sensory experiences of going to the toilet challenging. We can change the environment to make going to the toilet easier. Understanding your child/young person's sensory preferences can help you work out what might be causing problems. You can complete the questionnaires on this page to help you work out their preferences. For more information look at:

• Sensory Needs and Toileting from ERIC.

The term smearing is used to describe people spreading poo on walls, furniture, themselves…anywhere apart from the toilet/potty or pants/nappy. Some children/young people who are learning to clean themselves after using the toilet might get poo on their hands. They might then wipe the poo off on the wall, their clothes or somewhere else. If this is the situation then look at the cleaning ourselves after using the toilet section. For more advice and support on managing smearing look at:

• Smearing from ERIC for more advice and support  
• Smearing from The National Autistic Society
• Understanding why some children smear poo in Other Bowel Issues under Bowel Information in the Information Library from Bowel and Bladder UK

The onset of periods can be particularly challenging for some neurodivergent young people or others who have sensory processing differences. Periods involve a lot of new sensory experiences including:

• the feeling of blood leaking from the vagina
• the smell of the blood or the sanitary products (either when new or used)
• the look of blood in pants or on toilet paper
• the feeling of the sanitary towel or period pants
• the fear of touching the blood
• the feeling of stomach cramps, sore breasts or other hormone related body changes.

Your child/young person may not be able to identify what is making them feel uncomfortable or distressed so trial and error may be required to get to the bottom of it.

Things to try:

• Experiment with hygiene products: different brands of sanitary towels, menstrual cups, tampons and period pants, to find what is most comfortable and preferred. If appropriate for your child/young person, treat it as a science experiment or adventure where records are kept of what has been tried, what the outcome was (good things and bad things about each product) and what is next.
• Changing towels, tampons, or pants more frequently may help reduce the smell. A perfume or body spray that your child/young person likes may help cover smells. Many disposable sanitary products are perfumed. If this is an issue, then look for unscented products or reusable products.
• Using disposable gloves may reduce anxiety about touching blood – gloves that fit well are easier to use.
• Have wipes available – teach your child/young person not to flush wipes down the toilet, dispose of them in the bin.
• If your child/young person is afraid or anxious about blood, you may need to prepare them well in advance, using pictures such as those included in the resources below.
• If your child/young person is struggling with severe pain, heavy periods or mood swings, discuss with your GP what would be helpful to manage these symptoms.