Sensory accommodations are important for neurodivergent individuals who experience sensory processing differences. It's important to recognize that any individual can be seeking or avoiding sensory input at any given time, and that everyone's needs are unique and valid.
Sensory Seeking
Sensory seeking behavior helps us address understimulation. Sensory seeking is a way for us to find the amount of stimulation we need to regulate our systems properly. If you seek out strong flavors or dynamic textures, you may be sensory seeking to address an understimulated nervous system.
Sensory Avoidance
Sensory avoidance protects us from overstimulation. Overstimulation can com or feel overwhelmed or uncomfortable with certain textures, tastes, or smells. It is important to approach these experiences from the perspective of individuals who have personal experience with them, rather than imposing external judgments. Accommodations for sensory avoidance may include things like noise-cancelling headphones or sunglasses.
Synesthesia
Synesthesia involves your perception of sensory information. Sometimes different accommodations, such as using sea-sickness remedies for smells or incorporating pleasant smells to combat motion sickness, can provide unexpected comfort.
Here are some general tips to keep in mind when exploring sensory accommodations:
- Try it out: Try out different accommodations even if you're unsure about them. You won't harm anyone by experimenting with different strategies, and you'll only know if they work by experiencing them firsthand.
- Accommodation satchel: Consider creating an "accommodation satchel" to keep your sensory tools close at hand. Get one with a strap so you can attach it to yourself throughout the day. For example, you could use a fanny pack to store items such as sunglasses, earplugs, fidget toys, and sunscreen. This can help with regulation, comfort, and anxiety, as you'll know that you have what you need to accommodate yourself at all times.
- Be curious: As you try out different accommodations, follow your curiosity and explore further. For example, if you find that you're particularly soothed by a weighted blanket, consider doing more research on proprioceptive processing.
- Dark Reader - A browser extension that enables dark mode everywhere, reducing the amount of bright light that you're exposed to.
- Sunglasses - Wearing sunglasses can be a simple but effective way to reduce glare and bright light.
- Loop earplugs - Subtle, adjustable earbuds that reduce noise. These are wearable in social situations, making them a discreet option for reducing noise. For those that wear earrings, you can check out earrings made to wear with Loop earplugs.
- Flare Calmer - In-ear devices that minimize stressful sounds and focus on important ones.
- Life P3 noise cancelling earbuds - Wireless earbuds that offer noise cancellation for a more peaceful listening experience.
- earos - Devices that filter out noise without blocking important sounds.
- AirPods Pro - These wireless earbuds offer noise cancellation and other hearing accessibility features, such as transparency mode and audio sharing.
- Gya Labs Everyday Care rollers - These roll-on essential oils offer scents such as "Breathe Easy" and "Migraine Manager".
- Doterra Cheer roll-on essentials - These roll-on essential oils offer various scents that can be calming or energizing.
- Chewelry - These necklaces are designed for oral stimulation, providing a discreet way to soothe sensory needs.
- Sea bands - These bands are worn on the wrist to reduce motion sickness or other vestibular problems. They can be particularly helpful if certain smells or looking at screens for too long make you feel motion sick.
- Candied ginger - This natural remedy can also help with motion sickness.
- Hand fans - These compact fans can be used to regulate body temperature and are minimally distracting in social situations.
FED IS BEST. Sensory behaviors around food are SENSITIVE and NONE OF ANYONE ELSE'S BUSINESS. Fed is best. Listen to your body, not the haters.
✨ A special moment for the safe foods ✨
- "Safe food" refers to food that feels "safe" to eat almost all the time for people with sensory issues around taste and eating.
- Each person's safe foods are unique.
- Safe foods can be considered safe for any reason, and it doesn't have to "make sense". Things like taste, texture, smell, shape, color, etc., are all on the table and completely healthy expressions of sensory avoidance/seeking in eating.
❤️ My safe foods, as examples ❤️
- Cheese roll ups (tortilla + cheddar cheese + microwave)
- Potatoes
- Chickpeas
- Bread and butter
- Noodles (buttered is best)
- Rice (butter and brown sugar preferred)
Find your safe foods, and improve your life
- Once you know your safe foods, you can make sure to always have them on hand in enough quantity to stay relaxed!
- Create a list of safe food or safe snacks you have in the house, and keep it in an easy to see place for when you need to eat
- FED IS BEST
Sensory seeking for taste? Try more hot sauces, or extreme sour candies for socially-accepted stimulation.
- Weighted blankets - These blankets provide deep pressure stimulation that can be soothing for some individuals.
- Weighted stuffed animals - These can be customized via Etsy