Too Many Lights and Too Loud? It could be sensory overload.
Everyone has varying levels of tolerance for things you might describe as “annoying”. Crying babies, flashing lights, loud music-we all have our breaking point. For most of us, it lies a little bit down the road, and we grow impatient after a few minutes or even hours of exposure. Others have a much shorter fuse, however. They could be experiencing a sensory processing problem. To correct it, some turn to sensory integration (SI) therapy.
Here are 5 things to know about it:
1) Not Everyone Thinks It’s Effective
While some people swear by SI therapy, others think it doesn’t really work. Even the American Academy of Pediatrics cautions us that the research supporting SI therapy is limited and doesn’t draw clear conclusions.
For other people, however, it’s the key to calm.
2) It’s a Leftover From the 70’s
Sensory Integration therapy was developed in the 1970s by an occupational therapist and educational psychologist named A. Jean Ayre.
Related: Should You Use a Manual or Electric Toothbrush?
3) It Might Involve Swings and Trampolines (and Weighted Vests)
People who suffer in sensory-rich environments use SI therapy to gradually increase their ability to process stimuli. Therapy sessions can involve a lot of play and include swinging, jumping on a trampoline and wearing calming clothing.
4) It Develops Your 6th and 7th Senses (Yes, They Exist)
You’ve heard we have 5 senses: taste, touch, hearing, smell and sight. According to experts, we also have another one called our vestibular sense. This helps you move and balance. It gives you information about where your head and body are in space, in relation to the ground.
Your seventh sense is called proprioception. This is your muscle and joint sense and it lets you know where your body parts are, and what they’re up to.
5) It Might (Accidentally) Result In Parents Rewarding Meltdowns
Implementing SI therapy can be tricky at times. As Dr. Dominick Auciello a neuropsychologist in New York says, “For example, if a child has a meltdown and is then allowed to go to the sensory gym to help him ‘regulate,’ you may actually be rewarding the meltdown.”
As with any new practice, it can take precision to get results. Consult with your doctor to see if there’s a treatment that’s right for you.
