What is a sensory diet?
Just as your child needs food throughout the course of the day, the need for sensory input must also be met. A “sensory diet” (coined by OT Patricia Wilbarger) is a carefully designed, personalized activity plan that provides the sensory input a person needs to stay focused and organized throughout the day. Just as you may jiggle your knee or chew gum to stay awake or soak in a hot tub to unwind, children need to engage in stabilizing, focusing activities too. Infants, young children, teens, and adults with mild to severe sensory issues can all benefit from a personalized sensory diet.
Each child has a unique set of sensory needs. Generally, a child whose nervous system is overaroused and too wired needs more calming input, while the child who is more underaroused and too tired needs more alerting input. A qualified occupational therapist can use her or his advanced training and evaluation skills to develop a strong sensory diet for your child—or you—but it’s up to you and your child to implement it throughout the day.
The great news is that the effects of a sensory diet, combined with professional intervention, are usually immediate AND cumulative. Activities that perk up your child or calm him down are not only effective in the moment; they actually help to change your child’s nervous system over time so that he or she is better able to:
tolerate sensations and situations that are challenging
regulate emotions, alertness and increase attention span
reduce unwanted sensory seeking and sensory avoiding behaviors
handle transitions with less stress
