Sometimes, simply going to the mall requires a special kind of mental preparation for both you and your child with autism. All those people walking, lights flickering, and cash registers beeping can leave your little one feeling overwhelmed. If this sounds all too familiar to you, then your child may benefit from sensory modulation.
But what exactly is sensory modulation, and how does it affect your child on the spectrum? And what is sensory modulation disorder? Let’s dive into the world of sensory sensitivities, exploring different challenges and strategies for creating a sensory-friendly environment for your child.
What is Sensory Modulation?
Modulation, according to Merriam-Webster dictionary, is concerned with regulating according to measure or proportion. Those with sensory impairments struggle with regulation, and their reaction to sensory stimuli is often not in proportion to the measure of sensory input or stimuli received.
Discussing sensory modulation, a recent study explained: “… the capacity to regulate and organize the degree, intensity, and nature of responses to sensory input in a graded and adaptive manner. This allows the individual to achieve and maintain an optimal range of performance and to adapt to challenges in daily life.”
A contemporary definition of sensory modulation was summarized by the researchers: “Sensory modulation is considered a twofold process. It originates in the central nervous system as the neurological ability to regulate and process sensory stimuli; this subsequently offers the individual an opportunity to respond behaviorally to the stimulus.”
Looking at these explanations, we see a picture of sensory modulation disorder emerging, one where an individual may have difficulty not only with regulating but also organizing appropriate responses to sensory input.
Their (behavioral) response may be too intense; alternatively, an under-reactive response may be displayed. Furthermore, adapting to the stimuli may also be problematic for those with sensory modulation difficulties.
Sensory Over-Responsiveness
This is characterized by an overreaction or a really intense reaction to stimuli that others may find neutral or tolerable. For children on the spectrum, this can be seen in their reaction to tags on clothing or the texture of food.
Sensory Under-Responsiveness
In contrast, individuals may also under-react or take a long time before responding to stimuli compared to their peers. For example, children with this condition may display muted responses (or behavior) and appear lethargic and withdrawn.
Sensory Seeking
Seeking sensory input is a way to get feedback from the environment. Still, this condition can be distinguished from sensory under-responsiveness by observing disorganization — the more sensory input the person craves and obtains, the more disorganized they become.
For children on the spectrum, this behavior can manifest in compulsive spinning. Sensory-seeking behavior is sometimes also observed in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; seeking input through vigorous movement in class may often get them in trouble.
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Sensory Processing Disorder The Ultimate Guide
Sensory Modulation Issues in Children with Autism
Many researchers have mused about the precise impact of sensory processing impairments on symptoms and severity of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). For example, suppose a child is highly sensitive to auditory and tactile input, to a degree where most people and social situations are avoided. What will the impact be on language learning?
Without opportunities to observe and participate in various social communication scenarios, the child’s language abilities may develop differently. Whether language learning deficits are aggravated by autism symptoms, sensory modulation disorder, or other circumstances is debatable.
What we do know is almost every child on the spectrum has some sort of sensory processing difficulty or difference. What would happen if these sensory differences were considered to restructure learning and social environments?
Would a child with SMD, particularly sensory over-responsiveness, learn and communicate better in an environment where sensory input is muted to his/her preference? How would a different, more suitable environment affect learning and development?
Autism affects communication, social interaction, and daily living. Sensory modulation, or how we react to sensory stimuli, may influence all these factors, too.
Challenges in Daily Life
A 2010 research study provides preliminary evidence that children with severe SMD may have different physiological activity (compared to children without SMD). The behavioral way in which SMD manifests may influence a child’s ability to engage in social, communication, and daily living situations.
Both conditions may negatively affect a child’s life. Parents with children on the spectrum often advocate for studies to show how addressing sensory difficulties may influence the severity of symptoms associated with autism.
Parents also share that changing or fixing the world to make it a “softer” sensory environment would mean society can stop their attempts to fix autistic children. In the right circumstances, many on the spectrum would thrive.
Impact on Social Interactions
Sensory modulation difficulties can also impact social interactions among children on the spectrum. Children with sensory challenges might struggle to engage in play with peers or maintain eye contact during conversations. These difficulties can sometimes be misinterpreted as disinterest or behavioral issues.
An Inside Perspective on Sensory Challenges
Research and clinical studies may educate us about the biological factors involved in sensory modulation, but how do children feel when their bodies over (or under) react to sensory stimuli that their peers seem almost oblivious to?
Parents often share stories of the daily pain — physical and emotional — experienced by their children on the spectrum, whose brains were not wired to process the overwhelming world they live in. I realized the extent of the effect of sensory processing difficulties when speaking to an autism advocate, Katrina Hayes, from SpeakUp, during a session for the Autism Parenting Summit (September 2021).
She shared her story of taking her autistic son for his COVID-19 shot. Advocating the medical staff to make her son comfortable, extensive preparation with visuals before the appointment, and sensory toys brought along for comfort—her son’s aversion to needles still proved too much.
Trying to be strong while sharing details about the ordeal, it was obvious that parents and their children on the spectrum face mountains most of us bypass with oblivion.
While getting a shot may be a little uncomfortable for most older children, the sensation and all the surrounding sensory stimuli of going to the doctor may be too much for many kids on the spectrum. Interestingly, research also suggests abnormal pain perceptions in children and adults with SMD.
Talking to adults on the spectrum allows us to glimpse the overwhelming and sometimes painful reality of sensory over-reactivity. I asked YouTuber and influencer Daniel Morgan Jones (The Aspie World) about sensory overload. Daniel was diagnosed with Asperger’s at 26 and shares content on various platforms focusing on understanding and learning about autism.
He tried to make the feelings of those on the spectrum more accessible by comparing it to trying to read a book, giving everything to try and focus, but someone tries to pull the book out of your hands.
Simultaneously, he continued, another person is screaming in your left ear, and yet another is blasting music in your right ear. The overwhelm is palpable from his vivid description — imagine a child trying to react appropriately to the environment with a sensory system that won’t cooperate.
Effective Strategies for Sensory Support
Acknowledging that your child may face daily challenges because their nervous system processes sensory stimuli differently is the beginning. You may need the help of an occupational therapist to address your child’s unique sensory processing challenges. If your child is ready to participate in these strategies, here are some of the most common ones.
Individualized Sensory Plans
Individualized sensory plans involve a tailored schedule of sensory activities to meet a child’s specific sensory needs. These activities include swinging, deep-pressure massages, or sensory bins with different textures.
Environmental Modifications
Creating a sensory-friendly environment at home or school can significantly improve a child’s quality of life. This includes controlling lighting, reducing noise, and incorporating calming sensory elements like weighted blankets or fidget tools.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy is important in helping children with autism develop sensory regulation skills. Therapists work closely with individuals to identify triggers and develop strategies for managing sensory challenges.
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Sensory Processing Disorder The Ultimate Guide
Difference Between Sensory Modulation Disorder and Sensory Processing Disorder
To many, the term sensory modulation disorder may not be as familiar as the more frequently used sensory processing disorder (SPD). Sensory modulation disorder (SMD) is actually a subtype of SPD. This condition manifests as a sensory processing impairment where an individual has difficulty regulating their responses to sensory input.
This subtype (SMD) can be divided into three further categories, according to response to stimuli displayed by the individual:
1. Sensory over-responsiveness
This is characterized by an overreaction or a really intense reaction to stimuli that others may find neutral or tolerable. For children on the spectrum, this can be seen in their reaction to tags on clothing or the texture of food.
2. Sensory under-responsiveness
In contrast, individuals may also under-react or take a long time before responding to stimuli compared to their peers. For example, children with this condition may display muted responses (or behavior) and appear lethargic and withdrawn.
3. Craving sensory input
Seeking sensory input is a way to get feedback from the environment. Still, this condition can be distinguished from sensory under-responsiveness by observing disorganization — the more sensory input the person craves and obtains, the more disorganized he/she becomes. For children on the spectrum, this behavior can manifest in compulsive spinning. Sensory-seeking behavior is sometimes also observed in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; seeking input through vigorous movement in class may often get them in trouble.
Conclusion
Living with sensory processing difficulties, unfortunately, means many of our children are simply withdrawing from a world they find bewildering. Add sensory processing differences to an autism spectrum disorder, and bewildering may be too mild a term.
Fortunately, an occupational or physical therapist trained in sensory integration therapy may be able to help children with strategies not only to cope but hopefully thrive.
FAQs
Q: Can sensory modulation challenges change over time?
A: Yes, sensory modulation challenges can evolve with age and experience. Because of that, some strategies should be adapted accordingly.
Q: Are there professional therapies available for sensory modulation difficulties?
A: Absolutely! Occupational therapy can play a crucial role in helping children with autism develop sensory regulation skills.
Q: Is sensory modulation unique to autism?
A: While sensory modulation challenges are common in autism, they can also be present in other conditions.
Q: How can parents support their children with sensory sensitivities?
A: Parents can create sensory-friendly environments at home, encourage self-advocacy, and collaborate with educators and therapists.
A: Sensory sensitivities can lead to anxiety or discomfort in social settings. This often affects communication and relationship-building.
