The Problem with “Sensory”…
It’s on toy labels. It’s used in event descriptions. It gets thrown around any time a child seems overactive, or avoids certain experiences, or acts any way other than ideal. But how useful is it to label these things “sensory?” What information does that ACTUALLY give us? If you have a child with tactile defensiveness who needs frequent and prolonged proprioceptive input, that “sensory” toy in the dollar section at Target may not be the best fit. And what about the kids who need increased auditory and visual input, whose parents take them to a “sensory” performance or a “sensory” movie, where the lights are actually not as dim and the music isn’t as loud as usual? Again, that’s not the best fit…in fact, that child might thrive in a typical movie theater setting!
The rise of All-Things-Sensory is a double-edged sword. I’m glad that AWARENESS for sensory differences has increased; unfortunately, so has misinformation around sensory needs. As a result, “Sensory” has become a buzz marketing term, and is losing its meaning, leaving parents, caregivers, and educators in the dark about what their children or students actually need.
I’m not going to make you scroll further before I cut to the chase: EVERYTHING IS INHERENTLY “SENSORY,” so it’s easy (but meaningless) to use the term to generate buzz. Our brains are constantly taking in the sensory stimuli around us; right now I’m sitting on my couch (feeling the weight of my body sinking into it), hearing the baby monitor’s white noise and the automatic cat water fountain, with the lights somewhat dimmed but the glow of my laptop screen), feeling the click of the keys as my fingers press them, and sipping my lemon-flavored sparkling water. My sensory system is in balance right now in this environment, but that would not be true for a lot of people. Does that make my living room a Sensory room? Of course not, but if I marketed it as such, who could really stop me? It is, after all, TECHNICALLY a sensory experience.
I’m going to break this down further into a few areas:
Sensory Toys
What exactly is a “Sensory” toy? This term is often slapped onto labels for toys that can provide novel tactile input (think slime and monkey noodles), but it’s also often used for something like an oil timer or visual wand (which provides novel visual input), or even a pop tube (which provides some auditory input as well). But let me tell you, my son was recently given a battery-powered light-up ambulance with a siren on it, and that thing is a GOLD MINE for any child who needs more visual and auditory input. My daughter recently got a mini unicorn set, complete with miniature houses, and it is so incredibly visually engaging (the colors! the lights! the GLITTER!). A jump rope can be used in so many creatives ways to provide proprioceptive input (jumping rope, tug of war, holding onto it while being pulled on a scooter). Even an old-fashioned block tower becomes a sensory tool when it comes crashing down to meet the needs of a child with a higher neurological threshold for auditory input. So the next time your browsing that MAGICAL section of Target near the front with all the toys, ask yourself if that “sensory” toy is actually the best match for your own child’s needs (and if it’s not, put it back on the shelf and buy something for yourself instead!).
Sensory Activities/Events
However you feel about taking children to drag shows, there was recently a news article about a drag show that labeled itself a “sensory event” for children. My issue is that this isn’t descriptive enough— again, any performance will inherently be a sensory experience. I have actually seen a few venues get better about this; they might describe a performance or event as “Sensory Relaxed”, which tells me that it will be ideal for those kids who may have over-responsive systems who get overwhelmed faster. Alternatively, they might offer a “Sensory Engaging” performance/event, which clues me in that my clients who are Seekers will do well— there will likely be audience participation in the form of dancing and singing, possible some opportunities to touch props, set pieces, or costumes, and maybe even some more engaging lighting cues. But this terminology is only just becoming more widely used, which means it’s usually up to us to contact a venue for clarification.
Sensory “versus” Behavior
This one might be the worst, because it oversimplifies the issue of sensory processing differences. “Sensory” gets thrown around a lot at schools whenever there are difficult behaviors. Of course, sometimes the difficult behaviors are directly related to sensory needs that aren’t being met appropriately. And sure, I have occasionally seen instances where a student’s behaviors are truly related to a need for connection (not simply attention!). But more often than not, it is far more complicated than that. We know that sensory processing is closely tied to emotional regulation, so trying to determine if the root cause behind a behavior is sensory OR behavioral leaves us in a Chicken-Egg conundrum. It benefits our children and students when we can recognize the dynamic link between sensory processing skills and emotional regulation, and meet children where they are.
All this is to say, I hope the next time you hear the term “Sensory,” you can ask some questions to get some more information. Is this the right toy for my child? Will this event meet their needs or be challenging for them? Is it oversimplifying to use the term “sensory” to describe my children’s behavior, and is there more going on? My hope is that, through my work and through the advocacy of passionate caregivers, parents, and educators, we can increase the knowledge around what sensory needs actually mean for the people experiencing them. That way, more descriptive sensory labels could be used to guide people in the right direction!
And —as always— I am here to be a resource and source of knowledge for you and your family if you’re still learning to navigate sensory needs! Thanks for reading!
- Liz -
