Balancing the Bucket with Oral Sensory Input
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We hear a lot about oral defensiveness, especially when a child is restricting his or her diet for sensory reasons. What is often overlooked is that we rely heavily on oral sensory strategies to remain calm and centered. We start seeking oral input for comfort in the womb. Many babies are seen sucking their thumbs on ultrasounds. It remains a sense of comfort into adulthood. How many people do you know that chew gum, sip on a drink or chew on pen caps throughout their day?
Sucking is often the first form of oral input babies participate in, but it can remain calming throughout childhood. Sucking on a thumb or pacifier are acceptable early on, but what about as a child grows older? Sucking yogurt or applesauce through a straw can be calming and provide organizing input. My little guy often sucks on a sucker during fine motor tasks he finds difficult (like cutting with scissors and buttoning) and is more successful when doing so. Milkshakes, smoothies and slushies are also great things to suck through a straw for calming input. We like these silicone straws for thicker substances and these silly straws for water. Pro tip: If your straws are too tall for your child sized cups, you can cut off one end to make them shorter!
Some children really prefer chewy things like fruit strips or crunchy items like crackers to help them calm. Alternating crunchy and chewy snacks throughout the day, or providing a crunchy or chewy snack during a difficult activity may help your child maintain the balance they need to complete the activity and remain calm. A non-food alternative is to offer a teether or toy that is appropriate for chewing. We like these bricks for the varying types of input and that it is on a lanyard so he can wear it around his neck, making it easily accessible.
Blowing provides a way to practice big, deep breaths and can provide a calming sensation as your child works to produce enough air for the desired effect. Blowing bubbles, kazoos and dandelions are great ways to get some calming input. Using a straw and a cotton ball, you can have competitions to see who can blow the cotton ball the farthest or who can blow it off the table first. All of these activities can provide your child with balancing input that can help maintain the calm throughout the day.
If you are looking for more information on calming strategies, check out the other posts in Balancing the Bucket and come back next week for ideas to add deep breathing into your day. Concerned about your child's ability to self soothe? Contact us to find out how we can help.
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