Is it Sensory or Behavior?
This is a question that many parents and therapists ask when working with children. In certain situations, the initial reaction to a situation or stimuli may be negative. Whether it be sensitivity to stimuli or a trigger of the flight or fight response. A child’s nervous system “learns” that a certain situation is negative. Then, a behavior emerges to protect themselves from the negative stimuli. The information in this blog has been obtained from the book titled “Is it Sensory or Is It Behavior?…Behavior Problem Identification, Assessment, and Intervention.”
Is it behavior?
The first question to ask is, “is it willful?”. Willful implies a child knows what he or she did and did it on purpose. Behaviors are often learned rather than willful. Behaviors followed by success become learned behaviors and are often strategies that child uses to cope with situations. Once a behavior is established, it may appear to be willful. It is important to realize that a child often acts without analyzing the behavior. It is more important to know why a child is acting the way they are rather than focusing on the behavior itself.
Is it sensory?
Both children and adults react to sensory input differently than other children or other adults. However, an issue arises when it begins to affect the person’s ability to complete activities of daily living and to complete tasks. As stated above, a child’s nervous system “learns” that a certain situation is negative. Then, a behavior emerges to protect themselves from the negative stimuli. A child confronted with a sensory situation may trigger their fight or flight system. Many sensory behaviors, while triggered by the body’s needs, may also be established behaviors that are a learned coping strategy; making them both sensory and behavior.
As stated above, the first question to ask should be, “Why is the child acting the way they are?”. Therefore, it is best to address the sensory issues first. After, the learned behavior can be dealt with using different modifications, behavioral techniques, and effective coping strategies.
In occupational therapy, we address the underlying sensory issues in order to address the negative reaction to the stimuli. We then work with the child to experience the stimuli in a safe and structured environment in which variables can be changed and monitored as needed. Next, we work on promoting what we call adaptive responses to situation that were initially negative, working with the child on improving their ability to tolerate situations and stimuli in a more positive and productive way. However, what happens when the sensory issues have been dealt with, but the behavior continues?
Modifications
Modifications may be needed to enhance communication and give the child extra time to process the events. For example, a visual schedule may assist children to tolerate transitions or changes in events, as well as prepare the child for negative stimuli. Utilizing a timer also assists in communicating a clear start and end to an activity, which adds structure to an activity and gives the child more concrete information versus the “unknown” or “when will this end?”.
Another way to address responses to stimuli is to provide a sensory diet. As adults, we do activities throughout the day to help with self-regulation and our ability to remain calm. For example, when we are feeling tired or stressed, we may get up and walk around, get a drink, or take a deep breath. By doing these activities, we are providing ourselves sensory stimuli, or a sensory diet. When we feel more organized and calmer, then our nervous systems are more prepared to accept and process the stimuli that we interpret as negative. However, a child may not be able to communicate that they are tired and stressed. Therefore, by giving a child a sensory diet, we are helping to keep them in a “just right” level when they are faced with their own perceived negative situations or stimuli.
Once sensory and self-regulation have both been dealt with, then the question of behavior returns. This is when reward charts or a token system will help promote positive behavior. Continue with the sensory diet to enhance organization and staying in the perfect level for the child. Continue to provide the child with calming activities, promote coping strategies, and use picture schedules and timers as needed to assist with structure of activities.
Thank you for reading!