Consider talking to an ABA therapist if your child has sensory processing issues.
Sensory sensitivities and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affect many children and families daily. Some children struggle with sights, smells, tastes, and textures. This can make everyday life very difficult for them and their families. ABA therapy is very effective in addressing sensory difficulties. Consider talking to their ABA therapist if your child has sensory processing issues. Let’s look at how ABA therapy can help children with autism overcome their sensory challenges.
Helps Children Cope with Sensory Overload
Children can quickly become overwhelmed and anxious when there is too much sensory stimulation. Those with sensory issues can sometimes have both hyper- and hypo-sensitivity across multiple or even the same sense. Both types of sensory sensitivity affect how a child processes and reacts to various stimuli. Some children may under-respond to stimuli and have low sensitivity to pain, which can cause them to rub their arms or legs or look for things to touch and taste. Others might recoil at loud sounds or bright lights. ABA therapy can help children learn coping skills to deal with sensory overload better. This may include teaching them to take breaks, use deep breathing exercises, or focus on one thing at a time.
Encourages Self-Regulation
Many children on the autism spectrum struggle with emotional regulation. This means they may have difficulty controlling their emotions in response to certain situations. Sensory issues can make emotional regulation more difficult.
ABA therapy can help your child learn how to self-regulate their emotions by teaching them emotional coping skills and helping them understand their triggers. This can be a helpful skill for children with autism, as it can help reduce meltdowns and tantrums.
Teaches Social Skills
Social skills are complicated for children with sensory issues and autism. They may have difficulty understanding nonverbal cues such as body language and facial expressions. ABA therapy can teach these social skills so children can better interact with their peers. Your child’s ABA therapist may engage in role-playing activities or teach them how to read facial expressions. Additionally, this will help them learn to communicate their sensory needs more effectively.
Social skills are essential to daily life, and ABA therapy can help children with autism improve in this area. Social cues help with sensory difficulties because it gives children expectations. It helps them understand how to behave and what comes next in certain scenarios. This can help de-escalate challenging sensory situations.
The Connections Therapy Center
The Connections Therapy Center serves families of children and adolescents with disabilities and special needs. We are a team of experts in behavioral sciences. As a team, we offer intensive hands-on therapy for children and adolescents, as well as informative and useful resources for families. If you are interested in learning more about what we can do to help your family, visit us online or give us a call at (301) 577-4333. Want to get more information on how to help your child thrive? Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.