​What is a Sensory Diet and Do I Need One? 

Stacey Szklut MS, OTR/L, presenting Session A - Enhancing Sensory Integration Perspectives for Intervention: The Art of Clinical Reasoning contributed this piece on sensory diet.

The term diet often conjures up a visual image of someone who is overweight, or elicits a visceral reaction about our own state of ‘weightiness’.  But a sensory diet is fun, natural, intuitive, and incredibly useful!  It consists of sensory based strategies used throughout the day, often unconsciously, that help us maintain a calm and organized state, encourage attention and focus, and support our ability to fall asleep and wake up without difficulty.  Although the terminology may be new to you rest assured that you already have a variety of sensory strategies in place.  

• When you wake up in the morning the strong smell and taste of that cup of coffee begins to alert you well before the caffeine hits your blood stream. 
  
• Turning out lights and climbing under a nice warm quilt encourages sleep. 
  
• The next time you are at a meeting notice the strategies people are using to stay focused and attentive. 
  
  • How many have legs or arms crossed, or are resting their chin on their hands?  These strategies provide our body with touch pressure that is calming and organizing (like a hug, massage or a warm bath). 
    
  • Who is drinking from a cup or water bottle, or eating a chewy snack?  Exercise to our mouth is one of the most powerful sensory tools.  
    
• Speaking of exercise, this is considered the panacea by sensory experts like myself.  Regardless of whether you are tired and lethargic or stressed and anxious a little exercise can help you feel more grounded and organized, even if you just stand up from your desk and stretch for a minute.

It is extremely important for children to use sensory organizers throughout the day, especially when needing to sit and focus at school. Simple strategies like crunchy snacks, water bottles and movement breaks encourage more optimal learning.  Many children we see at South Shore Therapies need stronger and more frequent sensory strategies to focus, stay calm and organized.  
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Stacey Szklut MS, OTR/L is owner and Executive Director of South Shore Therapies in Weymouth and Pembroke. Ms. Szklut is nationally known speaker and frequently contributes articles and book chapters for professional magazine and college text books.  Visit her website at www.southshoretherapies.com.