Major focus area

Speech Therapy -> Self-regulation

Short description

Sensory strategies include activities and supports that can help a child move into and remain in a state of optimal arousal so that learning can occur. It is important to remember that sensory strategies given my speech therapists should be under the direction of the child’s occupational therapist.

Long description

Sensory strategies include activities and supports that can help a child move into and remain in a state of optimal arousal so that learning can occur. Many children with sensory differences need consistent sensory input, and this can be paired with speech and language therapy. Jessie Ginsburg, The Sensory SLP (https://www.jessieginsburg.com/), shares many examples of how to do this. One example: to target WHERE questions, hide animals around the room and put the child on a spinning office chair. Give the child 3 spins to the right, then 3 spins to the left, and then ask them where one of the animals is (e.g., "Where is the cow?"). Now you're giving them vestibular input while targeting WH-questions. It is important to remember that sensory strategies given my speech therapists should be under the direction of the child’s occupational therapist.