“Parenthood”, Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), and Sensory Integration Disorders (and Difficulties)
Copyright Vera Joffe, Ph.D. P.A.
Dear Readers:
I recently found out that there is a new show on television called “Parenthood”. Watched it for the first time this week, and was very pleased with the way that they portrayed a child who has recently been diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome in a situation at school. The little boy was having difficulty with the “noise” of the fish tank in his classroom (something that is very soothing to other children and adults). He asked the teacher (in an appropriate way, but not with eye contact and with a low volume in his voice) to stop the “noise”. The teacher did not realize that the boy’s sensory integration system was being truly challenged and bothered by the sound of the bubbles in the fish tank. The consequence was that the boy went to the fish tank (as the teacher told him to sit down), and destroyed the fish tank that was in the middle of the classroom.
I am very pleased with the way the above situation was presented, and also what followed: the parents’ understanding that their child had special needs, and how they knew what actually went on in that situation. They went to a special school for children with disabilities, and their son was interviewed for a placement.
I am very pleased that children and adults with Asperger Syndrome are being portrayed in the regular television programs, such as the film “Adam” (see my review in another article), Temple Grandin’s documentary (HBO), and now a weekly program, “Parenthood”. The first step in helping a child (and adult) with Asperger Syndrome is learning more about the condition. Sensory Integration issues can also appear in other conditions, such as other anxiety disorders, tics disorders, and other neurodevelopmental conditions.
Knowing your child’s specific sensory integration difficulties, and which ones are most impairing to your child may help in developing strategies to deal with them. In the case of the child in “Parenthood”, it would be helpful for the teacher to know and to understand the child’s “cry for help”: He was able to communicate verbally his tremendous sense of auditory discomfort (although he did not look at the teacher when he spoke, and his voice had a low volume), and this is already a great step for a child with Autism Spectrum Disorders. However, once the teacher did not respond to his “cry for help”, the child resolved his problem by destroying what was giving him a strong sensory auditory response: he destroyed the fish tank.
How to address sensory integration difficulties in children in the ASD and the ones who have other conditions as well?
1. It is important to make a list of all the sensory integration difficulties your child may have: auditory, touch, smell, taste, as well as visual. In addition, as Temple Grandin mentions in her 2008 book, “The Way I See It” (Arlington: Future Horizons), there can be issues of balance (vestibular), as well as awareness of the body in space. For instance, it is not rare for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders to be more sensitive to some types of fluorescent lights: they are able to notice the “flickering of the lights” and this disturbs them. Some children can verbalize that whereas others (who may have less verbal and communication skills) just start having a temper tantrum, or a “melt down”. Thus, it is important for parents and other people caring for the child to observe children in various situations and to play “detective” in trying to find situations when their children are more likely to “melt down”, to become less tolerant to frustration, and to cry.
2. Once the list is developed, parents should start addressing the items that most impair their children. For instance, if a child is sensitive to the noise that public toilets make, and the family travels a lot, then this is an important issue. Parents may want to carry “ear plugs” in situations where children may feel over-sensitive to noises, but they also need to start exposing their children to the noises slowly and always to help them create less sensitivity to such situations.
3. The ultimate goal is to help children become more used to all kinds of environments and in various situations. However, once parents and other people working with children with sensory integration issues recognize that they may need help in getting used to the “typical person” environment, they will respect, adjust, and help the child with this condition adjust better. To use the “Parenthood” example from this week’s episode: The teacher could have addressed the situation by moving the child to another place in the classroom, far away from the fish tank. She could also have found other ways to help the child adjust to the fish tank. Understanding and listening to the child’s special needs is a great first step to working with children with disabilities, even in the regular classroom, and in any public school system.
4. Consulting a developmental child psychologist and an occupational therapist (who is familiar with this area) is very helpful, and developing a team approach strategy (including parents, teachers, and other professionals) increases the probability of success and continuing improvement for the child’s quality of life.
5. I highly recommend you to read Dr. Grandin’s newest book “The Way I See It” published in 2008 by New Horizons, a published that has many good resources for children in the Autism Spectrum and for their parents as well.

PS: This text was written in a different color and with a "cream background" as an example of change in background and in color of font for some children and adults who have sensitivity to white background in paper.