Strategies for supporting communication, sensory needs, emotions and behaviour

Some children experience differences in the way they communicate and relate to others. For example, they may struggle to understand abstract language, they may interpret things very literally and they may struggle to understand other people. This can make life confusing for them. Try the following.

• Use clear and direct language. For example, instead of saying ‘the table needs to be set’, say ‘please set the table’.
• Use their name before giving information so they know you are talking to them.
• Avoid using metaphorical, non-literal or abstract language to make sure there are no misunderstandings. If you do use these, explain clearly what you have said and what you mean.
• Use visual supports to help your child understand. For example, use symbols to show if they liked or didn’t like something, visual timetables, communication cards, or written instructions with pictures.
• Social storiesTM can help prepare your child for what to expect or to help them understand certain concepts. Social storiesTM were created by Carol Gray in 1991 and are descriptions of situations, events or activities which provide information about what to expect.
• For older children, comic strip conversations can help them to understand social interactions, people’s intentions and feelings.
• Relate examples to their interests such as their favourite TV show.
• Provide other ways for your child to communicate their needs or how they are feeling, like writing, drawing, gestures or mood bands.
• Use communication cards or mood cards for your child to communicate their needs or feelings when they struggle to verbalise them.
• Break information down and speak slowly to avoid information overload. Repeat key words and allow give them extra time to process what you are saying.
• Consider the sensory environment; louder or more busy environments may affect your child being able to process information.
• Avoid open-ended questions like ‘how was your day’. Instead ask specific questions like ‘did you like your geography lesson today?’

Change can be difficult for some children to cope with. They may become overwhelmed at sudden changes or feel anxious when their routine is disrupted.

Here are some strategies that may help.

• Visual timetables can help the child understand what will happen at each stage of their day. Set well-defined schedules of activities and help them to estimate how long each task will take.
• Prepare for transitions. For example, use visual clocks, egg timers or stop watches to enable them to visualise how long they have left of each activity. Give transition warnings ahead of time.
• Maintain structure and routine as much as possible. For example, keep the order of tasks during a morning routine the same. Predictability can make them feel less anxious and help them to cope better during the day.
• Prepare them for new places or activities. For example, visit a venue ahead of time, watch a video about what to expect, use social storiesTM, and add changes to the daily planner/visual timetable. 
• Give advance notice of changes where possible.
• Offer choices to give them a sense of control. For example, ‘would you like to wear a jumper or a coat to go to the shop?’.
• Use choice boards to help your child understand and process the options available and indicate their preference. This may include a selection of pictures showing what activities they could choose to do.
• Provide a sense of familiarity during unstructured times or times of change. For example, encourage them to have a transition object they can focus on (eg a cuddly toy or a fidget toy), listen to familiar music that they like, talk about something they love, or provide a quiet place for them to go to.
• Try to limit the amount of change at any one time.
• Encourage your child to recognise their feelings around change and identify specific triggers or anxieties.

There are eight sensory systems – touch, smell, taste, sight, sound, interoception (internal bodily sensations), vestibular (balance/movement) and proprioception (body awareness/coordination).

Every individual’s sensory profile is different. Some children experience the sensory world in different ways to others. They may be over sensitive or under sensitive to sensory input – but even if they are more sensitive to one sensory system like sound, they may be less sensitive to another like smell.

Auditory / noise

• Ear defenders or noise-cancelling headphones can help children sensitive to noise.
• Prepare them for changes in noise levels, for example using a social storyTM to explain a fire drill.
• Give them access to a quiet, low stimulation environment for them to go to when they are feeling overwhelmed.
• Calming music to filter distractions may improve focus and reduce distress.
• For children under-sensitive to auditory input, they may benefit from subtitles on videos/TV, written instructions or visual supports.

Tactile / touch

• Adjust school uniform where you can such as black trainers instead of school shoes or leggings instead of tights.
• Remind them to remove or put on their jumper as they may not notice temperature changes.
• Seam free and sensory friendly clothing may reduce distress around clothing.
• Remove clothing tags.
• Encourage your child to express their needs, for example ‘please don’t hug me, I don’t like to be touched’.
• Food textures may be difficult for some children to tolerate. It’s ok for them to have their food preferences if their diet still meets their nutritional needs. They may naturally choose to expand their diet when they are ready. If you are concerned about their nutritional intake, seek advice from their GP.
• Trial different types of creams and sun lotions.
• Weighted blankets or soft things can help to self-soothe.
• Offer opportunities for sensory or messy play such as leaf piles, water tables, sensory bins, painting with hands etc.

Visual / sight

• Remove visual clutter in the environment to reduce distractions and overwhelm.
• Avoid visually overwhelming décor or posters.
• Dim lights and non-fluorescent lighting. Use natural light where possible.
• Offer sunglasses for outdoors.
• Use visual supports.
• Encourage visual stimulation such as lava lamps or sensory lighting.

Gustatory / taste

• For children who are sensitive to taste and food textures, aim to keep mealtimes calm.
• Create a list of safe foods.
• Try different toothpaste brands, or non-flavoured toothpaste.
• Keep mealtimes as calm as possible. Introduce new foods outside of mealtimes to help them feel more relaxed.
• Offer crunchy or chewy snacks for children who enjoy different textures.
• Chewies (stim toys) may help some children to regulate.

Olfactory / smell

• Avoid wearing perfumes and colognes around a child who is very sensitive to smells. Strong smells may cause headaches or affect their ability to focus.
• Use chemical and fragrance free washing products.
• Use plain soaps and non-scented shampoos.
• Open windows for fresh air.

Interoception (internal bodily feelings)

• Support your child to notice how different parts of their body feel.
• Practice naming internal sensations throughout the day.
• Use an emotions wheel if they are struggling to identify their feelings.
• Verbalise your own body feelings to your child, for example ‘I feel nervous about seeing my boss today and my stomach feels uneasy’ or ‘I’ve just walked quickly up the road and now my heart is beating quickly’.
• Include eating and drinking and toilet breaks into the daily routine as your child may not realise they are hungry or need to use the bathroom. Encourage older children to set alarms as reminders.

Vestibular (balance and movement)

• Provide regular access to activities like trampolining, swinging, dancing and gymnastics to help your child to regulate and meet their movement and balance seeking needs in a safe way.
• Use fidget toys to aid focus, learning and self-
• Have equipment at home to facilitate stimulation where possible like a trampoline, sensory swing, bouncy ball or rocking chair.
• If your child is over sensitive to balance and movement, try new activities slowly and avoid activities that might make them feel dizzy. They are more likely to experience car sickness so may benefit from sitting at the front of the car when possible.

Proprioceptive (body awareness and coordination)

• Access to things like a weighted blanket, compression clothing, and exercise like swimming, dance, yoga, lifting/pulling objects or push-ups can help to make them feel more calm.
  https://neurodivergentinsights.com/blog/proprioception-inputs
• Encourage activities at home that meet sensory seeking needs safely, like climbing frames, jumping and bringing in bags of shopping.
• In school, they may be able to help to move tables or chairs.
• For children who are over sensitive to their body’s movement, prepare them for what to expect. Respect their body boundaries if they do not want to be touched and encourage them to express these needs to others.

Self-esteem is how we think and feel about ourselves. Children who struggle with communication, friendships and their emotions are more likely to experience low self-esteem. This may be because they hear more negative messages about themselves or feel there is something wrong with them.

Following this advice can help boost their self-esteem.

• Tell your child regularly that you love them and why they are special.
• Carefully challenge the negative things that they say about themselves.
• Provide regular 1:1 or ‘special time’ for you both to spend quality time together.
• Remind them that you believe in them.
• Show interest in the things they enjoy and want to talk to you about.
• Encourage them to identify what helps when they feel bad about themselves.

Get more advice on the Young Minds website.

Alongside the above, children with sensory processing, communication needs and differences in thinking will require adaptations to the school environment. This can include the following.

• Access to a quiet area or ‘time out’ card to leave the classroom when needed.
• Noise cancelling earphones or ear defenders.
• Adapted uniform to account for their sensory sensitivities.
• Flexibility in seating plans, for example child may wish to be seated near the door or the teacher, or away from distractions.
• Being given notice of any changes in advance where possible.
• Giving them a visual timetable so they understand the plan for the day.
• Give them visual clocks, egg timers or stop watches so they can see how long they have left of each activity and prepare them for the transition.
• Regular 1:1 time with a keyworker or mentor, or when they appear frustrated or struggling.
• Use of fidget toys.
• Breaking down tasks, giving instructions one at a time, writing instructions down.
• Be flexible with group work – talk to the child about what might help them.
• Give them a safe place to go to at breaktime.
• Remind them to drink water throughout the day.
• Let them have extra time to process instructions and information.
• Provide adjustments to homework where needed – they may struggle with homework as they may see school as school and home as home, and feel exhausted after school.
• Support in understanding peer relationships and expectations, as well as helping peers to understand them.
• Provide consistency between home and school, with regular communication to make sure parents and the school are on the same page, as well as putting in place a system for reviewing progress. Examples include communication books between home and school, Individual Education Plans and weekly communication sheets.
• The emphasis should be on positive reinforcement of desired behaviours and effort rather than sanctions. Notice when the child achieves the desired outcomes and what has made this successful.
• Involve the child in selecting their targets and rewards, as this will make them feel more motivated and make sure they understand what they are working towards.