Top Tips for Supporting Sensory Avoiders

When you have a sensory avoider, it affects you everyday.

It affects how you plan your weekend, your trips out of town, and even your trips to the grocery store. 

And I can speak to this personally as one of my kids is a sensory avoider.  

So let’s define what it means to be a sensory avoider. 

The term sensory avoider comes from Dr. Winnie Dunn’s Sensory Processing Framework.  

A sensory avoider has two key characteristics: a low threshold and active self regulation. 

A low threshold means it only takes a little bit of sensory input for them to notice things and potentially even get overstimulated. 

I like to use the analogy of a cup size so a sensory avoider has a little cup that can only handle so much liquid during the day. 

The other aspect of a sensory avoider is that they have active regulation. 

Active regulation means that as soon as they are experiencing input that is uncomfortable for them, they are trying to either get out of that environment or work to minimize that input in some way. 

Sensory avoiders are more likely to experience anxiety so when working with sensory avoiders we need to make sure we are supporting their emotional wellbeing. 

Here are my top 4 tips for supporting sensory avoiders in our speech sessions:

1. Predictability and setting expectations are your best friend - avoiders need to know what to expect and they need a plan. Presenting avoiders with the autonomy to make choices can really help them manage their feelings of anxiety and overwhelm. 
2. Remember that they have a small cup - sensory avoiders can get overwhelmed really quickly so make sure that enough time is given to recenter themselves.
3. Calming activities can go a long way - avoiders are more likely to go into fight or flight than other sensation patterns so prioritizing ways you can provide calming input throughout the day is key. 
4. Prioritize self advocacy - your sensory avoider needs to know how to advocate for themselves so they can tell others when they are in situations that make them feel uncomfortable. Talk to them about what feels good and how they can reset during the day to help them build their self-advocacy skills. 

Ultimately, the most important thing we can do when working with sensory avoiders is to make them feel safe and comfortable with us in our sessions. 

To hear more detailed examples for these 4 tips and my personal experience parenting a sensory avoider, check out this episode of my live show, Making the Shift, Episode 58: Top Tips for Sensory Avoiders.