Understanding your child’s sensory world and how it affects their wellbeing
Part 2 of 3: Habituation and the Importance of a Sensory Diet
By Ofra Sharp and Ma’ayan Hamilton / August 2023
Introduction
You may have noticed how your baby or toddler responds to the world around them in various ways. Their reactions can range from delight and calmness to distress expressed through fussing or crying.
To understand the complexities of your child’s sensory world and its impact on their overall well-being, it is helpful to look at the dynamics of the various sensory systems involved.
Our previous blog looked at the primary sensory systems, as well as the concepts of sensory integration and sensory modulation. Before proceeding, if you haven’t already, take a few minutes to catch up on Part 1: Sensory Integration and Modulation, as it lays the foundation for Part 2 of the series.
In Part 2, we delve into the concept of habituation and the importance of a sensory diet. We will also look at practical suggestions for creating a nurturing sensory diet, tailored to the needs of your baby and toddler.
What is Habituation?
Habituation is a psychological process that allows us to filter out sensory information that holds little or no relevance in a given moment. Habituation often develops through repeated exposure to the same stimulus.
Your power to tune out to strong odors, loud sounds, or glaring lights – these are all products of habituation. Habituation is an important step in the progression of sensory development.
By helping to separate out irrelevant from vital information, habituation optimises attention allocation to matters of current significance.
Habituation in Infants
In the world of newborns, the ability to habituate, regulate, and modulate incoming information is still in its early stages. Newborns lack the capacity to filter out irrelevant stimuli, often leading to a sensory overload.
Over time, as your baby is repeatedly exposed to a variety of stimuli, the process of habituation gradually unfolds. Your infant’s brain begins to recognise and categorise inputs, such as the bark of a dog, the scent of perfume, or the feel of a new fabric on their skin. Initially registering all stimuli equally, can result in overstimulation, which in turn might trigger distress.
In the early stages of sensory development, your baby and toddler won’t be able to selectively shift their attention. This often makes it seem as though they are not paying attention, or are easily distracted. However as your child’s brain and nervous systems mature, the ability to habituate starts to emerge.
Understanding Overstimulation
The lack of habituation capability is a key factor contributing to infant overstimulation. This is often the reason for the crying and fussiness witnessed in newborns.
It is helpful for parents and caregivers to closely monitor the sensory experiences of their infants, and to regulate the degree of stimulation accordingly. Identifying signs of sensory overload, such as distress or fussiness, enables you to create an environment that fosters your baby’s relaxation, safety, and happiness.
Since each baby possesses a unique threshold for over-stimulation, it is helpful to observe your child’s reactions and modify their sensory environment by either reducing or, at times, increasing stimuli.
Understanding Your Baby’s Body Language
Understanding your baby’s body language can help you know when your baby is feeling calm and relaxed, or when they are becoming distressed.
Signs of a relaxed baby include:
- Smiling
- Relaxed limbs
- Happy to make eye contact
- Cooing and giggling
Signs of a baby in distress include:
- Sucking of hands or fingers
- Making fists
- Avoiding eye contact
- Fussing
- Arching their back
- Stiffening their body
- Becoming irritable
- Cries of discontent
Habituation is a Process
The journey towards self-regulation and habituation continues throughout childhood, evolving as your child grows and develops.
Consider, for instance, living near a railroad: during the early years, swaddling and isolating from the noise might be necessary for a calm mealtime or nap. However as your child’s brain matures, it adapts to the recurring noise allowing for undisturbed sleep or eating.
What is a Sensory Diet?
A sensory diet is a set of exercises or activities performed throughout the day that attend to the sensory needs of your infant or child. It is based on the understanding that children have varying sensory processing capabilities, and their sensory systems must be appropriately stimulated and regulated to enhance their overall development and well-being.
A sensory diet involves a thoughtful combination of sensory activities and experiences, aiming to maintain an optimal level of arousal and attention for the child. Activities include play, physical exercises, sensory exploration, and relaxation techniques which are tailored to each child’s unique sensory needs.
The Importance of a Sensory Diet
The importance of a sensory diet lies in its potential to promote emotional regulation, attention, and learning. A sensory diet may also help improve motor skills and social interactions. Children with sensory processing challenges, such as those with sensory processing disorders or autism spectrum disorders, may benefit from a well-structured sensory diet.
By providing appropriate sensory experiences, toddlers and children can develop skills enabling them to adapt to their environment, reduce stress, and enhance their overall
Think about your own experiences. Do you chew gum during meetings to help you focus? Do you take a walk to help maintain alertness during the afternoons? These practices can provide the sensory input you need for optimal functioning.
Children with sensory processing concerns require even more attention to be given to their sensory needs. If your child is deprived of appropriate or adequate sensory input, they may struggle with exhibiting appropriate behaviour, staying alert, and maintaining organisational control.
Creating a Healthy Sensory Environment for Your Baby and Toddler
In the table below we offer some suggestions of ways to calm and stimulate the various sensory systems. We also offer ideas for activities that you can engage in for each sense.
| SENSE | CALMING | STIMULATING | IDEAS |
| TOUCH | Deep pressure Massage Firm, gentle hugs Neutral warmth Smooth, soft textures Touch to the back | Light touch Tickles Unpredictable touch Touch on the front of the body and face Mixed temperatures Extreme temperatures | WrestlingRolling up in a blanketLeopard crawling (tummy crawling) over different surfacesCrawling under different surfaces (blanket, beds, tables)In the bath: stroke self with soap / body lotion / bath foamPlay doughFinger food |
| MOVEMENT | Resisted movement Slow, rhythmical movement Linear movement Rocking Sustained movement / holding | Changes in body position Quick movements Irregular movements Spinning or angular movement Rough play Swinging through the air | Swinging in different postures (head down / horizontal / facing you / away from you)Monkey swingsRollingRunningHoppingClimbing jungle gym / treeWheelbarrowDifferent animal walks |
| SMELL | Neutral smells Lavender Chamomile Mother/baby smell | Strong smells Perfume Peppermint Smoke Citrus Chemicals | Smell food / playdoughWhen letting a child smell something, move the object from R/L, from one nostril to anotherBe aware not to have strong chemical smells in the bedroom or bathroom (e.g. bleach)Any strong smell can give a child a headache or make them nauseous |
| SIGHT | Muted light Natural/neutral colours Dimmers | Bright lightcontrasting colours Flashing lights | Work on good body image: in front of a mirror talk about different body partsIn front of a mirror do different movements and facial expressionShow and name different colour / size Talk about and show. Bring their awareness to different thingsOn bright sunny days be aware of light stimulation – child may need sunglassesTV: choose tv shows that have slower movement (e.g. Thomas the Tank Engine) |
| SOUND | White noise Familiar sounds Rhythmic sounds Humming Lullabies Heartbeat | Unpredictable noise Fluctuating pitch Loud noises Excited voices Shouting | Use your voice in different waysChildren respond to calm, deep voiceUse a singing voice Change your tone and volumePlay musicImitate animal and environmental sounds |
Conclusion: Become Attuned to Your Child’s Unique Sensory Needs
Even if your child does not struggle with sensory sensitivities, it is important to be aware of the concepts around sensory integration and habituation.
The younger the child, the more sensitive they are.
Children have different thresholds for stimulation: some need more stimulation and others require less.
When your child is fussing or irritable, try not to presume that they are misbehaving. Start by checking their level of sensory stimulation.
Adapting and modifying your child’s sensory environment is not considered ‘spoiling’. It is usually in an attempt to assist a child to regulate when their brain and nervous system capacity has reached its limit.
For children requiring additional stimulation, remember that they are not lazy – some children simply do require additional stimulation in order to gain sufficient arousal for attention and activity.
Always remember that your child is a unique individual and their sensory needs will differ from yours and also to other children, including their siblings.
Become attuned to your child’s limitations and needs when it comes to all things sensory.
About the authors
Ofra Sharp
Ofra Sharp is the founder and owner of Little Acorns PlayGroup and Time2gether Activity Workshops. Ofra has many years of experience working with children of different ages, and their families. Ofra has a deep knowledge and understanding of the importance of early childhood development. Her qualifications include:
FDE Junior Primary (CCOE, UCT)
Advanced Play Therapy (Red Shoe)
Counselling 1 and 2, and trauma debriefing certificates (FAMtrac)
Ma’ayan Hamilton
Ma’ayan is a co-owner of LIttle Acorns PlayGroup where she is also involved as a teacher assistant. Ma’ayan qualified with a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy in 2008, after which she furthered her studies as a TRE provider. Ma’ayan has a deep understanding of early childhood development, as well as the psychosocial needs of young children. Ma’ayan has three children of her own and has many years of hands-on experience with young children. Her qualifications include:
B.Sc. Occupational Therapy (University of Cape Town)
TRE provider (TRE Global Certification Training)
