Sensory Integration Education

The school summer holidays are upon us and whilst many children and their parents are looking forward to it, for some it can be a rather stressful time. Teens are typically exhausted after a busy school year and looking forward to a break from the routine of getting up early and getting ready for school. A typical week of school for a teen includes a not insignificant amount of homework along with clubs or sporting activities. So it’s no wonder many children and young people can present with end-of-term fatigue.

End-of-term fatigue can also impact on young people’s mood and regulation and those with sensory processing differences may find they need a few days to recover at the start of the school holiday period. If possible, always allow time for them to recover at home before going away on holiday.

After a relaxing few days of rest and recovery, boredom can kick in. While most teens have a good idea of how to keep themselves occupied, for some teens with sensory processing differences, coming up with ideas can be challenging due to difficulties with ideation. Ideation is defined as the ability to generate a plan of action. Challenges with ideation are not restricted to a particular location and teens with sensory processing differences often need some support with selecting leisure activities, whether it be at home or on holiday. A useful way to plan the week is to allow for a few structured activities along with plenty of downtime.

So how do you support a teen with sensory processing differences to find activities that are interesting and suited to their needs? The global cost of living crisis has to be a consideration too and, for many families this year, going away over the summer is not an option. Therefore they need to plan activities over the course of the summer break in their local surroundings. A good starting point here is understanding your teen's interests. Do they enjoy art and crafts or woodwork, for example? These are activities that can be adapted to meet a range of sensory needs and a project can give structure and meaning to a period of time when there is less to do. Look out as well for flyers or promotions online that share activity ideas or holiday activities in the run-up to the summer break, bookmark them and discuss them in advance.

Also, encourage your teen to participate regularly in a physical activity of their choice. This will help with their self-regulation as well as keep them fit. One benefit of physical activities is that they can be done alone or in a group, depending on your teen’s sensory needs. For example, physical activities with sensory benefits that are free of charge or low cost for teens include swimming, running, or cycling. Other fun activities with sensory benefits that are a bit more costly include visits to trampoline parks, climbing walls and ziplining.

Whatever your plans are, have a great break!

Best wishes

Lelanie Brewer

PS: Why not also take a look at our free course: Understanding Sensory Processing and Integration in Teenagers and Young Adults (for Parents and Carers)? This introduces what sensory issues can look like in a teenager's behaviour and engagement and gives a toolkit of ideas on how to support a teen’s sensory needs at home.

Sensory Snapshot is a regular series by Advanced SI Practitioner and OT Lelanie Brewer. Lelanie gained her MSc in OT at Brunel University, London, and is pursuing a PhD with Newcastle University. Experienced in the NHS, charity and private sectors, as well as being a UK university senior lecturer, Lelanie is the Lead for Continuous Professional Development at Sensory Integration Education.