Sensory issues - problems with textures

It seems that quite a few ex-prems develop sensory processing and integration disorders - some need a lot of sensation to keep them happy (sensory-seeking) and some find sensory input overwhelming (sensory-sensitive or sensory-avoiding). I’m sure it’s not just a premmie issue, but it does help make sense of what can otherwise seem like odd behaviour in a toddler. You can read more about sensory issues here.

Recently I responded to a request on a prem forum for suggestions about how to help a child who struggled to deal with certain textures, with the following:

We had an OT visit us for 6 weeks in late 2008 (when Talia was nearly 18 months corrected) as part of the Play and Learning programme, and she did some work with textures. Some things Talia coped with, other things she would not go near, she was sensory-sensitive or sensory-avoiding. Here are a few of the things the OT did which you could try:

1. Put a mix of different dry pasta shapes in a big bowl or plastic tub, and then put in some of your child’s favourite small toys (semi-hidden), so that they have to fish through the pasta to get the toys out. Also works with popcorn, bits of packing foam etc.

2. Invest in or borrow a water table (or sand & water table), and spend some time putting things in and out of water, pouring, splashing etc. This was a huge hit with Talia, and lead to her picking up “wet” things like cut fruit which she had previously refused to touch. The OT also brought shaving cream to put in the water table, we found Talia disliked that almost as much as she liked the water but it may have also been the smell of it. We subsequently bought our own water table and it has been one of her favourite play activities since, even in the middle of winter she wants to play with it!

3. Vibration. We had a cat’s toy which the cat never liked, a little fake mouse with a string you pull to make it vibrate across the floor for the cat to chase. We would pull the string then give it to Talia to hold while it vibrated, to get her used to a different sort of stimulation. The OT had a different toy which had the same effect but it wasn’t as cute as our mouse!

Good luck and I hope you see some improvement over time as your child gets used to different textures and sensory experiences.