About Sensory Toys and Autism
What are Sensory Toys?
Sensory toys have begun to trend in the most recent years. We have seen them in popular, well-known stores and have heard about kids and teens from all over rave in excitement about them. They can vary from slime to chew rings to fidget jewelry. But what are sensory toys and what is their purpose? Sensory toys were designed to stimulate one or more of the senses. They can be visual or tactile toys that capture and reinforce the attention of those who use them. However, before these toys hit the market and became extremely popular, these toys were specifically designed for the use of children on the autism spectrum.
Sensory play encourages learning through curiosity and exploration for children with autism. It can help improve sensory processing systems, social skills, and motor skills. By having a child engage in sensory play, they can learn to redirect their focus. For example, if a child finds it difficult to interact with others in a lively environment, sensory toys can teach the child to block out the noise in the surrounding environment to promote focus in their interactions with others. Sensory play engages with the five senses and can incorporate the use of sensory toys. Sensory toys were meant to help a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) improve their concentration both physically and cognitively through stimulation of one (or more) of the five senses. For example, slime and silly putty are enjoyable to squeeze and stretch while inducing a calming effect, but these today also aid in reducing sensory overload based on the texture, color, smell, and sound of the toy. Visual toys such as lava lamps or kaleidoscopes, show case their beautiful bright colors and fun shapes, but at the same time guides children towards awareness of their surroundings to improve their reaction times. These toys play a significant role in sensory play since they promote developmental growth such as language development, motor skills, social interactions, awareness, and even relaxation of the child, all while keeping them entertained!
About Autism
Autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, is a developmental disorder in which social, communication, and behavioral aspects of one’s life are challenging. A person with autism has no specific ASD physical identification, however, they may communicate, interact, and behave differently compared to others. They can even have different ways of learning and reacting to certain situations. There is no specific treatment to cure ASD, but there are treatments to improve development. When ASD is diagnosed as early as 36 months (about 3 years), children are recommended to immediately undergo developmental monitoring and screening so that they can get the required attention they need to improve their skills.
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