Adolescents with sensory processing disorder face special challenges due to their stage of development and the fact that, until now, their sensory issues may not have been addressed.
1. Finding the right OT can be difficult. Few occupational therapists are trained or have experience working with adolescents who have a sensory processing disorder. SI play-based therapy can seem silly and embarrassing to teens.
2. Low self-esteem. Teens who have had sensory issues for years will have learned at least some adaptations to get around them and are less likely to experience the extreme behaviors and responses they did when they were younger. However, years of feeling different and not knowing why, and realizing that they have never been as mature and self-controlled as their peers, take their toll. Teens with sensory processing issues often struggle with self-esteem. They need a lot of encouragement to admit that they have sensory issues and need help.
3. Need for independence. Teens need their independence to be respected, so being told, “You have to do X, Y, and Z to handle your sensory issues,” usually doesn’t work very well!
4. Desire to fit in. Even teens who don’t feel the need to have lots of friends or be conformists want to have a few friends that they feel like they fit in with. Sensory challenges can embarrass them and can make them feel isolated and different in a negative way.
5. Change of hormones. Teenagers have constantly changing hormones that can exacerbate sensory issues making them more sensitive to information than they were in the past. The normal changes of adolescence can also make them more moody and emotionally sensitive.
6. New expectations. People are less likely to see your teen as a young, immature person with a hidden disability and more likely to see them as a young adult whose behavior is deliberate.
What is a parent, teacher, or therapist to do?
1. Modify traditional SI therapy techniques to be more teen friendly. Instead of playing with a tray of shaving cream or finger paints, encourage your teen to cook, garden, do arts or crafts, and engage in other activities that challenge her tactile issues. Work with a sensory-intelligent occupational therapist who is willing to modify her approach to help your teen reduce any embarrassment or defensiveness.
2. Talk about sensory issues in a positive way. Reassure your teen that sensory issues are simply a difference in the brain’s wiring that may have benefits, but can also be managed and addressed to make life a little easier. Explain what SPD is and why, in some cases, it is good to be more sensitive or to crave certain sensations, and that people with sensory issues often have other gifts as well, such as the ability to “think in pictures.” Then explain that there are “tricks” that you and/or an OT can teach them to “make their lives easier.” Everyone wants their life to be a little easier! Acknowledge how hard your teen has to work to be organized or tolerate certain sensations, and praise him for his efforts.
3. Offer adaptations and sensory diet ideas for him or her to choose from. Present accommodations and activities to teens and let them decide which one they would like to use. Honor and respect their choices and encourage them to engage in collaborative problem solving with you. If you don’t want to be seen doing a tactile brushing protocol, can you do it discreetly in the school bathroom? If all boys wear baggy clothing and prefer it tight, can the teen wear tight clothing, like biker shorts, under looser clothing that looks more dressy?
4. Help your teen with sensory issues feel good about who they are and find a group of peers with whom they feel comfortable. Practical solutions to grooming, picky eating and dressing, and encouraging conversations about the benefits of being different can help your teen with sensory issues feel more comfortable among peers. However, he can also feel better about himself if he expands his group of friends. Encourage your teen to develop hobbies and get involved in new activities, from individualized sports that don’t require high levels of skill and competitiveness to enjoy, to groups that are dedicated to the arts, community service, spiritual growth, and more. Extracurricular activities can help kids find their “tribe” and feel the power to make a difference in the world, too.
5. Accept that your child may be more emotionally sensitive at this stage. Be alert for signs of increased anxiety and depression and consult a health care professional with any concerns you have. Remember, addressing sensory issues will reduce general anxiety which can lead to mild to moderate depression (when you feel like you can’t handle your discomfort, you can develop depression over time). Don’t forget that some of the most effective treatments for mild to moderate anxiety and depression include physical exercise, time outside, meditation, and breathing exercises. Mindfulness practices, from yoga and tai chi to tai kwan do and karate, can also help.
6. Focus on self-awareness and responsibility for self-regulation. It is very difficult to get others to accept poor self-regulation in a teenager, even if you educate them about hidden disabilities. So the sooner you work with your teen to create a workable sensory diet that prevents negative behaviors, the better. It will be easier for your teen to develop better self-regulation if she is trained to use specific self-calming and self-alertness techniques that she knows work for her. Hold him accountable for using his alert music and gum, taking time to sit in a quiet space and do breathing exercises or use a brushing protocol, etc. Ask her to participate in creating a sensory diet tailored to her needs to meet her sensory needs and prevent fight or flight behaviors. Let her experience the natural consequences if she refuses to use her calm, focused, and alert techniques.
Above all, never forget that children with sensory issues need a “perfect” challenge, a balance of accommodations to make them feel more comfortable and challenges that push them out of their comfort zone. Sensory diet activities for teens help them develop a higher tolerance for the situations and activities they will encounter in life and, over time, retrain their brains to process sensory information more frequently. Be creative and encouraging when establishing a sensory diet for a teen, and always do your part to respect the teen’s need for independence.
Finally, if you’re a parent frustrated with trying to control your teen’s sensory issues, consider joining or creating a support group in person or online. Knowing that you are not alone and having the practical and emotional support of other parents going through the same experiences with their teens can help tremendously at this stage of your child’s development.
