Sensory friendly is a designed environment which is an accommodation for people who have a sensory dysfunction or a sensory processing disorder. There are sensory friendly experiences which are offered by businesses and there is also sensory friendly furniture.
Adults and children who report a sensory dysfunction or a sensory-integration disturbance often also present with a learning disability. A sensory friendly environment is created to assist those with a sensory processing disorder (SDP). The disorder is characterized by a hypersensitivity to stimuli accompanied by anxiety. [1] The Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation believes that there may be as many as one in every 20 people living with a sensory processing disorder. [2] Sources debate whether SPD is an independent disorder or represents the observed symptoms of various other, more well-established, disorders. [3] [4] [5] [6] SPD is not included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association, [7] [8] and the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended in 2012 that pediatricians not use SPD as a stand-alone diagnosis. [7]
Autistic people often experience sensory overload when they are in their communities. To accommodate those with these specific disabilities, some businesses offer sensory friendly hours for shopping, eating or attending community events. [9]
For adults with autism, modification of the workplace environment includes softened lighting, reduced noise and partitions around work areas. [10]
Sensory challenges are often experienced by people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and dementia. Sensory friendly areas of venues might include noise-cancelling headphones or quieter areas where guests can relax. [11] [12]
Some theaters offer sensory friendly film showings. For this type of showing, the sound is turned down, and the lights inside the theater are brighter. [13] The theaters also allow attendees to move around during the presentation, and even converse with the screen. The diminished stimulation is considered sensory friendly. [14] [15]
The Betty Brinn Children's Museum sells a Sensory-Friendly Play Pass to accommodate children who are in need of a calmer, quieter space. [16] The Marbles Kids Museum hosts an event for families to experience Marbles in a calmer, quieter environment, which is considered sensory friendly playtime. They call it "Lights Up, Sound Down". [17]
The Target Corporation tailored furniture that they sell to what they called sensory-friendly designs. They also advertise weighted blankets which they say are "calming". [18] In June of 2022 the Milwaukee Brewers major league baseball team announced that they would designate a quiet area at American Family Field with sensory bags to accommodate those with sensory processing disorders. They stated that they would have "sensory bags" which will contain noise-cancelling headphones, a fidget toy, verbal cue cards and a weighted lap pad. [2]
KultureCity is a Nonprofit organization which provides training, and certification for venues and events to accommodate those with sensory sensitivities. The organization also provides a software application for Apple and Android devices which lists Sensory friendly venues. The application also lists sensory inclusive modifications. [13] Their motto is: "Make the nevers possible by creating sensory accessibility and inclusion for those with invisible disabilities". [19]
Another organization which provides sensory friendly kits, tools and suggestions to transform any space into a sensory inclusive space is Sensory City. The organization also provides a sensory friendly certificate to businesses. [20]
Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger's, is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. The syndrome is no longer recognized as a diagnosis in itself, having been merged with other conditions into autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It was considered to differ from other diagnoses that were merged into ASD by relatively unimpaired spoken language and intelligence.
The diagnostic category pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), as opposed to specific developmental disorders (SDD), was a group of disorders characterized by delays in the development of multiple basic functions including socialization and communication. It was defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD).
Developmental disorders comprise a group of psychiatric conditions originating in childhood that involve serious impairment in different areas. There are several ways of using this term. The most narrow concept is used in the category "Specific Disorders of Psychological Development" in the ICD-10. These disorders comprise developmental language disorder, learning disorders, motor disorders, and autism spectrum disorders. In broader definitions ADHD is included, and the term used is neurodevelopmental disorders. Yet others include antisocial behavior and schizophrenia that begins in childhood and continues through life. However, these two latter conditions are not as stable as the other developmental disorders, and there is not the same evidence of a shared genetic liability.
Childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD), also known as Heller's syndrome and disintegrative psychosis, is a rare condition characterized by late onset of developmental delays—or severe and sudden reversals—in language, social engagement, bowel and bladder, play and motor skills. Researchers have not been successful in finding a cause for the disorder. CDD has some similarities to autism and is sometimes considered a low-functioning form of it. In May 2013, CDD, along with other sub-types of PDD, was fused into a single diagnostic term called "autism spectrum disorder" under the new DSM-5 manual.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that begins in early childhood, persists throughout adulthood, and affects three crucial areas of development: communication, social interaction and restricted patterns of behavior. There are many conditions comorbid to autism spectrum disorder such as fragile X syndrome and epilepsy.
High-functioning autism (HFA) was historically an autism classification where a person exhibits no intellectual disability, but may exhibit deficits in communication, emotion recognition and expression, and social interaction.
A hug machine, also known as a hug box, a squeeze machine, or a squeeze box, is a deep-pressure device designed to calm hypersensitive persons, usually individuals with autism spectrum disorders. The therapeutic, stress-relieving device was invented by livestock equipment designer Temple Grandin while she was attending college.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to autism:
Sensory overload occurs when one or more of the body's senses experiences over-stimulation from the environment.
Autism therapies include a wide variety of therapies that help people with autism, or their families. Such methods of therapy also seek the increase of functional independence in autistic people. Many therapies marketed towards autistic people and/or their parents claim outcomes that have not been supported by Level of Research (LOE) Level 1. Level 1 research includes evidence from a systematic review or meta-analysis of all relevant RCTs or evidence-based clinical practice guidelines based on systematic reviews of RCTs or three or more RCTs of good quality that have similar results.
Self-stimulatory behavior, also known as "stimming" and self-stimulation, is the repetition of physical movements, sounds, words, moving objects, or other repetitive behaviors. Such behaviors are found to some degree in all people, especially those with developmental disabilities, and are also frequent in people on the autism spectrum. People diagnosed with sensory processing disorder are also known to potentially exhibit stimming behaviors.
Developmental coordination disorder (DCD), also known as developmental motor coordination disorder, developmental dyspraxia or simply dyspraxia, is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired coordination of physical movements as a result of brain messages not being accurately transmitted to the body. Deficits in fine or gross motor skills movements interfere with activities of daily living. It is often described as disorder in skill acquisition, where the learning and execution of coordinated motor skills is substantially below that expected given the individual's chronological age. Difficulties may present as clumsiness, slowness and inaccuracy of performance of motor skills. It is also often accompanied by difficulty with organisation and/or problems with attention, working memory and time management.
The floortime or Developmental, Individual-differences, Relationship-based (DIR) model is a developmental model for assessing and understanding any child's strengths and weaknesses. It has become particularly effective at identifying the unique developmental profiles and developing programs for children experiencing developmental delays due to autism, autism spectrum disorders, or other developmental disorders. This Model was developed by Dr. Stanley Greenspan and first outlined in 1979 in his book Intelligence and Adaptation. Evidence for the efficacy of DIR/Floortime includes results from randomized controlled trials of DIR/Floortime and the DIR/Floortime-based P.L.A.Y. Project; because of various limitations in these studies, the existing evidence is deemed to "weakly support" the efficacy of Floortime.
Sensory integration therapy (SIT) was originally developed by occupational therapist A. Jean Ayres in the 1970s to help children with sensory-processing difficulties. It was specifically designed to treat Sensory Processing Disorder. Sensory Integration Therapy is based on A. Jean Ayres's Sensory Integration Theory, which proposes that sensory-processing is linked to emotional regulation, learning, behavior, and participation in daily life. Sensory integration is the process of organizing sensations from the body and from environmental stimuli.
Classic autism, also known as childhood autism, autistic disorder, (early) infantile autism, infantile psychosis, Kanner's autism,Kanner's syndrome, or just autism, is a neurodevelopmental condition first described by Leo Kanner in 1943. It is characterized by atypical and impaired development in social interaction and communication as well as restricted, repetitive behaviors, activities, and interests. These symptoms first appear in early childhood and persist throughout life.
Doing business as STAR Institute the STAR Center Foundation is a registered 501(c)3, nonprofit organization dedicated to treatment, research and education related to sensory integration and processing.
Autism, formally called autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and social interaction, and repetitive or restricted patterns of behaviors, interests, or activities, which can include hyper- and hyporeactivity to sensory input. Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning that it can manifest very differently in each person. For example, some are nonspeaking, while others have proficient spoken language. Because of this, there is wide variation in the support needs of people across the autism spectrum.
Autism-friendly means being aware of social engagement and environmental factors affecting people on the autism spectrum, with modifications to communication methods and physical space to better suit individual's unique and special needs.
Sensory processing disorder is a condition in which multisensory input is not adequately processed in order to provide appropriate responses to the demands of the environment. Sensory processing disorder is present in many people with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Individuals with SPD may inadequately process visual, auditory, olfactory (smell), gustatory (taste), tactile (touch), vestibular (balance), proprioception, and interoception sensory stimuli.
KultureCity is a nonprofit organization which trains staff at venues and then certifies venues which have sensory inclusive modifications. The organization also provides application for Apple and Android devices which lists Sensory friendly venues to assist those with Sensory processing disorders.