THE SENSORY MADE SIMPLE PODCAST

Transcript

All right.

I owe you an apology.

About, I don't know, a month ago, I went totally dark on this podcast.

I didn't announce it, I didn't even know.

Honestly, I took a step back because, as you've noticed, if you've been here a while, the name is different.

So we were doing a total podcast rebrand and a total website rebrand.

So you'll see it is now called Sensory Made Simple because we are doing all things sensory.

Yes, don't worry, all things eating will still be included.

But you know that I always do it with a little sensory standpoint.

So welcome to Sensory Made Simple.

Again, the website got a amazing total overhaul.

So check it out at drsamgoldman.com.

You will see it is totally different, way better, way easier to navigate.

And it has a little new guide on there for you, a free new guide.

It is a Sensory Survival Guide for Parents.

You are absolutely going to love it.

And it also has a total podcast page now, which I'll talk about in a little bit.

So what is Sensory Made Simple going to be all about?

So it's really not that much different than what we were talking about, but it is now totally rebranded to be around sensory.

So this podcast is here to help you get what is going on with your child's sensory needs and give you simple, realistic ways to support them without all of that overwhelm.

Whether it's those meltdowns that seem to come totally out of nowhere, hint they're usually not out of nowhere.

We'll talk more about that.

A kiddo who refuses to wear socks or a dinner table battle over that one teeny tiny piece of broccoli, you don't have to figure that all out by yourself because this podcast is here to help you with it.

Each episode is going to break everything down into small, realistic strategies and steps that you can actually use to help you and your child feel calmer, more comfortable, and more confident, and make those days just a little bit easier too.

So I cannot wait to dive into this next chapter with you.

I am back.

My goal is to start getting back to at least a new podcast every other week.

So if there's a topic that you would love to see on here, a question that you have, send that over to me at DrSamGoldman, either on Instagram or send me an email at samantha.drsamgoldman.com, because I really want to make sure that I'm supporting you where you need help.

And if you're as excited as I am and you love the show, it would really mean so much to me if you left a review.

It really helps other moms, just like you, find the support too.

Sorry you hear my air fryer going on in the background.

It is dinner time.

But new episodes are going to be dropping soon, and I cannot wait to help you tackle this sensory journey one step at a time together.

Thank you so much for your patience during this break, and I cannot wait to be back.

Welcome to Sensory Made Simple, a podcast dedicated to helping moms figure out how to understand your child's sensory needs and how to support them.

Whether it's tackling meltdowns, eating new foods, or just getting through the day without feeling completely drained.

Hi, I'm Dr.

Sam, a pediatric occupational therapist and busy boy mom.

And each week, I'll share simple, realistic tips that fit into your busy life.

Because believe me, I get it.

Adding one more thing to your plate feels overwhelming enough.

No complicated terms, just easy to follow strategies to help your child feel calm, confident, and understood.

So grab your coffee, chances are I've got mine too.

Pop in your earbuds, and let's figure this out together.

A little note before we begin.

Please be advised that this information in this podcast is not medical or occupational therapy advice, and is just for general and informational knowledge.

Okay.

Do you ever find yourself thinking, or maybe even saying to your child, why are you being so sensitive?

Maybe that you've seen them cover their ears at a birthday party, or they're complaining and scratching at their clothes, and you just want to do the thing, or you need to do the thing.

But if you push them, it turns into a full on meltdown or disaster.

What if I told you that your child isn't really being just dramatic, or they're not just being picky, but there's actually something more, something going on in their nervous system, responding to all that information that is making this world, making everything for them too big, too fast, and just too much.

Welcome back to the podcast.

Today we are talking about sensory sensitivity and sensory overload.

What those really mean, how they show up every day in a child's life, but most importantly, what you can actually do to help your child, because this is hard.

This is challenging.

So I cannot wait to dive in.

I know it's been a little while since the last podcast episode.

Don't worry, I'm working on that.

I am planning to come back.

Hopefully every week soon, we're gearing up for a relaunch of this podcast of all of Dr.

Sam Goldman and the business.

So stay tuned because I have so much ahead for you in this coming year.

All right, what we are gonna talk about today.

What is sensory sensitivity?

What is sensory overload?

How can sensory sensitivity actually lead to that overload?

How you can recognize the signs?

How to support your sensory sensitive child?

And how to trust your mom intuition?

So what is sensory sensitivity?

Again, you may have noticed that your child seems extra sensitive to certain things.

This is actually a heightened awareness of sensations.

So they're feeling those sensations more, and that's called sensory sensitivity.

And it makes life totally overwhelming.

So imagine if every time you left the house, or even in the house, every single sight, every single sound, every single touch felt 10 times more intense than it does to you right now.

So for example, if we were standing in Target, and it literally felt like you were in a rock concert, it is that loud.

Or if just a little drop of water splashes on your sleeve, and it felt like somebody actually poured an entire bucket of water on you.

That is what sensory sensitivity is about.

Now, think about feeling that all the time, all day, every day.

Where you look around, and all of your friends, your family, they all seem perfectly fine, but you are feeling totally overwhelmed.

That is how it can feel for a child with a sensory sensitivity.

Their brain is actually processing sensations differently, and they have a hard time tuning those little things out.

Like tuning out the fan in the background.

Now, kids with sensory sensitivity are almost always seen as stubborn or controlling.

But here's the thing.

They are not being stubborn or controlling.

They are actually just trying to protect their body and go through their day.

I know this can be really hard to conceptualize, so let's take a look at how this might look for some of the different senses.

Noises.

So, everyday sounds, like the clock ticking, like Target, like the refrigerator.

These can feel really distracting, so they couldn't tune it out, or sometimes even actually painful to their eardrums.

Textures.

Certain fabrics with clothing, the tags on their clothing, their shoes.

They might feel itchy or uncomfortable, which actually leads them to refuse wearing those, because who wants to be itchy or uncomfortable?

Lights.

Bright or flashing lights can be overwhelming, making them irritable.

I actually feel this one really hard.

I pretty much keep my lights in the house off all day, every day.

I would definitely say I am more of a sensory avoider.

And if I do have to turn the lights on, I am definitely more irritable.

And smells.

Strong scents like perfumes, food, cleaning products, those can trigger intense reactions like headaches or nausea.

Again, I feel this one really strongly.

For me, bleach instantly turns into a migraine.

So being aware of these actual sensitivities that your child might have helps us actually respond with more compassion.

So if you know that going to Target is hard for them, and you know why it's hard, because it's feeling loud, because their ears are hurting, you can actually respond with more compassion.

You can understand them more, and you can actually help them more.

So same thing about, you know, going to a restaurant.

Instead of being frustrated that your child is seeming upset at a restaurant, it helps you remember that, hey, this is hard for them.

This is hurting them.

This is challenging for them.

What can I do to help them?

Okay, so that's sensory sensitivity.

Now let's talk about sensory overload.

Okay, so I want you, if you're not driving, if you're able to, I want you to close your eyes for this one.

And I want you to imagine, it's a normal weekday afternoon, you've just picked up the kids from school, you walk into the house, and it is chaos immediately.

One of your kids is bouncing off the wall, they're excited to tell you about their day, they don't stop talking, they don't stop asking questions, while the other one is having a total meltdown because there was a bruise on their banana.

The TV is blaring in the background because it's always on, and you feel yourself getting just so irritated as you're listening to Cocoa Melon for the third time that day.

So you're trying to cook dinner, you smell your kids' lunch leftovers that you know you need to clean out, but you're just not ready to.

Your dog is barking at anybody walking by, adding to all of that overwhelm and noise.

Your phone is buzzing with notifications from work, and you just feel pulled in a million different directions.

How are you feeling right now?

I'm already getting anxious just sitting here thinking about all of it.

And it just suddenly becomes too much to handle.

You're immediately irritable, and then your husband comes to ask something, and you just snap.

How many times has this happened to you?

I feel like it happens to me, at least on a weekly basis.

This is sensory overload, where too much sensory input was coming in, and it leaves you just totally overstimulated and on the edge of a breakdown, often leading to that pop and to that breakdown.

What we forget is that this happens to kids, too.

Sensory overload happens when a kid's brain is getting too much information that it can handle.

But it looks different than it looks for us, right?

We might snap.

We might yell.

But when a child experiences sensory overload, they often have really big reactions.

They don't have the ability to have that emotional regulation in the same way we do.

So, it turns into that huge tantrum, that huge meltdown.

Or even for some kids, just totally shutting down, not talking, pulling away.

This isn't them acting out.

It's not them being bad.

I cannot emphasize that enough.

It's actually a huge cry to help to you that they need support.

So, how can sensory sensitivity lead to sensory overload?

Because it definitely can.

So, kids who are sensory sensitive have a much lower tolerance for sensory input.

I know that sounds really confusing.

I'm going to explain it better.

I promise.

So, when we talk about a lower tolerance, I want you to imagine, and you've probably heard this analogy before, that your child's sensory system is a cup.

Or honestly, all of our sensory systems have a cup.

We all have a cup every single day of how much sensory input we can handle.

Now, we might start with a cup that's empty, right?

We wake up in the morning, we feel great.

I wouldn't say empty.

We're getting some sensory stimulation from the moment we wake up.

So as soon as we open our eyes, we're seeing things, we're hearing things, we're smelling things.

So I would say we start with a sensory cup that's maybe like an eighth full, right?

And we're ready to take on the day.

Someone with a sensory sensitivity, they are starting with a sensory cup that's maybe already half full or 75% full.

Now, on to that, we are adding on an itchy tag on our shirt.

Again, we haven't started the day yet.

We're just putting on our shirt.

While you or I, we might get used to that itchy tag really quick, a child with a sensory sensitivity, they're feeling that really strongly.

So that might already add to that halfway full cup, right?

Now, they're 75% full.

Maybe they're 95% full.

That does not leave a lot of room throughout the day for more drops in that cup, right?

It's almost full.

And when we get to that full, that is when that pop happens, right?

That's when the sensory overload happens.

We all have a sensory cup.

We all have a sensory cup of how much we can tolerate during the day, how much sensory input.

And when that cup is full, that is where we have sensory overload.

So again, a child with a sensory sensitivity, they are starting with already a half full, a 75% full cup.

So how can it lead to overload?

It's because they don't have as much room to tolerate different sensations.

And because every sensation is also magnified, it fills up a lot quicker.

And so that's why a lot of the time these kids actually seem like they're fine, right?

Everything's great.

You guys are going through your day.

They're happy.

And then all of a sudden there's a pop, and you're like, wait, how did that happen so quick?

How do we go from fine to melting down in like an instant?

That is why that sensory cup is already starting more full, and it fills up quicker.

So how can we recognize the signs of this?

So recognizing the signs of sensory sensitivity and building to sensory overload before, I'm going to say that again, before your child hits that full blown meltdown, that can make all the difference.

If you're able to pick up on these early cues that your child is getting overwhelmed, that they're getting overstimulated, you can help empty that cup.

We can take some of those drops out, so they have more room.

We want to get to it before the cup overflows.

Now, what's really confusing is sometimes these cues are actually really subtle, and a lot of the times we miss it.

So we think that they went from zero to 100, but actually we might have missed some cues.

Like, they became really quiet.

They started fidgeting.

Maybe they started getting excitable and silly.

And then we think they're acting out, right?

Because we missed these cues.

But those cues might have actually been important clues that your child is able or not able, excuse me, is about to hit their limit.

So when you start to see these signs, it is the perfect time to step in before things escalate further.

So whether that means taking your child out, finding a quiet space, giving them something that you know helps calm their body.

So some kids' Play-Doh is like a great, great thing to bring with you in your purse.

Or they might just even need a break from whatever is causing that overload.

Being proactive about this is a game changer.

Okay, so how do we support a sensory-sensitive child?

Great, we want to prevent the meltdown.

Great, you understand what it is.

But how do we actually support them on a day-to-day basis so that we don't get quite as close to meltdowns, right?

A lot of parents struggle with this because everything feels too big or too much for their child, but there really is a lot you can do, so I am going to help you with that here.

Here is a couple of my absolute favorite ways that you can help support your sensory-sensitive child.

Number one, and I think this is honestly the absolute most important, is to learn their triggers.

Really start to tune in when your child is getting overwhelmed and overstimulated.

Notice what's happening around them.

What sounds, what textures, what lights, what is setting them off.

Because if you know what their triggers are, you can actually help them navigate around them.

So how do we handle these triggers?

Because of course, we're going to encounter them.

Sometimes they're unavoidable.

But how do we navigate around them when we do?

Or in what situations can we avoid them?

And I'm going to throw in something little here, something exciting.

Make sure to get on my waitlist for my brand new course, Sensory Made Simple, where I'm actually going to help you identify and understand your child's unique triggers and preferences.

And it's all going to be in less than 75 minutes.

I'll talk more about this in the coming episodes.

But if you want to get on that waitlist, go to www.drsamgoldman.com/sensorywaitlist.

Again, www.drsamgoldman.com/sensorywaitlist.

Okay, so learn their triggers.

You really need to learn them.

It is, again, arguably one of the most important things.

Number two, now you need to respect those triggers.

It's really tough when your child is sensitive to certain things, because a lot of the times, you might just find yourself wishing that you could push them through it, that they would just get over it, because, you know, you got things to do.

The day is busy.

It's hard as a mom.

It's hard as a parent, and you just want to get your things done sometimes.

But especially when you know what those triggers are, respecting that helps them feel safe and secure, so that they can actually navigate the challenges when they have to.

So I want you to imagine being at a loud party, and someone is insisting that you stay and enjoy this party, but your ears are hurting, it feels like they're bleeding, from the noise.

How would you feel?

One, would you connect with that person, or would you be annoyed with them?

And how would your body feel if you were forced to be in a situation where you can't enjoy yourself, because it's hurting, it's painful, it is giving your body, I like to say, it's giving it the itch.

We don't want that for ourselves, so why would we want that for our child?

By acknowledging these sensitivities, you are actually teaching your child how to connect with their body, listen to it, and support it, and how to navigate their own sensory systems.

So it's really important, too, to start teaching them how they can do this on their own.

Okay, number three.

Simplify your communication.

A lot of the times, when a child is experiencing sensory overload, we are talking just too much, speaking too fast, and adding to that overload.

In those moments, we want to keep our instructions really simple.

We want to take a deep breath for ourself.

We need to be calm to help them stay calm, but we don't want to add to the sensory input, right?

We want to keep it very simple, very calm, very quiet.

Number four, create a safe, quiet space.

If this is possible, right?

This isn't always possible.

But a lot of the times when we're experiencing sensory overload, we need a place where we can retreat when we're feeling overstimulated.

So if I'm in my house and I'm about to pop, the best thing for me is honestly usually to crawl in bed, pull myself into the covers, and a couple of minutes later, I'm kind of ready because all that sensory input was taken away for a couple of minutes, and now I'm feeling a little bit better.

So our kids can benefit from that, too.

So where can they go when they are feeling overstimulated?

If you need ideas for this, I do have a free download on what products I love putting in a calming corner.

So if you haven't heard of a calming corner, it is literally that.

It is a place in your house where your child can go and calm down, and it's made for that.

So I'll put that in the show notes.

I do have some ideas that I love on there.

Number five, simplify routines.

So for a child who is sensitive to sensory input, transitions can be extra challenging.

So you might have noticed that your child's playing and you're trying to get them to change to do something, and right there is that meltdown.

So the less transitions we can have, the better for them, but also breaking tasks into smaller, simple steps.

So something like instead of this huge, we need to go get ready for the morning.

We need to go brush our teeth.

One step at a time is a lot easier for them to handle.

Also, using something like a visual schedule, if you haven't heard of that before, that is like a picture board that shows them exactly what's expected every day of them.

And I also love giving lots of warnings before transitioning.

So they know what to expect, and they're not quite as taken aback when they are immediately expected to change.

And last, offering modifications to help them participate.

So modifications is a word that we often use in OT, and it essentially is, instead of trying to change them, change the situation, what can we give them that helps them adjust an activity so it feels more manageable?

So I'm going to give you an example of this.

So again, if going to Target is really loud and hard for them, using something like noise-canceling headphones, or if certain clothing or textures are uncomfortable, let them wear clothes that are more comfortable for them so that they can go on this outing and enjoy it with you instead of focusing on the scratchy tag.

So these modifications help them feel secure, show them it's okay to participate in a way that actually works for them and their body.

Helping a sensory-sensitive child can feel really, really challenging.

There might be a lot of days where you just feel like the world, you just wish it would slow down so that it could be a little bit easier for your child.

And you're actually doing the best that you can to make that happen.

So every little step you take, every little adjustment you make, every single moment that you spend trying to understand your child's body shows them that they're safe, supported, and loved for exactly who they are.

And at the end of the day, it's not about trying to fix a sensory child, and that is a message I will write home about all the time.

We're not trying to fix them.

It's about helping them feel comfortable in a world that sometimes just feels too much, and doing it in a way that actually just feels good for their body, right?

Because that's what we want in the end.

We want our kids to feel good, loved, happy, and have fun, and be connected with us.

It is a step-by-step process, but you are teaching them that they don't have to face it alone.

You're their safe place, and you are here to help them through this.

I cannot emphasize enough that you are doing amazing work just by being here, trying to understand, and trying to learn how to help your child.

But with the right tools, it can feel a lot easier.

Imagine having a road map that helps you understand and confidently respond to your child's sensory needs, so that you can have more calm in your days and confidence as you approach it.

If this sounds like what you need, I mentioned this earlier, but I've got something in the works for you.

My brand new program Sensory Made Simple will be here so soon, and I cannot wait for it.

Join the waitlist to be first to know when it opens.

There's going to be some early bird discounts that you're only going to know about if you're on the waitlist.

And this one's really cool.

You actually get to be a part of building the course by telling me exactly what you need.

So I'm going to be sending out surveys to make sure that I'm actually answering the questions I'm giving the support you need in those 75 minutes.

All you have to do is go to www.drsamgoldman.com/sensorywaitlist and add your email in to join the list.

You don't have to do this alone.

Let's do it together.

So again, www.drsamgoldman.com/sensorywaitlist.

And I will see you next time on the podcast.

Thank you so much for joining me today on Sensory Made Simple.

I hope you're heading off with a little extra confidence and some easy ideas to tackle those sensory struggles head on.

If this episode was helpful or gave you a tip you can't wait to try, it would mean so much if you would share it with a friend or leave a quick review.

It helps more moms like you find the show and support their child too.

And remember, every small step you take makes a big difference for your child.

You've got this and I am cheering you on every step of the way.

See you next time.