Episode 023: Ready to unmask all that sensory stuff?
David mentions his home office set up, where his microphone is on top of his computer, which is on the floor, and he is also sitting on the floor, because he still hasn’t gotten a desk. Isabelle supports the floor sitting and prefers it herself for her sessions, or standing. The two agree on swivel chairs and some of the squeaky and smooth qualities of swinging or rocking, and Isabelle mentions that 5 S’s, or the hacks that are supposed to help lull an infant to sleep (5 S’s) —what is it about water that Isabelle finds so soothing on a sensory level? Isabelle’s theory is that it provides a deep consistent pressure, and a lot of sensation and stimulation, the almost-weightless feeling— a set of physical sensations. David validates this: cold water is a neurological stimulant, and the sense of buoyancy may not be comforting for everyone, but soothing for you. David mentions Wim Hof and his method that uses very cold water/showers and breathing methods to give a bit of a reset. David points out that water may also be helpful because it provides bilateral stimulation and an element of risk taking (you have to keep swimming or moving or you’ll drown), and Isabelle confirms that for her that pressure and buoyancy and the sensation of being pulled down (like Twilight Zone Tower of Terror). Bilateral stimulation is when you stimulate first one side of the brain, then the other. It has been known to help with trauma processing (for example, what’s used in a method called EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), and added stimulation can be comforting alongside cognitive processing. Owning the idea that it might be comforting for you, not for everyone. There is a spectrum, for example, some people love a weighted blanket, some people cannot tolerate it. Make sure it’s a weighted blanket that is right for your age and weight range (because there are limits)—David almost threw his arm out throwing a weighted blanket. David tried it for three nights and then got too hot. Isabelle and Bobby’s blanket doubles up when one of them tosses their large blanket onto the other during the night. Isabelle talks about all the sensory rooms she wishes existed, and how awesome certain sensory toys are, and they agree about ball pits and how it feels. She mentions the City Museum of St. Louis (see below) which is filled with incredible sensory experiences—Isabelle had an experience where (as a six foot tall person) in a ball pit, she thought there might not be a bottom. David helped prompt Isabelle to remember what she was talking about by repeating back what her tangents were. Isabelle names that she has not idea where she learned something but can also picture it—David names that there are anchor memories. Isabelle notes that conversations with neurotypical friends—she slows down, tries to stay on topic, tries not to interrupt, which she notices she does not do with her neurodivergent friends. David never understood what masking was until he met David Flink and became involved with Project Eye to Eye. David learned through the trainings and collaborations with that organization that masking (pretending to be neurotypical) was chipping away at his authenticity. His usual rate of talking is 1.5x—and it takes energy to slow down, both Isabelle and David agree it’s exhausting to slow down. David describes how when everyone was talking, this guy named Grady was throwing a ball against the wall, and then he shared this racquetball experience with each other. While Marcus, LeDerick, were training us to be embassadors for learning differences; no one in that room dared to challenge someone to say they weren’t paying attention, regardless of what they were doing—it was such an empowering and incredible space. Isabelle remarks on how amazing this sounds and names that throughout this whole conversation, she has been fidgeting with a My Little Pony plastic tail—and how it would feel to hold up that fidget toy with pride. The importance of explaining to people why we need our sensory toys and fidgets and just how much it matters to unmask and set new models for people.
5 S’s (for soothing babies, developed by Dr. Harvey Karp who wrote the book The Happiest Baby on the Block) but as David and Isabelle name, these can be great sensory ideas for folx in any age or stage)
-swaddle (think of a weighted vest/tight shirt/weighted blanket/body sack/body sock)
-holding baby on their side or stomach (lying down in that position)
-shush (imitating white noise) (noise machine or ambient music)
-swing (or rock)
-suck (pacifier or thumb)
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, a thrill ride that gives you a specific dropping sensation because it pulls you at a rate faster than freefall
Wim Hof: Also known as the Ice Man, developed a breathing method to endure cold temperatures and holding his breath a long time. It’s a breathing method that can help you stimulate yourself and ground yourself using a cold shower, for example.
DAVID’S DEFINITIONS
Bilateral stimulation: Any rhythmic stimulation of first one side of the brain/body (eg. left), then the other side (eg. The right). Essentially it’s going back and forth, back and forth, almost like a metronome, but with a tone, a tap, a light, or a movement. Examples that we naturally do are: walking, climbing (first one foot, then another), or butterfly hugs (see here).
EMDR (or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): a therapy used to help clients process traumatic events that involves rhythmic bilateral stimulation (in the form of tones, taps, or even flashing lights, that first stimulate one side of your brain/body, then the other, back and forth. For more, check out the American Psychological Association description of this type of therapy.
Learning Difference (LD): Because learning disability is a crummy, inaccurate term. For example, David does not have a learning disability, he has a sitting still disability.
Masking: Often used in referenced to folx with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), it also applies to folx with ADHD (or both!), it’s the idea that you have to wear a neurotypical mask to be accepted or to engage in a world made for those that are neurotypical. It can be (and feel like) a matter of survival.
From a great article on the topic:
“For many neurodivergent people, masking is a survival tool for engaging in neurotypical societies and organizations. Masking (also called camouflaging) is the artificial performance of social behaviors deemed more “socially acceptable” in a neurotypical culture.”
Sensory Tools Galore!
First of all, there is no one size fits all! This list is not exhaustive, but we’ll keep adding to it, too!
Balance boards
Bean bags (some lighter/heavier, hand held, chairs)
Bilateral stimulation (see above definition)
Body sock/body sack
cold water - (except this one, this is always stimulating), like a cold shower
Chews (chew toys, bubble gum)
Fidget cubes, spinners, etc.
Headphones (noise cancelling, white noise, music, podcasts/people talking)
Kinetic Sand (and regular sand boxes/sand trays/rock gardens)
Monkey noodles (stretchy squishy things)
Pop it (bubble wrap simulating) toys, balls, various shapes
Rocking chairs/rocking seats
Screens (games, shows, noise)
Spiky sensory finger rings
Swings
Swivel chairs
Squishy things (soft rise, beads inside, hard to squeeze/softer to squeeze-play with all the textures)
Teeter Popper (handheld seesaw/rocker that makes popping noises, technically ages 3-6 but seems to hold adults fine?)
Tubes (pop tubes, squishy tubes)
Waterbeads
Weighted blanket or toy
Wobble seat/wobble cushion
For full show notes and more, check out our website!
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Cover Art by: Sol Vázquez
Technical Support by: Bobby Richards
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