Sensory inclusive bag for people with sensory processing disorders

Sensory friendly is a designed environment which is an accommodation for people who have a sensory dysfunction or a

sensory processing disorder Sensory processing disorder (SPD, formerly known as sensory integration dysfunction) is a condition in which multisensory input is not adequately processed in order to provide appropriate responses to the demands of the environment. Sensory proces ...

. There are sensory friendly experiences which are offered by businesses and there is also sensory friendly furniture.

Background

Adults and children who report a sensory dysfunction or a sensory-integration disturbance often also present with a

learning disability Learning disability, learning disorder, or learning difficulty (British English) is a condition in the brain that causes difficulties comprehending or processing information and can be caused by several different factors. Given the "difficult ...

. A sensory friendly environment is created to assist those with a

Sensory processing disorder Sensory processing disorder (SPD, formerly known as sensory integration dysfunction) is a condition in which multisensory input is not adequately processed in order to provide appropriate responses to the demands of the environment. Sensory proces ...

(SDP). The disorder is characterized by a hypersensitivity to stimuli accompanied by anxiety. The

Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation Doing business aSTAR Institutethe 'STAR Center Foundation'' (formerly known as the Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation and the KID Foundation) is a registered 501(c)3, nonprofit organization dedicated to treatment, research and education relat ...

believes that there may be as many as one in every 20 people living with a sensory processing disorder.

Autism

Autistic The autism spectrum, often referred to as just autism or in the context of a professional diagnosis autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental condition (or conditions) characterized by difficulti ...

people often experience

sensory overload Sensory overload occurs when one or more of the body's senses experiences over-stimulation from the environment. There are many environmental elements that affect an individual. Examples of these elements are urbanization, crowding, noise, mass ...

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. For adults with autism, modification of the workplace environment includes softened lighting, reduced noise and partitions around work areas.

PTSD and dementia

Sensory challenges are often experienced by people with

post-traumatic stress disorder Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental and behavioral disorder that can develop because of exposure to a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, warfare, traffic collisions, child abuse, domestic violence, or other threats on ...

(PTSD) and

dementia Dementia is a disorder which manifests as a set of related symptoms, which usually surfaces when the brain is damaged by injury or disease. The symptoms involve progressive impairments in memory, thinking, and behavior, which negatively affe ...

. Sensory friendly areas of venues might include noise-cancelling headphones or quieter areas where guests can relax.

Venues

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. The theaters also allow attendees to move around during the presentation, and even converse with the screen. The diminished stimulation is considered sensory friendly. The

Betty Brinn Children's Museum The Betty Brinn Children's Museum is a non-profit children's museum located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. About the Museum The museum is a "hands-on" exhibit based educational museum primarily targeted for children between the ages of 1 and 10. It inc ...

sells a Sensory-Friendly Play Pass to accommodate children who are in need of a calmer, quieter space. 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".

Designs

The

Target Corporation Target Corporation (doing business as Target and stylized in all lowercase since 2018) is an American big box department store chain headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the seventh largest retailer in the United States, and a compon ...

tailored furniture that they sell to what they called sensory-friendly designs. They also advertise

weighted blanket A weighted blanket is a heavy blanket that is used to aid sleep and reduce anxiety. Initially, weighted blankets were most commonly used as therapeutic tools to assist individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), dementia, and mental health ...

s which they say are "calming". In June of 2022 the

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...

major league baseball team announced that they would designate a quiet area at

American Family Field American Family Field is a retractable roof stadium used primarily for baseball. It is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, just southwest of the intersection of Interstate 94 and Brewers Boulevard. It is the home of Major League Baseball's Milwauk ...

with sensory bags to accommodate those with sensory processing disorders. They stated that they would have "sensory bags" which will contain

noise-cancelling headphones Noise-cancelling headphones reduce unwanted ambient sounds using active noise control. This is distinct from passive headphones which, if they reduce ambient sounds at all, use techniques such as soundproofing. Noise cancellation makes it possible ...

, a

fidget toy A fidget spinner A fidget toy is typically a small object used for pleasant but purposeless activity with the hands (manual fidgeting or stimming). Some users believe these toys help them tolerate anxiety, frustration, agitation, boredom, and ...

, verbal cue cards and a weighted lap pad.

Organizations

KultureCity is a

Nonprofit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

which provides training, and certification for venues and events to accommodate those with sensory sensitivities. The organization also provides a

software application Software is a set of computer programs and associated documentation and data. This is in contrast to hardware, from which the system is built and which actually performs the work. At the lowest programming level, executable code consists ...

for Apple and Android devices which lists Sensory friendly venues. The application also lists sensory inclusive modifications. Their motto is: "Make the nevers possible by creating sensory accessibility and inclusion for those with invisible disabilities". 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.

References

External links

Video - Sensory-Friendly Strategies for Home
{{Pervasive developmental disorders Perception Autism Sensory systems Sensory accommodations