Indispensable People
Making the Gospel Accessible to people of ALL abilities so that they may know Christ, grow in Him, and serve Him with the gifts He has given them.
Indispensable People
Navigating Sensory Challenges
Struggling with sensory overload or know someone who is? Join me, Tracie Corll, as we uncover the key indicators of sensory processing needs that span all age groups. From difficulties with transitions and social interactions to heightened sensitivity to sounds, we'll explore practical strategies for calming and managing these sensory experiences. Whether it's listening to soothing music, using weighted blankets, engaging in breath work, or even coloring, you'll discover how these tools can make a world of difference. Plus, learn about the crucial role of fidgets and the power of positive language in helping individuals articulate their sensory needs effectively.
In today’s episode, we shift our focus to tackling sensory challenges within ministry settings. Recognizing triggers and providing calming experiences are essential to preventing sensory overload and anxiety. By understanding underlying stressors and sensory input needs, we can offer proactive solutions that foster an inclusive and supportive church environment. Our mission? To ensure everyone can comfortably engage and learn about Jesus without being overwhelmed. Tune in as we share compassionate, intentional approaches that align with our mission to disciple others and create an inviting, inclusive atmosphere for all.
Hi, my name is Tracy Correll and welcome to Indispensable People. I'm a wife, mom, teacher, pastor and missionary, and I believe that every person should have the opportunity to know Christ, grow in Him and serve Him with the gifts that he has given, no matter their ability. Over 65 million Americans have a disability. That's 25% of the population. However, over 80% of them are not inside the walls of our church. Let's dive into those hard topics biblical foundations, perceptions and world-changing ideas. Hello and welcome to this episode of Indispensable People.
Speaker 1:Today, we're going to be talking about all things sensory. What are some sensory processing red flags? Let's talk about some calming activities, calming kits, the benefits of fidgets. We're going to get into all of it and if you don't think this is a big thing that can help you in the ministry that you're in, I hope that by the time we're done, it really sounds like something that can be applicable. Listen, you're not doing the diagnosing, you're not looking, but here are some things that will help you to notice whether or not some kids have some sensory needs, and then we're going to talk about how to address them. So some of these kiddos might well. Listen, I say kiddos, I don't just mean kiddos, really, this is kids, teens, adults. You're going to really see these things with all of these individuals. However, what I would say is, the younger the age, probably, the more difficult it is, and here's why, when they're younger, the ability to regulate through all of those sensory processing things is new. Right, they're just figuring things out, they're just walking into it when they're younger and then their ability at that point to figure out how to handle those things is extremely minimal, right? I mean, just think about a typical two-year-old that hasn't had a nap. Right, they are. They're turning into a bear. Everything makes them angry, they're crying at a drop of a hat, all of those kinds of things. But as the child gets older, there are different ways that they handle those things, and you know they might still have. Listen, let's be perfectly honest when I need a nap, sometimes I'm a bit grumpy. Okay, we still all have those things, but we're capable of working through that.
Speaker 1:Now, individuals with disabilities, who have sensory processing issues, which means all of the things that are coming at them through life taste, touch, smell, hearing, feeling all of that kind of stuff is their body, doesn't process it or deal with it the same way that you and I do. You might walk outside after you've been in a dark room. Let's say you went to a movie and the lights are bright, right. But for someone with sensory processing issues that are impacted visual like that bright light is like that all the time. Or with certain kind of lights or different things like that, the same with sound and smells and tastes and touch Everything is intensified, which means it is harder to deal with and process through. And so let's look at what are some red flags, what are going to be pointed out. And again, these things happen through the ages, but it's likely to be more intense as the person is younger and as they get older.
Speaker 1:They're still going to deal with these things, but they may have learned how to deal with it or come prepared with certain things because of it, or adapt to certain situations in certain ways. So here's some things that you're going to see. Maybe they have difficulty with transitions or they struggle in social situations. They might get stressed out by certain sounds. They might struggle to calm themselves once they have reached that level of anxiety or stress. They might have frequent meltdowns. They might avoid different food textures. They might be consistently bouncing or jumping or often fidgeting. They may have a high pain tolerance or a low pain tolerance, and that goes back to a sensory seeker, sensory avoider. You may see anxiety and fear in them. So those are some things that you're going to see. So let's talk about what are some calming things that can really help those individuals once they get to that level of anxiety and they're struggling to regulate some of those things Maybe listening to calming music, for example.
Speaker 1:When I was teaching first grade, those kiddos were used to some type of noise. They were also used to a little bit more chaos on a regular basis, but we all know that those situations and those environments are not the most beneficial for a learning environment. So all day long I would play instrumental music in the background, whether it was classical music, whether it was, you know, worship music with just instrumental. So calming music. Worship music with just instrumental. So calming music. Coloring, breathing exercises, some reading, sensory bottles using a weighted blanket, just having a hug, taking a walk all of those kinds of things are beneficial for those individuals in a intensified situation where they're looking for ways to calm. So let's talk about the next step in that, where we're going to think about how do we talk through, how do we give them options to do those things? And in our last podcast we talked about those positive language choices, helping them to identify. Oh, I see that, or I noticed that we can use that kind of terminology and you could say how can I help you what works best for you when you feel, in whatever way that they're describing, all of those different things are going to be beneficial in dealing with it. So we know what we might see, we know some calming strategies, and then we also have some positive language things that we can offer.
Speaker 1:But also consider fidgets. Now here's what we. I think fidgets are kind of getting a bad name right now, and the reason for that is because every kid loves a fidget. They're like toys and they enjoy. And it's kind of like how you hear everybody saying oh yeah, well, I'm kind of ADHD or I'm kind of autistic. No, you're not. You might have some tendencies that look that way, but you don't have a diagnosis. And there's a reason that you don't have a diagnosis. Now, don't get me wrong. There are some people who have been misdiagnosed or have not been diagnosed, but for the most part, a lot of people are walking around saying oh yeah, I'm kind of ADHD. Well, just because you get distracted from time to time doesn't mean you're ADHD. We're talking about real things that people are dealing with to an intensity that qualifies them in a certain disability category. So the same thing's happening with fidgets, right? Everybody loves the fidget, it's just fun. I want to play and I want to do and I want to have um. But they really do have, they really do have good purposes and they do great things.
Speaker 1:And in ministry, the, the fidgets that I recommend are not. They are not. They're not going to cause distraction. They're not all these big showy things. Because in the end, if it helps to keep one kid focused but then distracts the rest, or if you're sitting in youth group and you've got a kid flinging around, this one thing that they're playing with in their hands, you're distracting the whole group. Same deal in an adult service. When you're sitting in service and you see things you know moving and flying, that becomes an issue. I also always recommend that when using fidgets, they need to be given directions with that. They need to understand that there will be consequences if they're not properly used. In addition to that, I would say this is more specific to young kids, but in addition to that, I would help to educate the rest of the group about how God made us all differently and some people need certain things that aren't the same as other people, and that's absolutely fine, and we give people what they need so they can learn about Jesus. And sometimes it's a fidget so that they can sit and focus and hear what this speaker is saying.
Speaker 1:So here's some basic benefits of using fidgets it increases focus and concentration, and I think that's probably one of the things that we hear about the most. They reduce stress and anxiety. They improve learning. Improve learning why? Because we can focus and we can concentrate. It enhances hand-eye coordination. That's kind of like a side benefit. Right, it improves development for calming like and self-regulating through that calming. So that's a really cool thing. That kids also provides a sensory input for those kids who are sensory seekers. It calms the nervous system and side benefit not super important to church, but it's still great Helps improve fine motors, while it develops the muscles because we're using our hands, so that's just like a side benefit that we get to have. So those are all really great options when considering working through some sensory processing needs. Okay, so we've talked about what it looks like We've talked about some calming activities and using that positive, positive language, alternatives, and then fidgets as another strategy or alternative, so that we can give positive opportunities to work through the benefits of learning how to deal with those sensory needs.
Speaker 1:Now here are some things. I want to give a little bit of a warning. If you would picture an iceberg right, I know that so many people have seen, like the iceberg example, what we see and what we don't see are very big things. When it comes to the sensory processing things, some of us will think, wow, that escalated fast. You know where did that come from. But what we need to realize is that there is typically a trigger and it's not like we're at the top of, we're at the peak immediately. Right, there's something. We're working our way up to the peak because we've had a trigger, we have not been able to regulate it, and then we're over and we're beyond and it's difficult to come back from. But I want you to be aware of some things that you're going to see in this kind of iceberg type. Look to an escalating situation. So, when the trigger happens, these might be some big things that you see that make it easy to identify Crying, stimming.
Speaker 1:They become hyperactive, screaming, aggression, hitting. They're not listening. They might be covering their ears, maybe they're shutting down and kind of withdrawing, or they try to physically run away from the situation that we're in Now. Those are the overt, easy things to identify and at this point we have gotten to the pinnacle, like we're at the top, we're in trouble, the not so great things are happening.
Speaker 1:So the goal would be catch it before it gets to this point, find the triggers, offer the solutions, provide calming experience in that positive language, because under the iceberg, which is the part that would be in the water that we don't necessarily see, is when the sensory overload begins, the frustration and the anxiety builds. There might be changes to the routine or they're seeking the sensory input that they don't have access to because they're expected to sit quietly and not move. The stressors that they're experiencing, based on, maybe, activities or opportunities to interact with others that become difficult, or the inability to communicate needs, those are things that are not going to be overt, but we have to be on the lookout, be intentional about noticing, so that we don't get to the pinnacle, we don't get to those big, horrible, terrible things, and we can offer the strategies before we get to that point. So there's a lot that goes on with sensory needs. There's a lot that we can do to help those individuals through our calming strategies and using fidgets and positive language opportunities, because we want to avoid getting to the top of the iceberg. We want to notice the things underneath, the things that people don't normally see, so that we don't get to the things that do stick out and do become major things that we end up having to deal with. So we want to stick to the positive. We want to offer solutions and we want to provide calming activities to help those who are dealing with that increase of sensory input or the need for some sensory input. So why do we do that? Why does it matter in ministry? Why are we talking about sensory processing? You're sitting there thinking I'm not a doctor, I'm not a therapist, I don't walk through these kinds of things.
Speaker 1:It all points back to Jesus. We want to make sure that people are in an environment in our churches, no matter what age or stage of life. That people are in an environment in our churches, no matter what age or stage of life that they're in, and they have the opportunity to learn about Jesus in an environment that is comfortable and that works for them, because otherwise we put them back in that fight or flight mode that we've talked about previously, which means they're not intaking anything that we're sharing with them as we are discipling. We want to create disciples and to do that, we need to provide conducive environments and be intentional about the approach that we provide, because, in the end, jesus is the goal. Do I know everything about disability ministry? Do I have all the answers? Have I done everything perfectly? I have absolutely not, but we are going to continue this conversation so that people of all abilities can have the opportunity to know Christ, grow in Him and serve Him with the gifts that he has given them.
