Is it Sensory or Behavioral?

Emotional outbursts and aggressive behavior in sensory children can be sensory or behavioral, but which is it? Sometimes a child’s emotional outburst or aggression is purely sensory related such as the case when a child reacts to loud noise, crowds, scratchy clothes, hair washing, or touch from another child.  Sensory-based behaviors may be linked to a single event or may be the result of cumulative sensory sensation. Children are often the most reactive at the end of the day, when their sensory buckets become full. Therefore, a child’s exaggerated sensory response to an experience may be a result of the whole day’s stimulation rather than a single event.  Or it can be related to the time of the year, such as when seasons change, especially with drastic temperature disparities, or when clocks shift for Daylight Saving Time or the school year winds down; these transitions can create heightened sensory responses. When you try to determine triggers and you cannot identify a single source such as a task or transition, think about your child’s entire day and what may have contributed to the sensory bucket. Changes in routine often trigger negative behavior. For example, did your child attend a school assembly that day? Did your child have a substitute teacher? Did relatives come to stay with you, interrupting your child’s routine?

Emotional outbursts or aggression may be behavioral and revolve around a child’s wishes or needs at the moment such as when the child tantrums and hits you when told he cannot have a toy or when you turn off the television. Or behavior can stem from prior sensory challenges.  For instance, Jack is receiving occupational therapy intervention for sensory processing disorder.  Each time Jack becomes reactive, Mom showers Jack with attention whisking him away to his calming sensory retreat (a correct approach). However, the child may learn that meltdowns equate to attention from Mom and when sensory processing issues start to resolve, a child may tantrum on occasion when craving attention from Mom. Another example is the child with an oral sensory sensitivity. The child may experience discomfort and pain from trying to swallow textured foods so the child learns that eating food is very uncomfortable and painful. After occupational therapy intervention, the oral sensitivity resolves but every time the child is presented with a new texture, he tantrums and throws food on the floor.

Sensory and behavioral are often intermingled making the lines blue between them. For example, Jack may throw a temper tantrum or become aggressive because he does not want to go to bed. If Jack’s parents relent in order to stop the tantrum, the behavior is reinforced. Behavior that is reinforced, whether inadvertently or purposefully, is more likely to continue. Therefore, because this behavior works for Jack, it is likely to persist. If Jack has sensory processing disorder and is upset by scratchy pajamas, fear of the dark, and is over aroused, then his tantrum or aggressive behavior may be a combination of both sensory and behavioral. The underlying sensory problems must first be addressed to get the child regulated. For instance, Jack’s parents may find soft pajamas free of tags, seams and applique. They may install a night light in his room, and use calming strategies to address his overarousal. After addressing the sensory issues, the parent’s behavioral strategy may be taking him by the hand and leading Jack to bed when has recovered from the tantrum. Jack will then learn that a tantrum will not give him what he wants.

Therefore, parental strategies must revolve around both sensory supports and behavioral plans in order to best deal with a sensory child’s emotional outbursts. Consult with your child’s therapists on what supports and plans are best for your child. One important note is that when utilizing behavioral strategies, never withhold sensory diet activities as a punitive measure.  Sensory children need their sensory diet to regulate.