Tactile sensory issues are commonly found in autistic kids. (see our post Sensory Issues to Keep in Mind when purchasing Autism Toys to read more about sensory issues).

Toys that incorporate a lot of tactile feedback and provide a focus for autistic kids’ fidgeting can be a good option when tactile sensitivity is at play.

Tangle Creations makes a variety of sensory fidget toys for special needs children. The ones I’ll be looking at here are those in the Tangle Therapy line. These toys fit in your hand, and you move them around almost like prayer beads.

They’re very cheap at less than $10 a pop, but how do they stack up and what do parents think of them?

Tangle Therapy Sensory Fidget Toys In Action

Tangle Therapy lines are geared towards anybody who might [Continue Reading…]

Autistic children often experience sensory issues that you should keep in mind when buying toys or games for them.  For example, an autistic child might avoid loud or colorful toys if he is hypersensitive to sounds and colors. Or conversely he might crave these toys if he is hyposensitive to sounds and sights.

Research studies find that between 30 to 100% of autistic children have some type of sensory issue and that sensory issues seem more common during childhood than in adulthood.

In this post I’ll talk about some common sensory issues experienced by autistic children from the scientific literature as well as anecdotal evidence from parents and caretakers of children with autism. I also talk about symptoms associated with each issue.

1. Visual Sensory Issues

Researchers have found that rods and cones in the eyes of autistic children are different from non-autistics in part due to chemical imbalances or neural deficiencies. Of the autistic children tested by some studies, 85% saw colors with greater intensity than neuro-typical children. To these autistic children, red appears nearly fluorescent and vibrates intensely. A small proportion (10%) saw color as non-autistic children do, and 5% saw muted colors. Studies also find that visual spatial skills are generally very advanced in autistic children. Researchers also find that autistic children often experience “Gestalt perception,” or an inability to filter foreground and background information. This causes everything they see to be viewed in its entirety instead of as a combination of different things. It makes it hard for them to recognize things if one minor detail is changed. Visual sensory issues can also cause autistic children to have difficulty following environmental cues. many can’t distinguish normal visual cues such as exit or restroom signage.

Key Things To Keep In Mind For Hyposensitive Children (not enough visual stimulation):

• Children who are hypo-sensitive to color tend to see color in muted tones. They will seek out primary and other vibrant colors because they perceive things as grey.

• They may withdraw from areas or things with vivid colors and visual patterns
• Primary colors can be distracting, so you might want to remove bright toys from learning areas
• Some children may become obsessed with complex environments, such as memorizing all the shapes and lines in an environment. This means that shutters and drapery can be over-stimulating. Painting window frames with a muted color that is the same as the shade can help prevent overstimulation. [Continue Reading…]