It is summer time in Michigan and WOW our State is beautiful this time of year! As we try to soak up the goodness with our kids, many of us are realizing a long hot, sticky day of fun plans and mosquitos is a recipe for overstimulation and meltdowns.

Sound familiar?

If you have a young child between the ages of 2-5 or older kiddos who struggle with Sensory Processing Disorder, you are probably saying : yep!

The great news is that Chiropractic care can help our sweet kids process their world better by helping modulate their stress, while also lessening the impact of overstimulation in their system.

In conjunction with Chiropractic care, we have a few more tips to share with our incredible community of caregivers and parents.

Tip Number One : The power of predictability.

Many of our kids who are more sensitive, feel secure inside of a routine. A great way to support them is to share the schedule with them, and allow them to have input in some of the activities.

Try your best to stick to the schedule!

Tip Number Two :  Provide a space for sensory time-outs.

Each half hour, or whenever you notice your child’s patience starts to wear thin and tensions begin building, try suggesting a 10 minute break in the car with the air conditioning on, time in a dark room with a fan blowing, or a walk to decompress.

Tip Number Three : Pack a to-go bag

A to-go bag full of calming items (noise canceling headphones, sunglasses, hat, silly putty, weighted blanket/lap pad, bottled water, healthy snack) that the child has easy access to.

Especially for older kids, you can communicate they have this resource while your family stays busy out and about, and make sure they have easy access to their special bag.

Tip Number Four : Develop an exit strategy with your family beforehand.

Set up a signal that your child can use to indicate they need to go, or even one that the adults can use to communicate that a child is on the brink of overwhelm.

If the child is old enough, discuss when the event starts and how long they believe that they can be there (this is especially helpful if there are siblings). Think, overcommunication!

This tip is similar to our first tip on predictability.

By using the tips above, we are helping children feel calm, safe, and valued even when the activities may be new or overwhelming.

While meltdowns are sometimes a part of life, this will be one big step in helping minimize them! We love being a resource for our parents and empowering them with the tools they need to succeed. Needing some encouragement? Please reach out to us over email or during your next appointment!