Athens, Ga. (January 4, 2024) - For some children with special sensory needs, the lights, sounds, and crowds during the holidays are too overwhelming, leading many to miss the chance to whisper in Santa’s ear what they hoped to see under the tree on Christmas morning. Understanding that these children and their parents would love some time with Santa, the Piedmont Athens Regional Pediatric Rehabilitation Department hosted a Sensory Santa event.
“This event gave the children one-on-one time with Santa in a special area where they could interact with him however they could or wanted to,” explained Kelley Claas, MED, CCC-CLP, who manages rehabilitation services at Piedmont Athens Regional. “Some children might sit in a chair next to him, some might sit on his lap, and still others just wanted to talk to him from across the room or from the doorway. Taking the crowds, loud noises, and over-stimulation out of the equation helps children who cannot handle that type of environment.”
This year, about 20 families whose children are seen in the pediatric rehabilitation department for sensory integration therapy reserved time for their family to visit with Santa and, for many, get a picture with Santa for the first time.
“It was so nice to see families having fun together and being more relaxed because they knew they would not be judged if their child had difficulty standing still, was loud, or cried,” said Claas.
Sensory integration therapy involves evaluating how a child processes sensory information from the visual, auditory, olfactory (smell), gustatory (taste), and tactile systems to let them know what is going on in their environment. It also requires an evaluation of how a child interprets what is going on in their body by assessing how a child is processing different sensations. Children may act out because they are overwhelmed, or they may withdraw from certain situations and stimulations.
Therapists in Piedmont Athens Regional’s pediatric rehab department work with both children and their caregivers to understand the child’s needs, create a home program to provide the support a child needs, including using techniques to teach self-modulation, develop sensory routines, and provide accommodations for the child to be successful at home, school, and in the community. Part of the treatment involves physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, or a combination of any of the three.
“We are very happy that so many of our families were able to participate in the Sensory Santa event, and we hope to be able to expand the event next year,” said Claas.