Sensory Aware Saturday

It’s time for one of our favorite events, Sensory Aware Saturday! Join the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History on March 21^st for their annual Sensory Aware Saturday event! This is a super fun (FREE) event at the museum where families of individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities can come and experience the museum in a sensory friendly way. The event will be from 5:30PM-7:30PM and registration will be required.

What Makes It Sensory Friendly?

There are a handful of ways that the museum has made this experience sensory friendly for children. As you know, there are 5 major senses: hearing, sight, smell, taste, and touch. The museum has gone out of their way and made adjustments in the museum for all of these (well, not taste). Some of the things you will get to experience are:

• Dimmed lights
• Lowered music
• Quite room
• Closed to the general public
• Therapist guided activities
• Community resources (such as PediaPlex!)

Other Important Notes
Due to this event being sensory friendly, the museum is limiting attendance to 600 guests. You will want to make sure your RSVP and get your tickets early. Follow this link to get them now! This event is at night during dinner hours but their Stars Café will be closed so be sure to eat beforehand or pack some snacks. Take a look at the image on your right to see a social story that the Fort Worth Science Museum has prepared so that you can share with your child before the event. The image expands when opened so you can print this off!

Looking Forward

This is a great event to go to as we prepare to celebrate Occupational Therapy Awareness Month in April! For those who don’t know, sensory processing disorder is something that we can work on in Occupational Therapy. Sensory processing disorder can make children overly sensitive to their environment, or they could also be under responsive. Some signs could be:

• Trouble transitioning from one activity to another
• Very sensitive to wearing clothing and may seem uncomfortable
• Slow to respond to pain
• Doesn’t really like being held, cuddled, or touched
• Seems overly sensitive to sounds, smells, or touches
• Always bumping into things or has a “floppy” body; invades personal space
• Has difficulty eating or doing other fine motor skills
• Has trouble falling or staying asleep
• Experiences sudden mood changes or tantrums
• Difficulty potty training

These are just a handful of signs you might see in a toddler or preschooler. If you’re having any concerns about your child and sensory processing disorder, please visit our website or give us a call today!

-The PediaPlex Family