A shirt tag can be a minor annoyance to one person and a constant, impossible-to-ignore source of discomfort to another. The same can be true of sock seams, stiff waistbands,
“Just cook something” can sound like a simple solution to hunger, budgeting, or nutrition. In practice, preparing a meal may require choosing what to eat, checking ingredients, remembering what is
A supermarket asks a shopper to do far more than choose food. Fluorescent or LED lighting fills a large room with few visual breaks. Refrigeration units hum continuously. Carts rattle,
The phrase sensory diet can sound more precise than it really is. In everyday occupational-therapy language, it usually refers to a planned pattern of sensory activities or environmental supports intended
A child complains of feeling sick every school morning. A teenager reaches the school entrance but cannot go inside. Another student attends for several days, becomes increasingly exhausted, and then
Someone turns the music up loud, constantly moves while working, prefers intense flavors, touches every interesting texture in a store, or seeks strong pressure and fast movement. The same person
A scented candle may make one person’s office feel comfortable. Another person may enter the same room and immediately want to leave. Perfume that seems subtle to its wearer can
One person cannot tolerate the sound of chips being eaten during a movie. Another needs background television while relaxing. Someone wants the overhead lights off; their partner needs bright light
One person cannot tolerate the sound of chips being eaten during a movie. Another needs background television while relaxing. Someone wants the overhead lights off; their partner needs bright light
When someone becomes overwhelmed by a loud room, glaring light, strong fragrance, crowded space, or uncomfortable texture, the response is often framed as a problem of regulation: take deep breaths,