How Sensory & Allergy Symptoms Affect Our Behavior
By: Kelli Arnone, MOT, OTR/L, SIPT
Pediatric Potentials Rehab, Inc.

Two of the biggest challenges our children face these days when it comes to their behaviors are: sensory processing difficulties and hidden sensitivities or allergies to our environment.

Do you remember being a child and playing outside for hours at a time until the street lights came on, riding bikes, playing hide and seek, eating carrots or peas from your own garden, playing in the mud and not having the stress of time limits or homework that our kids have today? It rings a bell for me!

It is exciting to have a new generation of children who are more intelligent and who have such great exposure to technology at a young age, but this comes at a cost. When our children have less time for outside play and physical education, and more time allotted for cognitive activities (such as computers or video games), and when they are sitting more than moving, then we have children who are more sensory compromised. When children do not get to use their muscles and explore with their senses enough throughout the day, they are not getting the foundational experiences their bodies need in order to sit still, pay attention, have good behaviors and be in the optimal arousal state for learning. Sensory processing disorders are on the rise, as I now see an increase of children in every classroom who are acting out due to sensory processing inefficiencies.

The number of children with allergies and asthma is also on the rise, as 1 in 4 children have allergy or breathing related problems (www.aaaai.org). What has changed in our environment as a whole to cause these numbers to rise? Well, if we go back to the theory of “we are what we eat”, we can take a look at what is different in our foods and our environment.

The fruits and vegetables we eat now are grown in the same soil that was used hundreds of years ago. The difference in our soil now is that it is depleted of the many vitamins and minerals that were there years ago. The farmers are also using more pesticides to protect the produce and chemicals to get their crops to grow faster. The food industry is then tailoring foods to our busy lifestyles, so they are creating meals that are well preserved and ready to go, without needing much preparation time. Busy families are often relying on fast food restaurants to get their families fed and their children off to piano, tutoring or soccer practice. So the food our kids are eating is much different from the meals our grandparents ate when they were growing up.

We also face high levels of pollution and chemicals in our environment, ranging from pesticides, plastics, smoke, bleach, chlorine products, skin care ingredients that are not natural, radiation, and car and factory pollution that have negative effects on our body either immediately, or most often, slowly over time.

In the end, as I see it, we have high numbers of bright children who have behavioral issues that we can relate back to having sensory processing difficulties, and/or allergies or sensitivities to foods and chemicals in our environment. The difference between sensory and allergy based behaviors can be very difficult to detect for many parents and professionals, so the following behaviors have been highlighted to help you think outside the box, and give you more food for thought.

Irritable Baby Symptoms:
Allergy Response-
When children come into our office for an evaluation, we discuss their development, starting from birth. It often comes up that they were irritable as an infant or diagnosed with having colic. If they were fussy after eating, had abdominal discomfort and/or needed to switch formulas (often from milk to soy, and then to other hypoallergenic formulas if needed), then they seem to have the criteria for having colic. These babies fit into what I call “the allergy category” as their digestive systems cannot tolerate certain foods or formula ingredients. They often times don’t have a true medical allergy to milk, but they are sensitive and reactive to something they are ingesting. These children would then benefit from their doctor’s recommendations to change formulas or adjust the foods the mother eats when breast feeding. As these children get older, the parents need to continue to watch the foods that are offered and ingested, as different symptoms can arise, related to their digestive systems not agreeing with what they are eating. Frequent symptoms that are reported include: chronic constipation, environmental allergies, rashes and/or reflux.

Sensory Response-
The fussy babies that appear colicky only because no other medical conditions are evident may be the babies that are truly hypersensitive to movement, touch, noise, etc… The parents in this case would be less successful when modifying the baby’s milk or formula. The parents may notice that the constant or frequent crying may not be timed just after mealtimes, and they are unsuccessful at calming their baby when he/she is rocked, walked or bounced, as this is the very reason the child is crying. This is a sign of being hypersensitive to movement, which is the brain stem’s overactive response to sensory stimulation coming from the vestibular system. The parents may also try stroking the child lightly to calm, but if the child is hypersensitive to touch, then this is the very type of stimulation that makes the crying worse. If you are a parent struggling with your baby, pay attention to these senses: does your child calm with more or less movement, and does your child calm with firm touch, blanket wraps and massage better than being stroked lightly on the head, face or extremities? If your child constantly needs to be moving (held, bounced, rocked, or driven in the car) then they are seeking vestibular (movement) stimulation in order to feel content enough to play or even fall asleep. If your baby is happier when not moving or held, or when left alone to calm in a quiet or dark place, then he/she is more sensory avoidant and hypersensitive to these types of sensations. An occupational therapist trained in sensory integration techniques can help you figure out what works best to calm or stimulate your baby which should help reduce or eliminate those “fussy baby symptoms,” if in fact it’s a sensory symptom, versus a true digestive disorder.

Distressed with Loud Sounds:
Allergy Response-
A history of ear infections and/or chronic congestion can disrupt the functioning of the middle ear and result in hypersensitivity to sounds, either when fluid is present or when scar tissue has formed around the muscles of the middle ear that protect our ear drums from sound. Every effort should be made to avoid ear infections or congestion for this reason. One way to avoid the reoccurrence of ear infections is to watch out for foods that have inflammatory properties or that are mucous producing. The most common food here is milk. This is why we know we should avoid milk products when we have a cold, because they produce more mucous. The properties of milk in this case are not agreeing with the child’s body chemistry, which is like an allergic response, but it doesn’t mean that every person has a true medical allergy. Symptoms to watch for include: irritable behaviors, dark circles under the eyes, a dulled response to pain and/or difficulty waking up in the morning. Watch for any symptoms that improve if you eliminate milk products from your child’s diet for two weeks and then watch for increased symptoms if you add these foods back. If you see positive results when milk is eliminated, then you should consult with a health care provider trained in this area to ensure your child has the proper balance of nutrients in his/her diet, before continuing to avoid milk or dairy products. Symptoms should always be discussed with your child’s doctor, and an Ear, Nose and Throat physician should be consulted if these symptoms persist, as pressure equalizing tubes can be helpful and the removal of the tonsils and/or adenoids can be discussed.

Sensory Response-
Chronic ear infections (six or more) or congestion in this case can actually result in sensory as well as speech and language disturbances. When the muscles of the middle ear (that sit next to the ear drum) are affected by fluid or scar tissue, they are inhibited from being able to do their job well- to protect our ears from sounds! Then you see children who respond to loud sounds or deep tones as a threat (like vacuum cleaners, blenders, public toilets flushing and hairdryers) with adverse reactions or behaviors. The most common behaviors seen are: covering their ears, running, crying and being fearful with anxiety symptoms present. This can be addressed by sensory therapists trained in using auditory integration training programs to exercise the ear muscles back into shape. It is also important to exercise the ear muscles when a child does not have a history of middle ear disturbances, but has low muscle tone and presents with hypersensitivity to sounds. Speech and language development can also be affected as children can not be expected to hear and speak clearly if they perceive sounds and words from behind a fluid filled ear, as if they were hearing people talk underwater. An evaluation from a Speech/Language Pathologist would be helpful here, preferably after the middle ear pathology has been treated or resolved by a physician.

Reactive to Touch:
Sensory Response-
Children who are often irritable, don’t like being touched, or who are sensitive to certain types of clothing can appear to have tactile hypersensitivity. This is when the brain stem sends too many alerting messages to the brain, causing the person to react in a negative or distressed manner. A sensory integrative treatment approach would be useful to regulate the brain stem’s response to touch in this case. This is most often done with deep pressure to the body such as massages, bear hugs, heavy blankets, and either snug clothing or loose clothing and shoes (based on the child’s individual preferences). Light touch is an important piece of the puzzle that needs to be avoided, as it is the type of sensation that causes the adverse response in these children. Actions to avoid with these children include: patting them on the head, wiping food or sand off their bodies with a gentle touch versus using medium pressure, brushing their hair lightly and brushing past them with your clothing in a manner that might tickle or not bother most people, but startle or result in aggression from your child.

Allergy Response-
If these children have a history of eczema, dry skin, rashes or hives, then I would move them into my allergy category. I have seen children with these symptoms improve dramatically, if not completely, when milk, sugar and foods with chemicals/preservatives are avoided in their diet, which is basically any food bought off of a shelf at the grocery store. A 2-week trial period would be a good time frame to try avoiding these foods, if you are not already working under a health care or wellness practitioner trained in this area. These children are often sensitive to chemicals on their skin as well, including chlorine from unfiltered water and swimming pools, pesticides sprayed inside our homes and on our grass/playgrounds, bleach products used for cleaning, antibacterial products, soaps, air fresheners, carpet and laundry detergents (just to name a few)! The behavioral responses seen in children can look the same here when their sensory symptoms are assessed without considering their medical history. Typical behaviors seen include: reactive behaviors, excessive emotional outbursts, responding with increased force after being touched (i.e.- pushing, hitting) and being very picky and irritable when getting dressed.

Hyperactivity:
Allergy Response-
There are no shortages of children that appear hyperactive or that are officially diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD). The behavior of being “hyperactive” is a symptom that fits into my allergy category, specifically as a chemical sensitivity. The big culprits here are food dyes (especially red dye #40), artificial ingredients (like artificial sweeteners) and preservatives. We can find these ingredients in almost every product in the grocery store that is packaged and found on a shelf. Children who have sensitive nervous systems react to these ingredients by being hyperactive, impulsive, distractible, overly silly and/or more emotionally reactive. They often have a harder time calming down and may have a strong desire to consume these foods. Reducing these chemicals and preservatives in the child’s diet can make a big difference if the child and the parents can adhere to these restrictions. This would be a great starting place for a parent who feels their child is hyper, but is not ready to see a doctor or consider medication for improved attention.

Sensory Response-
From a sensory perspective, these same behaviors can be present in a child who has a sensory modulation or a sensory processing disorder. This is a condition in which the brain stem cannot regulate and organize incoming sensory information efficiently. Children who fit into this category are very commonly identified as vestibular (movement) seekers, so they seek more movement stimulation than their peers and have a hard time sitting still, paying attention and keeping their body in one place, especially when they are not supported by a chair or a couch. The vestibular system is the sensory system located in the inner ear, which is responsible for detecting movement and sending signals to the brain for satisfaction to occur after a child has been physically active. The brain stem can be slow or inefficient in sending these messages to the brain, or it can lose some of these messages altogether, which makes the child crave more and more movement in order to be satisfied. When more frequent and intense movement opportunities are offered to these children, they should be able to sit still, pay attention better, have better eye contact and be ready for learning, without the need for consequences and/or behavioral modification techniques.

These are the most common behaviors and symptoms that I come across in my practice on a daily basis, but understand no two children are the same. It is always important to discuss health-related symptoms with your child’s pediatrician in order to rule out any medical condition that requires immediate attention. Behaviors that persist once the pediatrician has given your child a clean bill of health should be assessed by an occupational therapist specializing in sensory integration. Other professionals may be recommended if it is determined through testing that your child’s sensory systems are functioning appropriately. Your sensory therapist should be able to refer you to any natural health practitioners, including nutritionists and physicians with specialty training, to assess the subtle imbalances or sensitivities your child has to foods or his/her environment. In the meantime, especially if you are feeling overwhelmed, just try to eliminate sugars, preservatives and processed foods from your family’s diet and buy organic or natural foods whenever possible. Chamberlin’s and Whole Foods markets specialize in selling these foods in the Orlando area, but Publix has a Green-Wise section in their store to provide more of these foods, and Wal-Mart is now selling some organic foods and produce. Also, increase the amount of time your child gets physical activity on a daily basis, even if it means getting him/her up 30 minutes earlier before going to school. These two suggestions can bring you a very long way in your journey for improved behaviors in your children!