Environmental Enrichment

Environmental enrichment is a therapy that helps stimulate the brain using physical and social surroundings. Brains develop more and increase in activity when they are in more stimulating environments.  This kind of therapy works best on developing brains from newborn to 5 years old, but can also help through adulthood (at a lesser degree.)  Research has found that environmental enrichment helps in the treatment and recovery from several brain related dysfunctions. Lack of stimulation actually causes the opposite effect delaying and impairing cognitive development. This therapy has been known to:

·        reduces symptoms of Autism and Sensory Processing Disorder

·        treat cognitive delays (increase brain growth)

·        increase social interaction

·        decrease anxiety by strengthening the ability to cope with new stimuli

This therapy has two different components: You must always change the stimulus and stimulate two senses at a time (one of those senses must be smell or touch).

Most of the items used during this therapy can be found around your house making it a low cost alternative for parents to do at home therapy. Items used during this therapy can include but are not limited to: essential oils (apple, lavender, orange, vanilla), squares of different texture material ( smooth foam, hard wood, carpet, felt, sand paper), beads, plastic coins, play dough, finger paint, bowls of warm and cold water, different colored lights, sweet/ sour candy, salty/ crunchy foods, music and music makers.

I really enjoyed learning about "Environmental Enrichment". I am always trying to provide sensory enrichment at home. It will be simple to change what I am doing a little to incorporate this. I am very excited to see how this will help my children. 

Sources: I came across this information reading excerpts from Dr Temple Grandin speech “The Autistic Brain”. Her speech led me to a scientific article called, “Environmental Enrichment as an Effective Treatment for Autism: A Randomized Controlled Trial”, as well as an article in Health Day called “Sensory Focused- Autism Therapy Shows Early Promises”. I also read parts of Eric Jenson’s “Enriching the Brain: How to Maximize Every Learners Potential”. All of these are very interesting reads.