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Meghan Badun, an occupational therapist and clinical director at AIM Saskatoon, said when thinking about senses, people often refer to sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell. But three more senses are used therapeutically.
“One is the vestibular sense, (like) spinning or moving, one is proprioceptive where your body is in space, and one is interoceptive, so what does your body feel like inside,” Badun explained.
Today, learners at the Saskatoon-based nonprofit for children and young adults with Down syndrome have access to a tailor-made sensory room to explore these sensations.
Watch how children with Down syndrome use the sensory gym
“When we have the sensory gym, we can use different tools to help stimulate all those senses to lead to regulation,” she said, adding how the slide or swing can help with the vestibular senses while a crawl space could help with others.
“We can use our environment and different cues to help the child either get into that ‘ready to learn zone’ if they’re feeling a little bit low, or calm down if they are feeling a bit overwhelmed.”
She said when putting the room together, the organization ensured the elements worked for every age and size of learner using it.
A child swings in the sensory gym at AIM Saskatoon (Alex Brown/650 CKOM)
Families with the organization also contributed to the sensory room vision, which came to life in February.
So far, the reaction from AIM’s members has been phenomenal, Badun said, adding that the room has even helped learners with their speech.
“When you’re regulated, it’s like a key that unlocks all of those hidden skills that can sometimes be hidden in a chaotic world,” she said.
The project was supplied in partnership with the Gregg Distributors Sunshine Fund.
Co-branch managers Curtis Drummond and Wes Casavant said they reached out to the AIM program and had a chance to tour the building and meet some of the learners.
“Our company has a motto ‘We give where we live,” said Drummond. “It’s very important to try and give back to the communities that support us.”
Drummond said the donation for the sensory room is intended to impact children in Saskatoon.