TPC-Journal-V5-Issue2

284 may be engaging in a different noncontact sport. Alternatively, children who need sensory input may have accommodations to complete additional jumping jacks or wall pushes beyond P.E. class. In addition, a child with gross motor skill challenges could receive accommodations to strengthen and develop those areas without being penalized for failure to meet grade-level expectations. With any sport, an OT can assess a child’s physical strengths and challenges, working with P.E. teachers, coaches and parents to select appropriate individual or group activities based on the SPD presentation in each child (Kirkpatrick, 2012). As previously mentioned regarding play-based techniques, some creative arts activities may be troublesome for children with SPD. Accommodations in art class should ensure that students with SPD participate to the best of their ability, and receive modified assignments and grading protocols (e.g., extra time to complete assignments). Likewise, students in music class may need to utilize their noise reduction headphones. Finally, school counselors should be mindful of students’ schedules, advocating for “specials” classes to be spaced out and at the end of the day when possible, as children with SPD who have multiple triggers are apt to have challenges concentrating once back in their regular classroom. Children with SPD may be fearful of unexpected situations due to concern that a sensory trigger will occur. Providing students with advance warning can assist them during these situations. For instance, students can receive advance notice for fire drills and prearranged substitute teachers. The school counselor can check on the students during such triggering events to determine their reactions and ensure that accommodations are implemented. The school counselor can coach children to advocate for themselves in these situations, for example, by asking a substitute teacher to reduce the classroom noise level, or wearing noise-canceling headphones during fire drills. Students with SPD may benefit from accommodations assisting them with daily school transitions. For example, a visual reminder (e.g., written schedule) may help reduce students’ anxiety surrounding transitions. To preserve personal space when transitioning between classes, younger students can receive preferential order in line, while older students can receive permission to walk in the hallways immediately before or after their peers. Children with SPD may find unstructured school time to be difficult due to the magnitude of overwhelming sensory input. School counselors can assist students with SPD by collaborating with them and other stakeholders to create modifications for unstructured school times (e.g., recess, lunch, school assemblies, class parties, bathroom breaks, transportation to and from school). Accommodations may include preferential seating, noise-canceling headphones and decreased time in such situations. Further, students should be provided a safe place to decompress when overstimulated. When annually reviewing 504 plans and adjusting accommodations, school counselors need to be aware that students’ triggers and challenges may change at different developmental and chronological ages. For example, high school students with SPD may require unique accommodations in various situations such as the following: during driver’s education (e.g., not driving with other students in the car), while dissecting frogs in biology or when using odorous chemicals in chemistry. Biological changes in adolescence produce new and potentially triggering smells, such as the P.E. locker room at the secondary level. Thus, school counselors may need to (a) advocate for accommodations to counter these scenarios that may emerge in middle and high school, and (b) further address the emotions related to dealing with SPD symptoms in the classroom and in social situations with classmates that may occur with the onset of adolescence. Counseling. In addition to assisting with accommodations, school counselors can conduct individual and small group counseling for students with SPD in order to help them succeed in school (Collier & Falls, 2010).