HEALTHY SENSORY HABITS FOR 21^ST CENTURY PARENTS – ANNEMARIE LOMBARD

Twenty first century parenting is difficult.

The demands and influences are escalating and we are continuously being judged by the norms of our society.  It is sometimes very difficult for parents to step out or even think out of this mould.  We however need to do exactly that in order to nurture our kids optimally without reducing discipline and boundaries.

I believe when we understand our children’s stressors and needs on a sensory, emotional and cognitive level, we can prepare them for the life ahead.

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Sensory intelligence started in my head in 2000.  This journey of creation was combining current theories and merging it with insights, knowledge, experience and research to have blossomed into what Sensory Intelligence is all about today.  It has been extremely hard work, literally years spent behind  my computer, talking to people, organisations, trying, testing and more trying and testing towards the development of this business.  It has however been the most amazing journey so far.

I would therefore like to remind everyone that my work, such as the contexts of my book (including the test – Sensory System checklist), website, e-mails and workshops, is copyrighted.

Copyright can be defined as the exclusive right to make copies, license, and otherwise exploit a literary, musical, or artistic work, whether printed, audio, video, etc.   This means that you cannot copy and use it with your clients!

I  have various trademarks, some of which are in the process of being registered, and these are also protected by law. My current trademarks are:  Sensory Intelligence, Sensory Tree, Senses on Call, Senses@Work and Sensory Matrix.  My work and trademarks may not be used by anyone, unless I have entered into a written agreement permitting use thereof.  This also means that you cannot use my trademarks. Any illegal use or exploitation can lead to civil action against the perpetrator.

Please be mindful of this.  Sensory intelligence will go into various licensing options in 2011.  Through a careful selection process, interested individuals can apply to become more involved.  Legislation in this regard is busy changing and I am currently getting all the relevant information in order to proceed.  Through this process others will be granted legal rights to use Sensory Intelligence for training and coaching purposes with adults only.  We do NOT train sensory integration as a tool to work with children.

If you are interested, please send me a letter of intent and comprehensive CV to be considered.

Congratulations!  If this is your first baby, read carefully; if you have been through this before, just keep on reading to remind yourself of that crazy time and tap yourself on the back for surviving it without becoming an alcoholic, spending time in jail for misconduct or constant hysteria. Being a parent and especially a new mother is a beautiful, incredible, miraculous and marvellous experience.  You cannot believe that you can love one being so much and your heart and soul will burst with emotion.  However there is another part to being a new mother which is unlikely to reach your ears.  Maybe your mother will feel sorry for you and give you some of the real stuff and true realities (which will just make you feel guilty for having done this to her and then think she is anyway lying)...it is hard adapting to a new baby, especially the first one.  I have two boys, age 9 and 5, I will kill for them and they are my whole life but they were, and still are, hard to raise.  And babies do not come with a manual.  You have to rely on mother’s instinct, common sense, a good support structure, your mother’s advice and the millions of books and resources out there.

A new baby (and especially the first one) is a sensory nightmare and a total sensory overload experience. There is suddenly a surge in noise, smells, touch, movement, visual info and usually all together.  You range between total quiet (sshh the baby must sleep) and crying spells.  This means switching gears and attending to needs that you can only guess is identified correctly.  It does get easier and better with the subsequent births, our brains are wonderful things, they help us to adapt.

As new mothers we have different responses to this new role but one rarely considers the sensory threshold of the mother. Mothers with high sensory thresholds can usually tolerate and withstand more intense and frequent sensory information. They potentially can manage to “switch off” for brief moments to get some sanity and are less worried about everything that can go wrong.  Mothers with low sensory thresholds however will pick up sensory cues/stimuli much faster and intensely.  They tend to be more stressed, might have difficulty breastfeeding and find the experience far more intense and sensory overloading.

You are sensory connected with your baby. We are so tuned into these miraculous little creatures that we forget about ourselves. For this reason I would like to give YOU some simple, yet powerful strategies to make this time as special as possible.

1.   Touch:

Touch is the primary language of babies and a vital bonding process.  By touching, holding, cuddling your baby you will connect with him/her and help him/her feel nurtured and safe.  We also use touch to dress and bath our babies and when they suck on your breast or bottle, they use the touch receptors in the mouth to help identify the source of food.

Get hubby to give you a massage or deep hug (deep touch is calming for the brain) when you are stressed and overloaded. If necessary get him to lie on top of you (it has proven to be amazing for some of my clients)...it might lead to other stuff and you might not be ready yet.  So decide on this one beforehand.  If you can go out for a massage, you deserve a special prize!

Take a long, hot bath and relax.

Cover yourself with a heavy comforter or use a “happy hugger”/heavy bean bag on your lap or shoulders.

1.    Smell:

Babies will identify you primarily based on smell as their eye sight is still poorly developed.  While babies rely heavily on the sense of smell for food and comfort, you will be bombarded with it in another way: poo, possets and more poo and more possets.  Luckily as mothers we tend to get used to this quickly.

Dispose of dirty nappies fast and effectively.  Nowadays you get really cool and fancy nappy bins to use for disposal which contain smells well.  Don’t forget the old spit towel.  Have it handy so that you don’t need to change your clothes continuously.

Don’t wear perfume as it is prone to overload your baby‘s sensitive smell system.

2.    Noise:

Oh boy, this is the major culprit.  Babies communicate with you through crying. That is the only way for them to tell you that they are wet, dirty, hungry or uncomfortable.  But then some babies are fussier, have colic, etc.  And you will sometimes feel that your brain is being pierced by 100 screwdrivers (the electric ones).

Get your baby in a routine!  It really works and you will be able to predict your baby’s needs faster and noise overload will be reduced.

Use your support system; give baby to a nanny, daddy, grandma and walk away.  You are normal and it is OK to do this.  You cannot vanish for days...an hour or two however will do you the world of good.

Play some calming Mozart, it is good for baby’s brains to develop but will calm you both.

3.   Taste:

Babies explore and identify their food sources through smell and taste.  Luckily the taste are usually the easy one, we know babies need milk.  Breast or bottle – don’t feel guilty if you cannot/won’t breastfeed.  At least babies don’t need 3 course meals.  Wait for the toddler years to get them fed on healthy food.  Another challenge awaits you.

Eat healthy and regularly and take care of yourself.  You will really find this a challenge as all possible time will go into caring for your baby.  Remember only when you do good self-care, can you take care of your baby.  Consider food types when breastfeeding as some foods can hamper breastfeeding.

4.   Movement:

Gently rocking your baby or walking with them will be calming and an enjoyable experience.  You cannot spoil your newborn baby, so go ahead and do that.  Using a sling or baby carrier to move around, while allowing you more freedom, it will calm baby.

If you exercised regularly continue to do so. You HAVE to move as movement is your best and most optimal self-regulator.  If you cannot spare gym time, or running effort, go for a walk.  Use a treadmill, stationary bike, whatever, as long as you move.  It also helps to get rid of the extra kilograms gained during the pregnancy.  The older we get the harder it is to get rid of them!

5.   Visual:

Your baby’s visual system is most poorly developed at birth.  Your baby will however recognise your face first, but it is a bit blurry at the beginning.  That is why basic contrasts in colour are often used to stimulate a baby’s vision.  Just remember the golden rule: “less is more”.

Read or watch TV as it can be a great calmer for you.

Surround yourself with less clutter, stay organised, it helps to reduce sensory overload.

If you have a fussy baby; wear milder/calmer colours as red/white/black contrasts can potentially overload your baby.

The bottom line is; be easy on yourself and lower your standards.  If your kitchen is filthy and your hair dirty – go sit outside in the garden, read a book and drink a cup of tea.  And sleep when baby sleeps! It will do you the world of good.  Get someone else to wash the dishes and go to the hairdresser.  Start practising now for “Mommy-time” as you will find this your on-going struggle for years to come...

Thanks to Carine de Lange; dietician, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for her contribution to this important contribution.

1. ALWAYS eat breakfast. Even one teaspoon of porridge, muesli, smoothie or one fruit, is better than nothing at all.

2. Attempt to add plain white yogurt sweetened with fresh pureed fruit or honey daily to breakfast. Discourage eating sweetened, colored and flavored yogurts.

3. Encourage drinking water. Reward drinking water by offering a second glass of diluted fruit juice or homemade ice tea. (Mix strong Rooibos tea with pure apple juice,50:50). You can make ice-lollies from diluted fruit juice.

4. Do not TREAT with sweets. Discourage tuck shop money instead of a healthy lunch box.

5. Keep eating fast food to the bare minimum. Attempt to give them a choice of eating fast food or extra pocket money for eating at home.

6. School lunch boxes should be a healthy mix of:
* Brown or rye bread with the following options: peanut butter, honey, cottage cheese, chicken slices or a puree of cooked vegetables.
* Raw cucumber, carrot, gherkins, or fruit.
* Raw nuts and pumpkin seeds with some raisins.

7. Make effort to eat at least one meal a day at the table. Encourage slow eating and good chewing, laughter and relaxing music. End off a good meal playing the board game, FOODLES.

8. Vary the diet often and reward trying out new foods, especially vegetables. Experiment with wraps, homemade vegetable muffins, and various salads instead of a sandwich for lunch.

9. Use a reputable multivitamin and mineral supplement as well as Omega 3 fish oil.

10. Make homemade energy drinks for sport by mixing a 100 ml prepared rehydrating powder used for diarrhea, to 200 ml  red grape juice. Avoid flavored water drinks, which do not contain colorants but still contain sugar or sweetener and other chemical additives. These drinks are NOT water.

11. Choose snacks from the following options:
* fruit and nuts
* dried fruits
* raw vegetable sticks with a dip made from cottage cheese or white yogurt as base, with added chutney, chopped onions and gherkins
* fruit smoothies
* homemade non-microwave popcorn
* homemade cookies and crunchies made from healthy recipe options.

Starting a new standard and/or new school in January is often a huge transition which leaves many children anxious, stressed and tearful. Be mindful that this is a reality, a little bit like you going to to your first day at a new job. It is daunting and we do not know what to expect. Even if children just jump a standard that still means a new challenge, new classroom, new classmates and a new teacher.
Anticipate emotional responses:

As the holidays start coming to an end, gently let your child know when the holidays will be ending. You and your child can clean and get their things ready for the new term. This will help them mentally prepare for the new term at their pace. Talk about the new environment and give as much information as possible. Be positive yourself and tell your child that it is going to be great! Your enthusiasm will instil a sense of safety for them.
Preparing with the first day:

In the morning of the first day back, make sure that the familiar get-up and/or breakfast routine is back in place. You may need to provide some calming (backrub, pushing against the wall or drink breakfast juice through a straw), organizing (chew on bagels or dried apricots) and/or alerting (eating a crunchy apple or playing lively music) activities to manage and decrease stress in your child. Try to be slightly early for school so that your child doesn’t feel rushed into school and has time to get his or her bearings for the new environment.

Unwinding from the first day:

When you pick up your child after school help him/her reflect on the day and discuss how they are doing. When at home, provide your child the time to do something to self-regulate. This may be listening quietly to music or building Lego in their room, jumping on a trampoline or playing rugby with a brother. If they are unable to pick an appropriate calming activity, play a board game or build a puzzle with them or go for a walk round the block with them. This will help them to identify what regulates them and have quality with you.

Sensory savvy holidays

Say NO to “brain drain”:

Research is showing that our children today are unhealthy and overweight. Passive lifestyles, lack of exercise, inadequate diet and the use of constant developing technology (TV, play stations, computer, PSP’s, cell phones, etc.) have made our children brighter (yes maybe), yet fatter and more prone to disease.

Say YES to “brain build”:

See:

We process most information for learning through the eyes. However, our children’s learning is too visually orientated due to new technology. Reading, picture books, colouring in, games, cards, etc are healthy versions of stimulation through the senses of seeing. Switch off the TV, play stations and PSP’s and take out the books and games. Play “I spy” games, build puzzles and collect shells on the beach.

Hear:

Hearing and listening connects us with our world and develops language. It is crucial for our social development and really listening to others has been taken for granted. Use the time during this holiday to make small talk and conversation with your children while really listening to them. Play music, dance and have a karaoke night.

Smell/Taste:

We are what we eat. There is loads of research showing the impact of diet on health and wellness. This is also particularly relevant for our children and we as parents have a huge responsibility to teach our children healthy eating habits by exposing them to healthy, natural foods while minimising processed, sweet and preservative laden foods. Always have readily available healthy snacks available and get your children to drink water daily.

Touch:

Touch is the way through which we connect with others. It is for that same reason I refer to it as our “social” sense. Holidays at the beach are particularly useful to get children to play in the water and sand. Sand and water play provide vital learning experiences to enhance the sense of touch while preparing the hands and feet for coordination tasks. Swim, build sandcastles, walk barefoot on the beach, and just remember the sunscreen.

Move:

Movement really is medicine for the brain. Movement organises and regulates our children’s brains, helps them to get rid of energy and makes them calmer and more manageable.

Go for walks, ride your bikes, climb the mountain, swim in the sea, wrestle on the grass, run in the rain. Just MOVE!

Sensory savvy tips for birthday parties

My oldest son turned 9 years old yesterday. I realized we had him now for 9 years, the halfway stretch and am at least assured of having him for another 9 years. And then he will move on to start his own life. Distraught I told him this and he looked me deep in the eyes and said: “No Mommy, I will always live with you!” How precious and absolutely innocent they are; of course I was threatening to switch on the video camera and have him repeat on tape to keep him to this innocent promise when he does in fact turn 18!

Yesterday I had 13 boys at my house whooshing down the waterslide and giving me a fright of my life. I am not the faint hearted type but could see myself rushing to the hospital with a broken arm or something. Thanks goodness, after 3 hours of fun and boisterous testosterone I could send them all home unscathed and sat down with a relieved sigh to have a chilled glass of Stellenbosch wine with a friend. I looked at these 13 boys playing and was again reminded of the fact that they just want to play. The occupation of children is PLAY! Do we really give them enough time, space and opportunity to do this? I think not. Therefore, since we are all hopefully unwinding towards the end of another year, I am going to dedicate this newsletter to harnessing the ability to play for our children during the holidays. Use the senses to have fun and stimulate your child’s development at the same time:

Have a sensory party:

When Lukas turned 3, I organized him a “sensory party”. I bought a few cans of shaving cream (among a few other sensory tricks up my sleeve) and after stripping down to the bare basics the boys were white from head to toes; and loving every second of it.

Less is more:

Believe it or not, I think birthday parties are some of the most sensory overloaded activities for children. And although some may love it, our sensory sensitive souls find it extremely anxiety provoking and often kick up a huge fuss about it. To top it all, they get fed loads of sugar, preservatives and junk which further exaggerate the problem.

Therefore to make birthday parties easier for them:

Go for smaller birthday parties or outside in nature which are not so noisy

Feed your kids before the party; they will eat less junk

Go first and leave first – that way your child can ease into it and withdraw when it gets too much

Sensory savvy tips to enhance family relationships

Family rituals

What are you doing as a family that keeps you together? It can be as simple as hot dogs every Saturday afternoon and pancakes every Sunday night (that is ours – a lot of work on my side, but my boys love it). And the boys do wrestling with Dad Saturday mornings. Family rituals are the stuff we remember a few years down the line. Implement them now to ensure your children have a sense of belonging and sharing.

Meal times

Do you sit down for one meal a day as a family? This is crucial times to connect with you family, have time to talk but also to teach your children table manners. “Eat with your mouth closed, the knife is on the right side, fold your napkin on your lap”. This is time to talk and reflect on our days but also provide opportunities for learning.

Mommy time

The one lasting thing I have gained over the years (and believe me, after 20 years in this field, I remain to have lots to learn) – is to take care of yourself. If you are in a good space your mothering comes out positive. If you are in a bad space, your mothering comes out negative. Why is this so hard for us to do as mothers? Take time out to take care of ourselves? Find your best stress reliever and keep on practising it regularly! You will be a better mother as a result!

September: Sensory savvy tips to get your toddler to eat

See, touch, taste

This is part of the developmental sequence when learning to eat. First experience food through what it looks like, then touching it, and finally putting it in the mouth. Food must be varied and put in our children’s plates whether eaten or not. A visual memory of the food will be stored and when repeated enough it will eventually find its way into their mouths.

Also encourage finger foods. After seeing and touching food, it becomes more familiar and the brain recognises it before eating.

Have fun

Food and meal time must never become a power struggle as it so often does. Present your child with healthy and a variety of food, but don’t force eating. Create a positive atmosphere, preferably around the table so that your toddler can follow you by example. Sweets should be given as a treat and only after meals. Be careful not to reward children with food as it has potential to create negative eating habits. Associating reward with food has potential to create health and lifestyle issues later in life.

Invite friends

Have a pizza party. Let children roll out their own dough, prepare the toppings and bake. It can become quite messy, but look the other way. Remember that getting dirty and messy are important sensory experiences for learning. As a bonus children will be more inclined to eat it.

Good luck with the feeding frenzies!

Sensory savvy tips for the holidays

Limit TV or computer time during the holidays. It is passive visual learning only and impact on our children’s learning and development. We tend to bend the rules during holidays. I got a great idea from a friend last week; my 8-year old play station time is matched with reading. For every book that he reads and writes or draw a short version of the story, he may play 30 minutes worth of play station. Creative solutions are necessary to lessen time in front of the ever popular screens in our homes.

Games and puzzles are great activities to keep your children occupied and learning at the same time. Turn taking and sharing practised here are important life skills. Remember also to teach them to pack away a game before starting with the next one. It teaches organisational skills and reduce sensory overload.

For a touchy-feely game with a difference, make “goop”. Mix 1 cup of corn flour with 1 cup of lukewarm water. It forms an interesting liquid and solid substance that changes in your hands. It can keep children occupied for hours while stimulating the sense of touch.

When anger and fighting get the better of your kids, let them blow up a balloon. The deep breathing associated with this activity is an excellent regulator and quickly diminishes the negative emotions.

Sensory savvy tips for concentration

Eye contact

If you need your child’s attention, look him/her in the eyes and give the necessary instruction when you are sure you have his/her attention. You will be far more successful in getting the outcome you want.

Move

Movement is one of the best regulators for the brain and help to regain focus and attention. Let your child go fetch something, stand up and stretch or do a few jumps when concentration is starting to dwindle to fuel the brain again.

Put something in your mouth

Chewing on an apple, carrot, rice cake or popcorn are healthy versions to use the mouth and crunchy chewing action to gain focus and attention. It however might drive you mad if you are auditory sensitive as you will be irritated by the chewing sounds. Chewing gum also works well, but sugars, colorants and preservatives are contra-indicative for good concentration.

Sensory savvy tips to enhance motor development

Please, please, please send your children outside as much as possible for play. Movement is crucial for our children’s development and in our current society we are breeding movement deprivation with a range of secondary health and learning issues. Although safety is a problem in our society, we cannot hide behind that.

Be creative!

Start a vegetable or herb garden with your child. There are endless sensory opportunities in the garden. If you don’t have a big garden, opt for pots.

Go for walks, to the park, go camping, go cycling, just go!

Dads, wrestle with your children, apart from bonding with them in a special way, you supply touch and movement input that feed and regulate their brains.

Sensory savvy tips to conquer sensory overload

For mothers with small babies:

* Rest when your baby sleeps. You need it, deserve it and will be a better mother as a result!
* Take time out to de-stress: read, watch a movie, shop, go for a massage, etc. And do not feel guilty; raising children is a demanding task, you need and deserve me-time!
* Don’t try to be perfect and do it all. It is OK to delegate; use granny, get a babysitter, full-time housekeeper, use a friend, and use DAD!
* Create a quiet and calming space within your home where you can go and “hide” when necessary...
* Love your children, be consistent and do your best! Perfection is impossible and un-obtainable when raising children.

For babies:

* Don’t wear perfume and/or perfumed lotions. Chemical smells can easily overload babies and result in fussing and crying.
* Establish a routine for feeding, sleeping and playing. It helps babies to feel calm, safe and secure. It will also help you to cope with your baby’s demands.
* Do not play too much and/or give your baby too much toys at the same time. They get overloaded quickly and need short periods of stimulation. Today we tend to overload rather than under-stimulate children.
* Snugly wrap your baby in a soft blanket when they are fussy. Deep touch is calming for babies.
* Baby massage is a wonderful sensory tool for calming babies.
* Use a baby sling or pouch as it provide deep touch for the baby within the mother’s comforting space and smells.
* Gentle, rhythmic, rocking movement is calming for babies.
* Use calming and gentle rhythmic music to calm babies.
* When you go out, observe sensory qualities of an environment. When it is noisy, with bright lights, lots of people and/or smells it can overload your baby. Minimise such events or places.
* Your baby’s cot should be free of bright hanging toys and objects. Sleep time should be calming not stimulating. Rather place the bright mobiles over your baby’s changing mat or play mat.

For toddlers:

* Have firm boundaries, be consistent and have a routine. It helps toddlers to feel calm, safe and secure.
* Arrange birthday parties in the morning when toddlers will handle the loud, noisy and busy environments better.
* Try to get your toddler to snack on healthy foods (fruit, biltong, popcorn, pretzels, nuts, raisins, etc). Colorants and preservatives are big culprits for creating over-active behaviour.
* Teach toddlers to pack away while playing, using one game or toy at a time. Cluttered environments full of toys can be over-stimulating. At the same time you will teach your toddler important organisational skills.
* Give your toddler regular movement opportunities (run, jump, jungle gym, etc). It is organising for their brains and stimulates motor development as well. Limit passive TV time!
* Use a calming bed-time routine. Warm baths, dim lights and a bedtime story (no dragons or witches) told in a soft and gentle voice.
* Create a special “womb-space” for your toddler in his/her room. A pop-up tent works well. It is not time-out from a disciplinary point of view but rather creating quiet spaces where he/she can self-calm when necessary. It must be off limits to other siblings.

Sensory savvy tips for spring break

Holidays are a great time for relaxing and reconnecting with our families and ourselves. However, at times the break can disrupt the child with sensory processing disorder (SPD).

Remember heavy muscle work against resistance is an important self-regulator so try games like tug-of-war. Molding clay or tearing newspaper for paper mache also provides much needed resistance. However, get them involved in the everyday activities in your home.

Activities like clearing the table, pushing the grocery trolley or even helping with the spring cleaning can be used to provide this heavy work against resistance.

Have an afternoon of water play. Use a variety of jugs, bottles, sponges, eggbeaters/ whisks, water guns. You could even add in some different colored ice blocks. Or you could explore floating and sinking objects so use ping pong balls, golf balls, sponges, corks, blocks, strainers, straws confetti, etc. Try SLIME: Dissolve 1 cup of green block of sunlight soap with 2 liters of warm water.

Spend an afternoon building a secret hideaway or dress up games. These games may challenge your child’s touch limits so be aware of the reactions. Remember, resistance to movement, as simple as pushing over a wall, may help them regulate themselves.

Another activity to challenge the touch system is GOOP (1cup cornflour to 1 cup water). Goop is an interesting substance as it acts as a solid and liquid- fascinating!

Sensory savvy tips for a beach holiday

The blowing wind and sea sand... stimulate the touch sensors

The sound of the sea, waves and people... stimulate the hearing sensors

The smells of the sea, suntan lotion, kelp... stimulate the smell sensors

Put this all together for a sensory root (the super-sensitive souls in our lives)...

The result... sensory overload, crying, whining, tantrums... you know the rest

Remember the following, it might just save you from wanting to pack up and go home:

* Go to the beach early in the morning, it is quieter, your child is rested, can cope with more and it is usually less windy.

* Dress your child in a tight hat and tight-fitting swimming gear, the deep pressure is often calming. It will also reduce the feeling of the wind blowing on the child’s skin.

* When using suntan lotion, don’t put it directly on to your child’s skin! First put it in your hand, rub between your palms and smear it on your child’s body using, firm strokes.

* The use of a beach mat to sit on if your child is too aversive to the sand is OK.

* Playing in wet sand will potentially be better than dry sand: wet sand will be “harder” to move and let the child use more muscle work versus dry sand that is light and ticklish. Heavy, muscle work is calming; therefore take out the spades, buckets and sand toys.

* Chewing gum is a huge relief...I know what some of you are thinking now...but give it a try. It has less potential to get full of sand (hopefully it stays within the mouth) and the chewing of the mouth muscles will calm your child and reduce feelings of overload.

* Using an I-pod or MP3 player can be magical in filtering out all the background noise. Although it has potential for anti-social behavior, use it as a last resort when things just get too overloaded and out-of-control.

* A quiet time mid-day will help the child to feel calmer for the rest of the afternoon and early evening. If they don’t want to sleep, a portable DVD player or I-pod can be used... coming from the Number 1 anti-TV supporter...I know, we all have to break the rules sometimes... just CONTROL the time spent on these activities.

* Above all: pre-warn your child about what is going to happen! It ALWAYS makes it easier for them to anticipate the next step.

* Above all: have fun, laugh, don’t fret the small stuff and relax!

Sensory Intelligence – why it matters more than IQ and EQ

Well, then why does it matter more?

In a nutshell:

Sensory intelligence (SIQ) refers to the senses as the primitive, unconscious gateway through which emotion (EQ) and cognition (IQ) receive their information in order to feel, behave, think, act and perform.

It’s all in the brain; the human computer; where this hierarchy of processes stimulate our thinking, acting, feeling and doing. Information enters the brain via the senses through the spinal cord at the bottom part of the brain and gets filtered through the primitive brain (sensory intelligence) before being sent to the emotional brain (EQ) and lastly moves to the cognitive brain (IQ). Although neuroscientifically this process is intricate and multi-faceted, the base line hierarchy is sensory intelligence first, then emotional intelligence and then IQ.

The senses thus have a silent but powerful contribution to how we focus, concentrate, perform, act in teams and manage stress and pressure.