If you’ve never heard of a sensory brush, you’re not alone! When my 3 year old was receiving Occupational Therapy services, our OT recommended using a sensory brush and following a strict brushing protocol. I had never heard of it, but let me tell you, it worked like magic for us! Brushing can be particularly helpful for children with autism, ADHD, or sensory processing disorder, but it can benefit any child who struggles with self regulation. If you have found that your child struggles with sensory input, hyperactivity, or low impulse control, it is definitely worth asking your pediatrician or occupational therapist (OT) about using a sensory brush.
What is a Sensory Brush?
A sensory brush is a soft plastic brush that is used on a child’s arms, back, and legs with firm pressure and can help regulate a child’s sensory system. The therapeutic bristles provides a deep pressure massage that can improve sensory defensiveness.
Benefits
Following the brushing protocol can improve a child’s:
- Focus
- Ability to tolerate sensory input
- Self-regulation
- Self-control
- Ability to cope with transitions from one activity to the next
- Ability to cope with changes to routine
How Do You Use It?
Make sure that you check with your child’s doctor or OT before starting the brushing protocol. Following the Wilbarger Protocol, you apply firm, consistent pressure and brush your child’s arms, back, and legs. Try not to go over the same area of skin more than a couple times. Avoid the hands, feet, belly, or face as well as any ticklish areas of their legs and arms. It is best to brush on bare skin but our OT said we could do it over light clothing if necessary. We were advised to do the brushing and joint compressions every 90 minutes (only while awake) for 2 weeks to see if it made a difference in our son’s behavior.
This is the brush we have: Wilbarger Therapy Brush
Our Story
At this time in my son’s life, he was struggling with sleep (naps and nighttime) and he had significant sensory aversions. At 3 years old, he was unable to self soothe to fall asleep and we still needed to hold him to fall asleep (and we had tried EVERYTHING). He also struggled with transitioning from one task to another, eating foods of certain textures, and emotional regulation. He was also fully potty trained but due to his hypersensitivity, he was unable to tolerate the feeling of underwear after being used to the feeling of diapers. For six months, we had tried every brand of underwear including tag-less, seamless, sensory-friendly brands but he couldn’t tolerate any of them. I had completely given up on trying by this point.
This is no joke: We tried the brushing protocol for just 1 day and for the first time in his entire life, he put himself to sleep for nap-time while I watched in amazement on the monitor. I was completely shocked. As a mom who had so much guilt associated with not being able to teach my son to fall asleep independently, I felt vindicated that his sensory make-up was truly different than the typical child and I by holding him and rocking him to sleep for three years I had been giving his body the sensory input he literally needed to fall asleep. The fact that he went to sleep independently after using the sensory brush for 1 day was enough to make me a believer but something else amazing happened.
After Day 2 of brushing, out of the blue, he asked to wear underwear. I had completely stopped mentioning it by this point because for months, every time we tried, he would put them on for a second and start screaming and immediately pull them off; his body could not handle the sensory input. This time, he put them on and his body stayed calm and he literally never had an issue with them again. It was like a magic wand.
I started telling everyone who would listen about our experience. Our OT was stunned at how quickly our results occurred. For our family, brushing became a part of our sensory diet, and over the next few months, whenever I would start up the protocol again during difficult times (i.e. transitioning to preschool) it proved time and time again that it really did have a big impact on regulating his sensory system.
Data-Based Evidence
The evidence for the effectiveness of the brushing protocol is limited since there are so many variables to consider and it is typically done in home settings. Every child is different so it may work for some but not for others. It is a relatively easy task to incorporate over just 2 weeks, so in my opinion it is definitely worth a try. Ask your pediatrician or OT at your next appointment and see if it might be a good fit for your child.
Tips
- Following the protocol every 90 minutes seems tough, but I would just set an alarm on Alexa and if he was awake, I would drop what I was doing to brush. It only takes a minute or two. If he was napping, I’d do it immediately upon waking. Remember, you’re only doing it that often for 2 weeks.
- I bought two brushes so I kept one at home and one in my backpack so I always had one if we were out and about.
- My son was NOT a fan of joint compressions. Our OT said that in lieu of compressions, he could do Bear Walks, wall push-ups, and jumping to still provide the same impact on the joints.
- After doing the protocol for the first two weeks, I used the brush sporadically whenever we had a big event coming up (first day of preschool, trick-or-treating, Christmas party, etc) and it helped him to regulate his body and cope with the change in routine.
- It’s been two years since we started the brushing protocol. Now I keep a sensory brush in our Calm Corner to use whenever any of my kids are feeling over-stimulated.