New sensory clinic for children with autism, other challenges opens in Fredericton - Action News
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New Brunswick

New sensory clinic for children with autism, other challenges opens in Fredericton

Its expected that over the next year more than 100 children and youth with mental health concerns will spend time using the new sensory clinic recently opened in Fredericton.

Space offers soft swings, tiny trampolines and calming tents at Victoria Health Centre in downtown Fredericton

A new sensory clinic opens in Fredericton

3 months ago
Duration 3:29
Young patients now have access to therapeutic sensory tools and toys to helpwith mental health issues.

It's expected that over the next year more than 100 children and youth will spend time using the new sensory clinic recently opened in Fredericton,the Horizon Health Network says.

A sensory room is a space that's built to accommodate and stimulate different senses therapeutically.

"So many ... environments are very overwhelming and overstimulating for our children, especially children that are autistic," said Sarah Morrison, an occupational therapist at Horizon Health involved in setting up the clinic.

She said the clinic willalso help children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and anxiety, among other challenges.

A woman with brown and blonde hair wearing glasses and a black blazer smiles at the camera while standing in front of a white bookcase full of books and other items.
Occupational therapist Sarah Morrison says the new sensory clinic is expected to benefit about 100 young patients in its first year. (Shane Fowler/CBC News)

"Afundamental thing, as a child or a youth, is being able to participate in your environment," said Morrison. "To be able to access things in a way that are comfortable for you, a way that you can feel happy, you can feel safethat's such a basic thing."

The items in the clinic, and theon-site team, help young people with issues around sensory processing.

There is aswingmade ofcloth, a mini-trampoline, a calming tentand even a virtual reality headset.

"We are actually one of the I think the only virtual reality program in Horizon. And so this offers access to a variety of different virtual environments where they can have various sensory exposure to certain situations to help increase tolerance and see which tools would work," said Morrison.

A solft green lizard covered in sequins sits on a carpeted floor.
A weighted lizard is a heavy stuffed animal used as a tool in the new sensory clinic in Fredericton. (Shane Fowler/CBC)

There is also a body sock and a deep-pressure sensory pod or canoe.

"And so you can lay down in that, and using the handles, you can kind of give yourself more or less pressure. And then you can listen to your teacher, you can read, you can listen to some music," said Laura Dooley, an occupational therapist with Horizon Health, whowas also involved in setting up the clinic.

"We would call them tools,but kids would call them 'fun' or 'toys,'" she said.

A woman with black hair wearing a white shirt and a black blazer with ID tags pinned to her lapel smiles at the camera while standing in front of a door with a tag that reads
Laura Dooley, an occupational therapist at Horizon Health, was involved in setting up the clinic at the Victoria Health Centre in downtown Fredericton. (Shane Fowler/CBC News)

Exposing childrento the different stimulation and observing reactions will helpgive parents and teachers an idea of how to create a more comfortable environment for those children, saidDooley.

"We were seeing a big need for sensory processing supports," she said, even something as simple as a weighted lizard to help calm youngsters and enable them to sit without needing to move around constantly.

A hand holds a yellow plastic spoon over a table pull of toys.
A number of items are available for clients to take home and try, including this yellow meal set that resembles the colour of commercial equipment such as trucks and bulldozers. (Shane Fowler/CBC)

There are also a number of items that parents can borrow to try out at home, things like a truck mealset," so for our picky eaters, you can make meal time a little bit more fun by having to bring food from one place to the other," Morrison said.

According to Horizon Health spokesperson Kris McDavid, children are"referred to the clinic through the Child and Youth teams" at Horizon's mental health services.