What smells?

Tuesday, April 27, 2010 by Melissa Bradley

Of our 5 senses, olfaction, or our sense of smell, is possibly the strongest.  There is actually a direct pathway from our nose to our limbic system in the brain, which is where emotions and memory are processed.  Isn't it amazing that a newborn child is able to recognize their mother's scent and associate it with food or a person with dementia can associate baking bread with being at home?  Many children with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and sensory processing disorders would benefit from using more of this sense at home, school, or in therapy sessions to affect arousal level or help with preparation of a meal.  Below is a list of scents and how they are able to change our arousal level:

Alerting:  peppermint, basil, garlic, vinegar, hot sauce
Calming: lemon, almond, cinnamon, vanilla,  chocolate.

Your pediatric occupational therapist can help you decide when the best time to utilize these various scents throughout your child's day as part of his/her sensory diet.

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