"sensory diet" versus Dr Kondekars "Auditory diet" or "food for ear"
THE “DIET FOR THE EARS”: FROM SENSORY REGULATION TO COGNITIVE NOURISHMENT One of the most important concepts in Dr. Kondekar’s approach is the distinction between a sensory diet and what he calls a “diet for the ears.” The two should not be confused. They operate at different levels. A sensory diet, in its commonly used clinical sense, attempts to help a child regulate sensory responses and participate more effectively in daily activities. It may include movement, proprioceptive input, vestibular activities, tactile experiences, deep pressure, structured sensory play and other individualized strategies. Dr. Kondekar’s “diet for the ears” asks a different question: Once the child is regulated and available, what meaningful information are we putting into the child’s developing brain? That question shifts the conversation from sensory regulation to developmental learning. It moves from: “Can the child tolerate the environment?” to: “Can the child learn from the environment?” That is the...