KD Ariel brings Snoezelen rooms to SA

JORDAN MOSHE

“The aim of the Snoezelen room is to assist in either heightening or lowering a student’s sensory state,” says King David Ariel occupational therapist Leigh Freeman. “If a student arrives in the morning and is highly anxious, we try to help them calm down. If, at some point during the day, a student is under-aroused and cannot engage in the classroom, we try to increase their state of alertness and make them receptive to learning. Although the session is regulated by staff, the child’s individual needs dictate what is required for them.

“While the room is often used in hospitals and care facilities for treating the elderly and adults with special needs, the concept is ideal in the educational sphere,” Freeman says. “The benefits it offers students continue to increase and the room assists us in removing barriers to learning by working with various senses.”

The concept originated in the 1970s and was the brainchild of two Dutch therapists: Jan Hulsegge and Ad Verheul. They experimented with a sensory tent at the DeHartenburg Institute in the Netherlands. They aimed to increase enjoyment and sensory experience for those with learning disabilities and other challenges.

The word Snoezelen is a contraction of the Dutch verbs “snuffelen” (to seek and explore) and “doezelen” (to relax). It refers to a space that has pleasant surroundings, soothing sounds, captivating aromas, tactile experiences, massage and vibration, and gentle movement sensations.

Snoezelen rooms have been established at institutions across the globe. Research conducted on this type of environment has shown positive results, including a 50% reduction in distress and stereotypical behaviour, and 75% less aggression and self-injury.

Beit Issie Shapiro, an organisation based in Ra’anana that specialises in improving the quality of life for children and adults with arrested development, introduced the concept to Israel and has helped set up some 350 Snoezelen rooms in the country.

King David Ariel aims to put this innovation to use among its 34 pupils.

The room features a calming lava wall, strings of stimulating sensory beads, interactive light displays and other optical illusions. The room is multifaceted, and includes a diverse range of tools with which therapists can assist students to cope with the school environment, Freeman explains. “For example, students who experience anger mounting and who feel the need to hit at something may find interactive wall panels useful. A feature that can assist in this regard is a musical Cardiowall – a tool designed to be struck with force, with many different elements of grading and progressively difficult activities.

“Learners can gain the sensory requirements they need while focusing on an activity that can be made easier or more difficult using hand/eye co-ordination, gross motor function or orientation to complete the task.”

The Snoezelen room is also a space designed for more interactive, imaginative play. Soft-play environments enable individuals to gain the sensory input they seek by, for example, throwing their bodies around the space with minimal harm. The space includes a variety of interactive areas such as ball pools, wherein learners can experience a variety of tactile input. The ball pools can be lit from the base and provide music, with the child able to select their choice of colour and music. So, it becomes a personalised multisensory experience.

Ultimately, this is a space for pupils to regulate their moods and have their respective sensory needs met on any school day. “It is geared towards aiding those who have had too much stimulation or not enough, and bringing them into what is known as a calm-alert state, which is the ideal state for learning,” explains Freeman.

Sally-Ann Knowles, principal of King David Ariel, was able to make this dream a reality. “The possibility of implementing this concept at our school was mulled over for four or five years. However, owing to the budget restrictions, it remained a dream. Thanks to the donation we received towards this purpose, we were able to purchase the equipment best suited to our needs and bring the benefits that the concept offers to our students. While the initial cost is substantial, maintenance is minimal, so the project can be maintained on an ongoing basis.”