Sensory Systems Clinic West

01/27/2026

UPDATE! Due to the weather, Sensory Systems will
CLOSED
January 27th.

01/24/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/185j5hJNYQ/

Don’t freak out, but, autistic selective eating is ✨NOT always about sensory issues.✨

Yes, texture, smell, temperature, taste, and predictability matter…BUT, research also points to RIGIDITY as a major contributor to “picky eating”.

From the autistic perspective, the rule often isn’t
❌“I can’t eat this because it feels bad.”

It’s more like:
✅“I can’t eat this because I don’t eat this.”

Once a food is categorized as “not something I eat,” that rule can be surprisingly hard to break, even if the sensory experience itself wouldn’t be terrible.

I notice this every time I travel.
Almost every trip, I come home with a new food I’m suddenly willing to eat.

Sometimes it’s a food I’ve genuinely never been exposed to before,
(most recently, clam chowder).

Other times, it’s a food I stopped eating years ago…but while traveling, the usual rules get disrupted and the rigidity breaks.

Once that rule is broken I’m often willing to eat it again at home.

The sensory experience didn’t magically change. What changed was the mental rule around it.

So when we talk about autistic eating, it’s worth remembering that…

Sometimes the most effective support isn’t avoiding new foods or assuming every refusal is sensory-based.

Rather, thoughtful exposure (done respectfully), without pressure is what actually expands flexibility.

This definitely doesn’t mean that exposure works the same way for everyone.

But it does mean recognizing that for many autistic people, rigidity can be just as powerful a barrier as sensory discomfort.

01/23/2026

We are open from 9-4 Friday, January 23rd.

01/23/2026

Sensory Systems is honored to support this awesome event. Come join in the fun.

Join us for Disability Inclusion Night on Thursday, February 5, from 6:00–7:00 PM at Steeby Elementary School. This event is open to the entire community!

Families and community members are invited to come learn, explore, and connect through:
💚 Multiple hands-on activities
💚 Informational booths featuring local services and supports
💚Disability Awareness Read-aloud

The goal of this evening is to inform our community about available services while providing students with meaningful, inclusive, and interactive experiences with their peers.

Planning to attend? RSVP here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1WlG2x36fYGY0zQFsqPX1u_olP0re9l1oH_48gaAGkcI/viewform?edit_requested=true

We look forward to learning together and celebrating inclusion with you!

01/22/2026

We are open starting at 11 am. Thursday, January 22nd. Call to update schedules.

01/21/2026

01/20/2026

Sensory Systems Clinic West is open, Tuesday, 1/20/26 starting at 10 am.
Call to reschedule for Monday.
Please call ahead to cancel if unable to come in for scheduled time.

01/18/2026

01/08/2026

There is a speech language pathologist interested in providing services through our facility. We are currently taking a survey of people who are interested in making use of speech therapy in Wayland.
Call the clinic or come by to fill out a survey.
269-792-2353

12/15/2025

We are following the WUMS spirit week at the clinic.