Why this site exists
Most sensory product advice is either a clinical paper a tired parent cannot use, or an affiliate listicle written by someone who has never met an autistic child. Sensory Steps sits in between: specifications, safety limits, and step-by-step routines, in plain language, checked by an occupational therapist.
Who writes and reviews
Author
Maya Ellison
Founder & parent of an autistic 7-year-old
Maya writes every guide on Sensory Steps from the same place most of her readers start: a kitchen table covered in toys that didn't work. She tests every product with her own two kids before it appears in a recommendation.
Clinical reviewer
Dana Whitfield, OTR/L
Licensed pediatric occupational therapist
Dana has spent eleven years in pediatric sensory integration practice. She reviews every clinical claim on this site for accuracy before it publishes.
Our editorial process
- Scope. We start from questions parents actually ask, not from products with the best commissions.
- Research. Manufacturer specifications, published safety standards, and occupational therapy practice guidance — cited in plain terms rather than jargon.
- Hands-on use. Where a guide recommends a product category, it has been used in a real home with real children.
- Clinical review. Dana Whitfield, OTR/L reads every clinical claim before publication and flags anything that overstates the evidence.
- Scheduled updates. Every guide carries a visible last-reviewed date and is revisited at least annually.
Where we stand
- Stimming is regulation, not misbehaviour. We never recommend suppressing a safe stim.
- We use identity-first and person-first language according to community preference.
- We do not sell certainty. Where the evidence is thin, we say so instead of dressing it up.
- We follow the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) practice guidelines and the CDC autism resources for evidence-based information.
Our credentials
Maya Ellison is a parent advocate with lived experience raising an autistic child. She researches every guide using peer-reviewed literature and manufacturer specifications.
Dana Whitfield, OTR/L is a licensed pediatric occupational therapist (OTR/L) with 11 years of clinical experience in sensory integration. She reviews every clinical claim for accuracy before publication.
Professional organizations: We follow guidelines from the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
What we are not
Sensory Steps is educational. It is not a diagnosis, a treatment plan, or a substitute for an assessment by a qualified professional who has met your child. Please read the medical disclaimer and the affiliate disclosure.
Corrections and contact
If something here is wrong, we want to fix it. Email hello@sensorysteps.site with the page and the correction, and we will review it and note any substantive change on the page.