Chileda adds new “Snoezelen” room for kids to help with anxiety
LA CROSSE, Wis. (WXOW) - Students at Chileda in La Crosse have a new room to help them reduce anxiety.
It's called the "Snoezelen" room, a combination of two Dutch words that mean "to explore" and "to relax". The room used to be an office space, but now it is a unique environment for kids who live with sensory processing disorders. It's a space where they can control their surroundings.
"For our kids, that’s what’s really cool for me to watch they are used to these rules and structure and a schedule and being told what’s next on their plan," said Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) Alicia Zielke. "In this room, it’s completely safe and they are not being told no. They can come in here and they can just explore as much as they want, and watching the kids do that is like a child on Christmas morning they just light up."
The room is controlled with an i-pad and can be catered to each students' individual needs. Chileda serves students ages five to twenty-one with varying levels of cognitive ability.
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