SNOEZELEN

The concept of SNOEZELEN was defined in the late 1970s by two Dutch therapists, Jan
Hulsegge and Ad Verheul while they were working at the De Hartenberg Institute in Holland,
a center for people with intellectual disabilities. At the Institutes annual summer fair,
Hulsegge and Verheul set up an experimental sensory tent filled with simple effects such as a
fan blowing shards of paper, ink mixed with water and projected onto a screen, musical
instruments, tactile objects, scent bottles, soaps, and flavorful foods. It was a tremendous
success, especially with low-functioning clients who demonstrated positive verbal and non-
verbal feedback. The therapists called this multi-sensory experience snoezelen, a
contraction of the Dutch verbs snuffelen (to seek out or explore) and doezelen (to relax).
A. Basic of the Snoezelen
The basic concept of Snoezelen for children with special needs:
Confusing
Snoezelen minimize confusion with the ability to adjust and to understand the
demands of communication and concepts, especially abstract concepts.
Dependent
Snoezelen minimize challenges, establish confidence and independence
Stressfull
The fear all the time and stress that needs to be given relaxation.
Restrictive
An inability in children, become passive, unable to exploration the new thing, bad
adaptation, interest does not develop, stiff.
Meaningless
Meaning contact with others, to understand and to love have shown by the physical
contact.
Stimulation
Non of stimulation of the child will be transferred in the angry, self-stimulation,
repetitive behavior. The existence of stimulation will be meaningful and varied will
help the handling behavior.



C. The benefits of Snoezelen
provide relaxation both mentally and physically so that the child is more calm and
relaxed.
improve concentration and focus in learning
reduce self-stimulation (hyperactivity and hypersensitivity)
Sensory experience: reinforcing sensory experience
reduce excessive emotion (tantrums)
increase attention and interpersonal contact
set the level of muscle tension (spasticity)
develop the ability to play and enjoyment
help children enjoy games, activities, or by themself
help the child take the initiative to do the activity.

D. Optimum Conditions Snoezelen
The Right Fundamental Attitude: children do activities without force.
The Right Guidance: reward and supporting.
The Right Atmosphere: a suitable atmosphere, pleasant atmosphere.
Offering Stimulii A Selective Way: stimulation that proper and safe and not
contradictive..
The Right Direction: Navigate to the appropriate stimulus.
Repetition: allowed for the same activity.
The Possibility to Determine the Speed: The children have enough time to identify the
stimulus.

E. STIMULATION SIGHT
The sight depends on light and dark, shapes and angles, color and shadow will
provide stimulation and enjoyment. In this case a picture is not necessary for the
understanding, except for the learning program. The basic color is alternately considered to
be quite nice.
Visual stimulation
The combination of lighting and visual image that will be displayed produce varying
effects to help create the sensation of warm and cool. So that children with special needs are
able to interest, pleasurable relaxation and stimulated.






The Color is divided into 2 parts:
Warm color is red, orange, and yellow.
Cool color is green, blue and soft colors.
- Blue
reduce heartbeat, tension, and frequency of breath up to 20 percent.
For relaxation and meditation
- Green
A sense of peace, calm, and cool
Reduce stress hormones in the blood
Reduce muscle tension
- Red
Color excited, increase brain activity and muscle tone
Provide a sense of warm
- Orange
The effect is the same as the red but lighter, activation, energetic and slightly
reducing effects of depression
- Yellow
The effect is the same as the red and orange but the lightest, stable color
performance and concentration Improves well. There is much more research
that chickens lay eggs under yellow light.

Results
The room size is the same size in red paint will appear smaller than the blue.
The room is painted blue will show the time seemed to slow walk , while the
red seemed to live in a hurry .
The orange , red and yellow often in advertising to create the impression of
lively and full of spirit.

HEARING
Pitch and tone , rhythm and silence is important. Music for relaxation is a nice thing
but slow, simple rhythms , low intellectual ability is required so that the children need special
more relaxed .

AUDITORY STIMLATION
Soft music : a sense of warm , comfortable , safe and relaxed
Cheerfull music : cheerful , active and dynamic motion provocation
Music depends on rhythm, harmony , dynamics , hard -soft.
BRAIN WAVES
Brain wave consists of 5 kinds of waves , namely waves gamma , beta , alpha , theta , delta:
1. gamma waves is the highest frequency in the brain . This frequency occurs in the
brain when experiencing mental activity is very high , for example in the game area ,
the race for the championship , appeared in public very panic and phobias .
2. Beta waves are associated with active concentration busy thinking
3. Alpha waves result you need to relax and listen to the feelings of the heart at
frequencies 0 - 20Hz .
4. Theta waves cause your mind to dream or fall into a deep meditative state at a
frequency of 4 - 8Hz
5. Delta waves are the lowest frequency and generate conditions dreamless sleep . These
waves are very important in the cycle of the mind to rest or sleep , to cure and
maintain health . Thus these waves to help fast asleep .
Results
corpus callosum of the musicians are thicker.
Babies in the womb of his mother sung by the same kind of music .
TOUCH
Provide different surface to stimulate the touch sensor is important . Rough , smooth ,
wet , dry , warm , and cold is necessary . Body contact between the therapist and the child is
required . Although the therapist did not speak , but the touch would be some form of contact
between the therapist and the child . With a touch of the therapist will demonstrate a sense of
caring on their show and children feel secure by hugging .



SMELL
It is very strong enough for the result of snoezelen although sometimes a sensor that is rarely
used . The smell was able to create a very strong memory .

STIMULATION OLFACTORY
For the oversensitive with stimulus :
Papermint : easy to breathe
Rose : suppress fear and give positive experience
Patchouli (a type of vegetable oil ) : fix indifferent attitude , and makes it easy to control.
Kamelia : calming

For undersensitive with stimuli :
Lavender : calm and maintain attention
Thyme : restore balance
Eucalyptus : increase preparedness
jasmine : prevent changes from undersensitive to oversensitive and otherwise
Basilica ( basil / mint ) : fix the confidence

Conclusion
Snoezelen that was originally intended only to improve the quality of life of children with
special needs has now maturated into another function ( relaxation , exploration ,
communication , initiation , relationships , increase self-confidence , and learning ) so
snoezelen activity is absolutely necessary for children with special needs .