Snoezelen Rooms

There are close to 1,200 Snoezelen rooms in North America, according to FlagHouse, the company that provides the equipment. PARC has the only multisensory room with official Snoezelen equipment in the Tampa Bay area.

In the Snoezelen, a child with autism learns what it feels like to calm down and escape from an overstimulating environment, said Linda Messbauer, an occupational therapist who established the first Snoezelen in the United States in 1992. When they re-enter a stressful environment, children can think back to the Snoezelen room, which helps them relax. Then, they are more receptive to other types of therapy and education

Snoezelen — a blend of two Dutch words meaning "explore" and "relax" — was invented in the Netherlands in the 1970s. The rooms use specialized, brand-name equipment that stimulates the senses with sound, light, color, texture and aroma. They're designed to help individuals with developmental disabilities, dementia and some neurological problems to regulate how much sensory stimulation they experience.

The center serves all ages but was designed primarily for children. To fit parents' schedules, it's open daily, including nights and weekends. There are rooms for private therapy and family observation, and staff members work with families, their finances and schools to develop treatment plans.

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