Sensory Integration

Parent Workshop

The 5 senses

• The commonly known senses –

• These keep us informed about what is happening outside our body

• Sensations from joints and muscles

• The body’s A-Z (Map)

• We can always tell the position of our body, without even looking

PROPRIOCEPTIONPROPRIOCEPTION

Found in the inner ear Sends information to our brain regarding:

- balance - movement- muscle tone

Coordinates eyes, head and body

VESTIBULAR VESTIBULAR SENSE SENSE

Sensory Integration

• Sensory Integration

• How the brain organises sensory information for use

• Can explain the relationship between brain and behavior

Why consider Sensory Processes?

Sensory vs. Behavior

• All sensory process have a behavior/emotional component

BUT• Not all behavior has a sensory component

• All behavior is communicating a need

Effects of Sensory Integration Difficulties

Motor Skills Attention

An AnalogyThe link between brain and behavior

Brain:

Hungry –

Just Right –

Stuffed Full -

Behavior:

Seek more Sensory input

Play, Work, LearnAvoid

Displaying Negative Behaviors to express overload

Hungry

Stuffed Full

Under Responsive Over Responsive

Poor Registration Sensory Seeking

Sensitivity to Stimuli Sensory Avoiding

The Hungry child

• Needs a lot of sensory information

• May over-respond to sensory information– Sensory seeking– Over-active– Flighty attention– Passive– “Day dreamy”– Miss important instructions

The Stuffed Full child• Does not need a lot of sensory information

• May over-respond to sensory information– Sensory Avoiding– Doesn’t like clutter– May like clear spaces– Doesn’t like crowds– Be very controlled/controlling– Doesn’t like noises– Be very picky

Does SI affect Learning?

Yes….because learning requires

• The child’s behavior and alertness to be in an optimal state to maintain attention to tasks.

• The child’s motor skills to be in an optimal state to perform and learn new tasks successfully.

Does SI affect Behavior?

YES…When sensory input is confusing or upsetting, the

child may actively avoid the situation, become upset or have an emotional outburst .

When the child does not register enough stimulation he may seek it out by constantly moving, chewing, humming, or flapping or he or she may seem tired, uninterested and passive. He may rummage cupboards seeming to be in search of food even when full.

Sensory Modulation

• How the child responds to sensory information

• Alerting• Calming

Poor Adaptive Responses

• Flight

• Fight

• Fright

Provide a Balanced Diet

Morning Routine

• Alerting

– Vibrating Toothbrush– Crunchy Cereal– Trampoline– Simon Says Game– Shower– Cold, cold milk

• Calming

– Graduated Light– Gentle Music Alarm– Weighted blanket– Carrying clothes to

utility room– Carry own school bag– Chewy cereals

After School/Homework

• Alerting– Playground– Crunchy Snack– Cold Drink– Sour Candies– Dancing– Music– Vibrating Cushion– Movement breaks

• Calming– Playground– Chewing gum– Heated Room– Bath– Blowing bubbles– Fidgets– Cushions

Bed Time

• Alerting– Exercise/Games– Vibrating toothbrush– Cold Drink– Music– Scented candles

• Calming– Weighted blankets– Tight clothing– Heated Room– Calming songs– Read story without

pictures– Bath

Some useful books

• The Out of Sync Child Has Fun: Carol Stock Krankowitz • Parenting a Child with Sensory Processing Disorder:

Christopher Auer and Susan Blumberg• Raising a Sensory Smart Child: Lindsey Beil, Nancy

Peske• Building Bridges through Sensory Integration: Ellen

Yack, Paula Aquilla, Shirley Sutton• Too Loud, Too Bright, Too Fast, Too Tight: What to do if

you are defensive in an overstimulation world: Elaine Wilson and Helen Edwards

Some Useful Websites

• Sensory Integration Network

• Sensory Integration International

• Sensory Smart

• Sensory Integrative Dysfunction in Young Children