Sensory Education
Sensory Education.
Everything is easier when your child’s senses are happy!
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WHAT IS SENSORY INTEGRATION THERAPY?
Sensory integration is a theory developed by A. Jean Ayres that looks at how a person interprets incoming sensory information and how the person responds to
that sensation.
There are seven types of sensory input:
1
Tactile input-touch
2
Olfactory input-smell
3
Visual input-sight
4
Auditory input-hearing
5
Gastetory input-taste
6
Vestibular input-movement and balance. This input help us know where our bodies are in space
7
Proprioceptive input input to-our skin, muscles and joints This input provides us with body awareness coordination skills and postural control
WHAT IS SENSORY INTEGRATION THERAPY FOR?
Sensory integration therapy is for anyone who has difficulties processing these 7 areas of sensory information. A person can be either hypersensitive to sensory information or hyposensitive to sensory information.
Hypersensitivity
Is when sensory input becomes too overwhelming
and a person often avoids it because their bodies
can not handle it.
Examples being a child covering their ears when
they hear a loud noise, not eating certain textures
of food, don’t like to be hugged or touched, difficulties with grooming and hygiene activities like haircuts, baths, nail trimming.
Hyposensitivity
- Is when sensory input is not strong enough and a child needs more then is typical in order to function.
Examples being a child needs to touch everything, poor personal space and body awareness, seeks intense movement like spinning, rocking, crashing, jumping, eats strong flavored foods.
WHAT IS SENSORY INTEGRATION THERAPY USED FOR?
Sensory integration therapy is used to help kids with sensory processing difficulties through exposure to the various sensations that they are sensitive or under-responsive to. Through various treatment approaches and repetition, the body is then able to organize or integrate the sensory input allowing the child to function better when experiencing this information.
Sensory integration therapy also works on modification and compensation techniques to help a child to be able to tolerate various sensory input better over the course of treatment.
One of the most common intervention strategies for sensory integration is to use weighted tools like weighted vests, blankets, lap pads and toys to improve proprioceptive dysfunction.
EVIDENCE BASED RESEARCH ON WEIGHT AS AN INTERVENTION TOOL.
The Use of a Weighted Vest To Increase On-Task Behavior in Children With Attention Difficulties
Four students with ADHD were timed to measure on task behavior during fine motor activities in 6 15-minute observations with the vest on and 6 15-minute observations with the vest off.
Results of the study show that on-task behavior increased by 18% to 25% in all 4 students while wearing the weighted vest. Additionally, 3 of the 4 students frequently asked to wear the vest other than during the observation times.
For more information on this study: https://ajot.aota.org/article.aspx?articleid=1869050
Effects of a Weighted Vest on Attention to Task and Self-Stimulatory Behaviors in Preschoolers With Pervasive Developmental Disorders
Attention, self-stimulatory behaviors and the number of distractions were measured in 5 preschool children with PDD with and without a weighted vest for a 6-week period.
Results indicate that all participants displayed a decrease in the number of distractions and an increase in the duration of focused attention while wearing the weighted vest. All but 1 participant demonstrated a decrease in the duration of self-stimulatory behaviors while wearing a weighted vest. During the non-weighted vest period, 3 participants experienced an increase in the duration of self-stimulatory behaviors, and all participants experienced an increase in the number of distractions and a decrease in the duration of focused attention.
For more information on this study: https://ajot.aota.org/article.aspx?articleid=1869051