SENSORY INTEGRATION…

Do you struggle trying to find the answers to questions like…

• Why does my child seem so difficult to parent?
• Why does my child struggle so much more than his or her peers on the playground?
• Why is my child so picky?
• Why is my child so sensitive to the world?
  

Understanding Sensory Integration may help you find the answers you are looking for.

Sensory Integration, what is it? What does it mean?

Sensory integration (SI) is a term that refers to the unconscious process by which the nervous system receives messages from the senses and turns them into appropriate motor and behavioral responses (SPD Foundation). In the words of A. Jean Ayres, occupational therapist and child development expert, “sensory integration gives meaning to what is experienced by sifting through all of the information and selecting what to focus on (such as listening to a teacher and ignoring the noise of outside traffic" (Ayres, J.A., 2005).

Whether you are listening to music, eating breakfast, or swimming, sensory integration is required to successfully complete the task. A child’s brain relies on sensory integration to automatically sort, interpret, and distribute the sensory information it receives from the child’s constant interactions with the world around them.

From birth until age 7, the brain acts primarily as a sensory processing machine. A child develops purposeful, goal-directed responses or adaptive responses to environmental stimuli as a result of the brain processing and organizing the information taken in through the senses (tastes, sight, hearing, touch, smell, movement, gravity, and position) (Ayres, J.A., 2005). For example, when a child eats an apple, sensory information from the mouth, nose, eyes, skin, and muscles all blend together to create the whole experience. This integration of the senses that occurs through a child’s movement, talking, and playing creates the foundation for reading, writing, and good behavior (Ayres, J.A., 2005).

What happens when the brain does a poor job of integrating sensations?

When a child’s brain cannot properly process and organize sensory information into the appropriate responses, it interferes with many of life’s simple tasks.This interference between the senses and the brain is called Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). Child development expert A. Jean Ayres compared SPD to a “traffic jam” that prevents the brain from receiving information to successfully interpret sensory information.

Simply put, a child with SPD has difficulties processing and acting upon information received through the senses. This lack of communication between one’s senses and the brain makes everyday tasks much more challenging. If left untreated, SPD can lead to a number of difficulties including motor clumsiness, behavioral problems, anxiety, depression, or school failure (SPD Foundation).

Research by the SPD Foundation indicates that 1 in every 20 children experiences symptoms of Sensory Processing Disorder that are significant enough to affect their ability to participate fully in everyday life (SPD Foundation).

What are some behaviors that may be signs my child is struggling with sensory integration difficulties?

Efficient organization of sensory information provides the foundation for the development of basic functional skills. If there is a problem with the processing of sensory information, there can be many potential outcomes that might cause a parent concern.

Parents are in the best position to know when their child is struggling with sensory processing difficulties. Often, concerned parents are made to feel like they are overreacting by taking a child’s struggles as more than “just a phase” or part of the “child’s personality.” According to the Pediatric Therapy Network and the work of A. Jean Ayres, PhD, OTR, FAOTA, disruption in sensory processing can result in:

·Sensory defensiveness (sensory seeking or sensory avoiding behaviors):

• Sensitivity to certain aspects of touch or specific textures that are not typically bothersome to other children the same age including avoiding physical contact with peers, pulling away from a hug, disliking contact with sand, glue, or paint.
• Unusual sensitivity to certain sounds, smells, tastes, or light.
• Unusual fear response to movements and/or heights not typically threatening to other children the same age such as an exaggerated fear of falling or of heights, or seeming overly fearful of going on escalators or elevators.

·Problems in self-regulation (activity levels too high or too low, not matched for the task at hand)

• A tendency to seek certain types of sensory experiences in an excessive or unusual way, and/or not seeming to notice sensations that most people would notice, such as appearing to crave constant motion, tending to lean, push, or burrow, wanting to touch many things, or not noticing typically painful experiences.

·Difficulties with learning and planning motor skills (the ability to conceive, organize and execute skills of all kinds):

·Difficulties associated with inefficient processing of the vestibular system:

• Difficulty with activities requiring the use of both hands or both sides of the body such as jumping jacks, tying shoes, cutting a piece of paper, riding a bicycle, etc.
• Falling more frequently than other children of the same age and/or making no attempt to regain balance.
• Confusing spatial concepts such as up and down or right and left.

• Poor body awareness and positioning
• Difficulty differentiating sounds or words
• Difficulty differentiating shapes, letters, or numbers
• Difficulty with tasks that involve touch such as manipulation of small objects like fastening buttons or snaps or playing with toys that have small pieces such as legos.

 What can I do to help if I suspect my child has sensory processing difficulties?

To start, remember that you are the parent, and when it comes to your child, you are the expert! If you feel your child is truly struggling, the next step is evaluation. Don’t let others dissuade you from seeking help from trained professionals. There are experts in your community trained to understand and support the whole child. If your child needs additional support, occupational therapists, doctors, speech and language therapists, and other child development experts will help you provide your child with the support he or she needs to be a successful independent learner.

An evaluation usually consists of standardized testing (when possible), a structured observation of play and responses to sensory input, and an interview with the parent or adult. If intervention is recommended, your occupational therapist will work with you and your child’s doctors, teachers, and others who provide support to design the most appropriate and effective program for your child.