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) PROPRIOCEPTION Sensations from joints and muscles The body’s A-Z (Map) We can always tell the position of our body, without even looking Your bodies map Eg) close your eyes, can you tell exactly what your feet are doing, are your knees bent or straight, where are your hands, is your head tilting or upright

Sends information to our brain regarding: - balance - movement VESTIBULAR SENSE Found in the inner ear Sends information to our brain regarding: - balance - movement - muscle tone Coordinates eyes, head and body Scooter board activity – Sitting on scooter board holding onto hoop, eyes closed, swing around in a circle. Are you going fast or slow? As go around in a circle observe head moves first and then the body follows, able to remain balanced. Stimulates muscle tone - child goes into extension when on stomach. Why do you feel funny when you are sitting in a parked car and the car beside you moves? – Your vision is telling you that you are moving, but your vestibular sense is saying, no your stationary.

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 Analogy The link between brain and behavior Brain: Hungry – Just Right – Stuffed Full - Behavior: Seek more Sensory input Play, Work, Learn Avoid Displaying Negative Behaviors to express overload

Sensitivity to Stimuli Hungry Sensory Seeking Poor Registration Under Responsive Over Responsive Continuum – hungry to over fed Multidimensional Add another continuum – responsiveness 4 quadrants - explain Analogy of finger painting Poor registration – picture all seem OK in art class (lots of children completing work) but look at boy in the back. These children often get over-looked during lesson time (quiet). Can call their name a number of times but don’t respond; fire alarm could be going off, messy eaters; slow to get going with things. Seeks lots of input – fleeting attention from one thing to another; arousal level high, touching everything, seeking lots of hugs, spinning, rocking (these are the most identifiable children in the class because they drive teachers crazy) May be very controlled of actions – use only one finger, one type of paint (but won’t touch glue), happy with trumpets but not crowd noise. Don’t tolerate change very well. Will only use one type of pencil because noise of writing is uncomfortable. Avoids – can be emotionally labile for no apparent reason (unless looking at sensory processing). Children will do a lot of refusing. May be the ones that can’t line up, hold their ears over the slightest noise, arousal level high because they are on high alert. Sensitivity to Stimuli Sensory Avoiding Stuffed Full

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

Which sensation are you using to calm yourself or make you more alert Biting nails/biting end of pencil/chewing gum – Bombarding brain with proprioception and providing our jaw joint with lots of stimulation. Some people use it to be alerting others as calming (eg Alex Fergursen) Hug – universal comforting symbol as receiving touch as well as proprioception Doodle – proprio, visual Coffee - Walking to make: proprio, vest Pacing – vest, proprio

Poor Adaptive Responses Fright Flight Fight

Provide a Balanced Diet We need to experience a variety of sensations each day to keep our brain energised, alert or calm. With a regular, balanced sensory diet we are able to cope with the demands of the day. Our sensory needs fluctuate throughout the day, just like food, sometimes we need a substantial meal, other times a light snack. These pictures are in the proportions of how much stimulation we need from each sense = ie) feedback from muscles (proprioception), balance (vest) and touch we need a lot of. The other senses we get by with just a little.

Morning Routine Alerting Calming 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 Calming Exercise/Games Vibrating toothbrush Cold Drink Music Scented candles Calming Weighted blankets Tight clothing Heated Room Calming songs Read story without pictures Bath

Understanding the sensory needs of my child at home Group Detectives: What sensory tools can I use at home with my children? When can my child access these? How/when can I recognise when my child needs a sensory snack? How can we fit this into our daily family life?

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