The influence of Sensory Processing on students’ performance Scope

Questions We Hope to Answer What is Sensory Processing? What are your own sensory preferences and aversions? How is sensory information processed? What are the issues that can arise for someone with difficulties with processing sensory information? How can you modify the environment and support students who have difficulties with sensory processing? Any of your questions

What is Sensory Processing?

The Senses

Vestibular

The Senses Proprioception

Senses Senses help us to be aware of our environment. Everyone has sensory preferences.

Sensory Processing Sensory Input Sensory Registration and Discrimination Sensory Modulation Planning and Organising Behaviour Behaviour Output Feedback to Enviornment

Driving a Car Sensory Input Traffic Conditions Road Conditions Sensory Reg & Dis Aware of rain, getting dark, other cars on the road and pedestrians Sensory Modulation Boosts up information about traffic Dampens down peripheral info, such as shops Planning & Organising Behav Know traffic conditions leaad to increased risk of accident Behaviour Output Slow Down Both hands on wheels Turn down radio Feedback to Enviornment

Sensory Processing Disorder “SPD exists when sensory signals don’t get organised into appropriate responses and daily routines and activities are disrupted as a result” (Miller, 2006)

What are difficulties students may have with modulation? Sensory Overresponsivity – Sensory Sensitivity, Sensory Avoiding Sensory Underresponsivity - Sensory Seeking, Poor Registration Can be specific to one or multiple senses!

Patterns of Sensory Processing: Neurological ThresholdsSelf-regulation strategies/ Behavioural responses Self-regulation strategies/ Behavioural responses PassiveActive High ThresholdLow Registration - which represents a high threshold and passive self-regulation strategy. Sensation Seeking - which represents high thresholds and an active self-regulation strategy Low ThresholdSensory Sensitivity - which includes low thresholds and a passive self-regulation strategy. Sensation Avoiding - which includes low thresholds and an active self-regulation strategy.

Time Across the Day Student’s Level of Arousal

Sensory Overresponsivity Responds to sensation faster, with more intensity or for a longer duration than those who have a typical response to sensation. Can occur in multiple or one sensory system. Over-sensitive children are those that cannot block out sensory input that is unnecessary or irrelevant. Therefore too much sensory input is being processed at the one time. This child may make attempts to cope with this ‘overload’ through two paths: 1. Sensory Sensitivity 2. Sensory Avoiding

Sensory Overresponsivity

Behaviours may include:  Aggressive or impulsive when overwhelmed by sensory stimulation.  Avoids group activities and has trouble forming relationships.  Excessively cautious and afraid to try new things.  Upset by transitions and unexpected changes.

Sensory Avoiding: These children tend to withdraw, actively making attempts to reduce the frequency and intensity of sensory input. They meet their thresholds with very little input. They tend to have very strict routines which enables them to ‘predict’, to a certain extent the sensory input that they are going to be exposed to and can tolerate. These children can often appear to have low energy and be lethargic. Being continually on ‘alert’ and in ‘high stress’ does make them more tired than their peers.

Sensory Sensitivity: Children who are sensitive to stimulation tend to be easily distracted and may display hyperactivity. They are constantly being distracted by the most recent sensory input received and have great difficulty focusing to the task at hand. They meet their thresholds with very little input. They find it very difficult to maintain their attention on a task as their sensory systems are bombarding them with new information. These are the children that notice when you have a different badge on or notice that you have a new picture in the room.

Sensory Under-Responsivity Exhibit less of a response to sensory information than the situation demands. They do not appear to detect, take longer to react or require increased intensity and time to respond to sensory messages. Can occur in one or multiple sensory systems. Children who require an ‘over abundance’ before an impression is made are called Under-sensitive. These children register sensations less than their peers. These children are those that need an increased amount of stimulation to register and to achieve typical alertness. These children generally fall into two areas: 1. Sensory Seeking 2. Poor Registration

Sensory Under-Responsivity

Behaviours may include:  Easy going.  Passive, quiet, withdrawn.  Excessively slow to respond to directions or complete assignments.  Appear without inner drive to get involved in the world around them; uninterested in exploring games or objects

Sensory Seeking Crave an unusual amount of sensory input. Constantly moving or touching or chewing objects. Can be intrusive on other people: crash and bash into others. Can occur in one or multiple sensory systems These are the children that will actively seek out sensory input – the movers and shakers. Generally, they are very active children and will need higher input intensity and frequency than their peers. They require additional information to map out the world around them These are the children that are often seen as naughty as they move in and out of their chairs, touch or chew everything. They require MORE MORE MORE input.

Sensory Seeking

Poor Registration: These children have ‘dulled’ sensory registration. They do not go out of their way to seek input as it does not ‘excite’ them. These children do not appear to notice things going on around them, as if they are in their own little world, oblivious to the real world. These children leave their clothes twisted on their bodies,or fail to acknowledge food or mud on their faces and hands. Children with poor registration tend to be passive, quiet, lack initiative and may appear lethargic.

What Sensory Preferences Do you have?

Why is it important to help? If don’t address sensory issues, behaviours will continue to exist or get worse. Student may have difficulties articulating sensory issues. Student may not have control over sensory stimulus.

How can you help? Remember to try and work out what is happening to the student, so you can change environment accordingly. Distinguish what senses or combination of senses are contributing to the difficulties.

How can you help? What environment is the student already participating well in, can you incorporate these elements into other settings.

How can you help? Match the strategy to the student. Also be mindful that our tolerance for sensory input fluctuates depending on other factors, such as sleep.

How can you help a student with Sensory Over-Responsivity? Ask Questions such as……  What sensory messages in my student’s environment are distracting, alarming or uncomfortable? What sensory system are these related to?  How can I modify the environment to make those surroundings more calm, safe and predictable?

How can you help a student with Sensory Over-Responsivity? Modify how you interact with the student

How can you help a student with Sensory Over-Responsivity? Work Space

How can you help a student with Sensory Over-Responsivity? Calming toys

How can you help a student with Sensory Over-Responsivity? Visual Schedules

How can you help a student with Sensory Under-Responsivity? Ask questions such as:  What is present in my student’s environment that stimulates their active interest?  How can I modify the environment to make my student’s surroundings more fun, engaging and enticing?

How can you help a student with Sensory Under-Responsivity? Provide lots of movement and texture

How can you help a student with Sensory Under-Responsivity? Classroom

How can you help a student with Sensory Under-Responsivity? Alerting foods

How can you help a student with Sensory Under-Responsivity? Gain attention through touch, vision and auditory. Sit next to extremely social students and other sources of sound. Teach the student to prepare for any block of time when they will need to concentrate, for example do they need to go for a run before taking a spelling test.

How can you help a student with Sensory Under-Responsivity? Modify how you interact with the student

How can you help a Sensory-Seeking student? Ask Questions such as:  What types of environments help my student pay attention and behave appropriately?  What types of surroundings cause him to be disorganised, distracted and/or overstimulated?  How can I modify the environment to increase his attention, support appropriate behaviour, increase organisation and prevent over-stimulation?

How can you help a Sensory-Seeking student? Structured movement throughout the day

How can you help a Sensory-Seeking student? Change where they learn

How can you help a Sensory-Seeking student? Added movements

How can you help a Sensory-Seeking student? Fidget toys

How can you help a Sensory-Seeking student? Worksheets

How can you help a Sensory-Seeking student? Calming toys if they get over aroused

How can you help a Sensory-Seeking student? Provide increased proprioceptive and vestibular input before an activity to maintain concentration, for example a run before taking a long test.

Case Studies

Other Resources

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