Please left click selector button to move to next slide. By Kerrie Harrison

Sensory Processing is the ability to organise and interpret information that we receive through our senses.

To maintain our levels of arousel To receive and interpret information from our environment and our place within it To engage an awareness of our body and where it is in space To organise our body and take action For purpose of movement flow To survive Kohn (2008)

Sensory processing also includes the following:- Visual, Auditory, Olfactory, Taste. Sensory integration focuses primarily on three basic senses – tactile, vestibular and proprioceptive.

Allows us to interpret:- Touch Pain Temperature Pressure

Withdrawal from touch Refusing to eat food of different textures Continuously removing clothing that can be “irritating” to the skin Avoiding sensory stimuli, eg. dirt, slime, etc. Information received from sensory stimuli can be over- interpretted (pain) or underinterpretted (breaks to bones may not be apparent through response by child).

This system is responsible for detecting changes in the position of the head. Hatch-Rasmussen, (2007)

A child may experience heightened levels of anxiety and resistance to attempting new movements. A child may withdraw from activities that involve changes in ground levels, balancing tasks and climbing. Alternatively, a child may continuously seek out spinning and jumping.

Where Our Bodies are in space How to manipulate objects How to judge distances between approaching objects so that we can move safely around and over them. How to sit.

Clumsiness Difficulties in progressing through fine and gross motor movements developmentally and effectively Awkward gait and flow of movement Poor posture An inability to judge distances of objects and the body’s place in space Resistance to new tasks

Having an over- or under-responsive sensory system Having unusually high or unusually low activity levels May fluctuate between both extremes Easily fatiguing Experiencing gross and fine motor difficulties Experiencing Developmental Delays in one or more domains Experiencing behaviour challenges due to high anxiety levels, frustration and resistance.

Where possible, consult an Allied-Health Professional Include parents in discussions Include tasks that can be carried through consistently at home Ensure the environment is not over- or under-stimulating to the child, eg. provide supports to reduce stimulation (mats to sit on, move focus area into a space that is sheltered) or take away items that will over stimulate, eg. posters and hanging up children’s work Introduce activities that will support child through experiences safely and calmly (Do not force experiences) Introduce functional activities that are meaningful in small achievable steps, eg. if introducing a new food, provide a small piece do not put a whole item in front of them as this is quite confronting.

Try to determine the function of the behaviour, eg. are they seeking salt or are they seeking oral stimulation. The following could be provided daily to assist a child to expore their oral needs and to work through inappropriate behaviours Alternatively, if it is found to be the result of salt, then salty biscuits may be used to work through this and to replace the behaviour

Without gross motor endurance, fine motor development cannot take place, eg. without should stability, we would not be able to use our fingers to manipulate objects Whilst there may be some resistance to challenges, eg. some children are fearful of removing their feet from the ground, it is important to persist It is important to remember that children with ASD fatigue very easily but this is not an excuse Introduce tasks to their ability and increase time of activity to build strength and endurance Provide tasks with obstacles to develop proprioception Include balancing, uneven surfaces, stepping activities, climbing, etc. Less active tasks can be introduced into the classroom regularly throughout the day to break up extended periods as well as improve strength and endurance

Regular fine motor activities can be introduced into the curriculum to break up extended periods and to reduce behaviours These can be introduced in small spurts daily Schedule tasks Reduce the need for perfection as this can become an engrained behaviour that may cause problems Teach perseverance but introduce slowly, extending period to develop strength Children with ASD may experience difficulty using scissors and holding pencils

Northern School For Autism, (2008) EXAMPLES OF FINE MOTOR TASKS TO SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT

Provide sensory activities, eg. footspas, waterplay, bubbles, playdough, slime, etc. Do not force use of items, find alternative ways of performing the task-at-hand Soft brushing techniques over the arms and legs could be introduced to help child develop an awareness of his/her body Deep pressure can be applied to the body, again to develop body-awareness These are also calming and settling techniques.

Hatch-Rasmussen, C. (2007) Sensory Integration. (accessed 17/10/2007) Kohn, H (2008) Motor Issues. Western Autistic School, Melbourne 16 th May, 2008 Kohn, H. (2008) Sensory Approaches as a Management Strategy. Western Autistic School, Melbourne, 2008 Northern School For Autism, (2008) Classroom Fine Motor Strategies, Preston