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SENSORY
INTEGRATION FACT SHEET
Some Signs of Sensory Integrative Dysfunction
• Overly sensitive to touch, movement, sights, or sounds
• Easily distracted
• Activity level that is unusually high or unusually low
• Impulsive, lacking in self control
• Inability to unwind or calm self
• Poor self concept • Under-reactive to touch, movement,
sights, or sounds
• Social and/or emotional problems
• Physical clumsiness or apparent carelessness
• Difficulty making transitions from one situation to
another
• Delays in academic achievement
• Delays in speech, language, or motor skills
Typically, a child with a sensory integrative disorder will
show more than one of the above signs.
What is Sensory Integration?
Sensory experiences include touch, movement, body awareness,
sight, sound, and the pull of gravity. The process of
the brain organizing and interpreting this information is
called sensory integration. Sensory integration provides a
crucial foundation for later, more complex learning and
behavior. For most children, sensory integration
develops in the course of ordinary childhood activities. Motor
planning ability is a natural outcome of the process, as is
the ability to adapt to incoming sensations. But for some
children, sensory integration does not develop as efficiently
as it should. When the process is disordered, a number of
problems in learning, development, or behavior
may become evident. The concept of sensory integration come
from a body of work developed by A. Jean Ayers, PhD, OTR. As
an occupational therapist, Dr. Ayers was interested in which
sensory processing and motor planning disorders interfere with
daily life function and learning. This theory has been
developed and refined by the research of Dr. Ayers, as other
occupational and physical therapists. In addition literature
from the fields of neuropsychology, neurology, physiology,
child development
and psychology has contributed to theory development and
intervention strategies.
What Can Be Done?
If a child is suspected of having a sensory integrative
disorder, an evaluation can be conducted by a qualified*
occupational or physical therapist. Evaluation usually
consists of both standardized testing and structured
observations of responses to sensory stimulation, posture,
balance, coordination and eye movements. After carefully
analyzing test results and other assessment data along with
information from other professionals and parents, the
therapist will make recommendations regarding appropriate
therapy. If therapy is recommended, the child will be guided
through activities that challenge his or her ability to
respond appropriately to sensory input by making a successful,
organized response. Training of specific skills is not usually
the
focus of this kind of therapy. Adaptive physical education,
movement education
and gymnastics are examples of services that typically focus
on specific motor skills
training. Such services are important but they are not the
same as therapy using a
sensory integrative approach. One important aspect of therapy
that uses a
sensory integrative approach is that the motivation of the
child plays a crucial role in
the selection of the activities. Most children tend to seek
out activities that provide
sensory experiences most beneficial to them at that point in
development. It is this active involvement and exploration
that enables the child to become a more mature, efficient
organizer of sensory information.
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