The Sensory World Sensory Integra2on •  Take in informa2on •  Process the informa2on •  Respond to the informa2on How our senses work •  Our central nervous system (brain) processes all the sensory informa2on we receive and helps us to organize, priori2ze, and understand the informa2on. We then respond through thoughts, feelings, motor responses (behavior), or a combina2on of these. Sensory Processing •  We have receptors all over our bodies that pick up sensory informa2on or “s2muli”. •  Our hands and feet contain the most receptors. •  Most of the 2me we process sensory informa2on automa2cally without needing to think about it. Sensory Processing •  People or children with sensory integra2on difficul2es have difficulty with processing or taking in the sensory informa2on. •  People or children who struggle with all of this informa2on can some2mes become stressed or anxious. •  They can also possibly feel pain or may exhibit challenging behavior. Sensory Integra-on Sensory integra2on should be well integrated by 8-­‐10 years of age. How do I know if my child is having sensory processing difficul2es? •  If your child is exhibi2ng behaviors or reac2ng to the extent that it is interfering with every day tasks or events. For example, you can’t give your child a bath or wash their face. You have a difficult 2me with puSng clothes on them. •  Reac2ons or behaviors are extreme. For example, throwing themselves on the ground, covering their ears and running away. •  If your child is exhibi2ng the behavior across all seSngs. For example, covering their ears at a birthday party, at the gym, and when music is played. •  If your child is exhibi2ng behaviors in more than one area. Has a difficult 2me with loud noises, seeks all kinds of movement, and doesn’t like it when their hands get messy. Change in Arousal-­‐
Wilbarger Adapta2on Sensory Overload Op2mal level of arousal Low arousal Our 7 Senses 7 Senses Sight Sound Touch Taste Smell Balance (Ves2bular) Body Awareness (Propriocep2on) Sight Our sight helps us define objects, people, colors, contrast and spa2al boundaries. Sight helps us maintain our posture, define boundaries, and watch s2ll or moving objects. Sight Hypo (under-­‐sensi-ve) Hyper (over-­‐sensi-ve) •  Objects appear quite dark, or lose some of their features. •  Central vision is blurred and peripheral vision is sharp •  Central object can be magnified and peripheral is blurred. •  Poor depth percep2on-­‐
problems with throwing and catching; clumsiness •  Poor visual tracking •  Avoids looking at certain objects. •  Objects and bright lights can appear to jump around. •  Images may be incomplete. •  Easier to focus on details than the en2re object. •  Eyes may tear up or appear red. •  Reacts adversely to bright light. •  Finger flaps in visual field. •  Stares at certain objects. Sound •  This sense is the most commonly recognized form of sensory impairment. Hearing can affect someone’s ability to communicate and possibly also their balance. Sound •
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Hypo(under-­‐responsive) May only hear sounds in one ear. May not acknowledge par2cular sounds Might enjoy crowded, noisy places or bang doors and objects. Difficulty with mul2-­‐step skills. Makes unusual or loud noises. Hyper (over-­‐responsive) •  Noises can be magnified and sounds can be distorted and muddled. •  Par2cularly sensi2ve to sounds and may hear conversa2ons in the distance. •  Inability to cut out sounds and background noise, which can lead to difficul2es concentra2ng. Touch •  Touch helps us to assess the environment we are in and we react accordingly. It also allows us to feel pain. Touch Hypo (under responsive) Hyper (over responsive) •  Holds others 2ghtly or give hugs. •  Walks with hands on the wall or furniture. •  Enjoys heavy objects on top of them such as blankets. •  Poor localiza2on. •  Poor awareness of when nose or mouth is dirty. •  May not know when they have been hurt. •  Touch can be painful or uncomfortable. •  Dislikes having anything on hands or feet. •  Difficulty with brushing and washing their hair because their head is sensi2ve. •  Only likes certain types of clothing or textures. •  Has a hard 2me with standing between children in line. •  Picky eater. Taste Receptors in our mouth tells us about different tastes; sweet, sour, and spicy. Taste is the weakest of the senses. Girls have move taste buds than boys. Taste Hypo (under responsive) •  Likes very spicy foods •  Eats everything-­‐grass, Play-­‐
dough, non-­‐food objects. •  May overstuff mouth. Hyper (over responsive) •  Has a restricted diet. •  Some flavors are too strong or overpowering because of sensi2ve taste buds. •  Certain textures can cause discomfort. •  Some may only eat smooth foods like mashed potatoes or ice-­‐cream. Smell •  Receptors in our nose tells us about smells in our immediate environment. Smell is the first sense we rely upon. Girls are more sensi2ve to smell. Smell Hypo (under responsive) Hyper (over responsive) •  Some can fail to no2ce •  Smells can be intense and extreme odors, including overpowering. own body odor. •  Can dislike people with •  Some people may lick things dis2nc2ve perfumes or to get a beder sense of shampoos. what they are. •  Examines items through smelling them. •  Inability to associate odors with memory. Balance Balance is situated in the inner ear. This system helps us to maintain our balance and posture. It also helps us understand where and how fast our bodies are moving. Balance Hypo (under responsive) •  May need to rock, swing, or spin to get inner ear input. •  Poor aden2on to task. •  Leans back in chair •  Bangs head •  Spins self in a circle. •  Makes frequent trips around the room or to the bathroom. Hyper (over responsive) •  Have difficul2es with ac2vi2es like sports, or where one needs to control their movements. •  Have difficul2es with stopping quickly or during an ac2vity. •  May get car sickness. •  Have difficul2es where the head is not upright or feet are off the ground. Body Awareness •  This sense is in the muscles and joints. The system tells us where our bodies are in space and how different our body parts are moving. Body Awareness Hypo (under responsive) •  May stand too close to others because they can’t judge personal space. •  May have a hard 2me naviga2ng rooms and avoiding obstruc2ons. •  May bump into people or appear clumsy •  May grind teeth or chew inappropriate items. •  May bang head or overstuff mouth. •  Falls out of chair Hyper (over responsive) •  May have a difficult 2me with fine motor skills. For example, manipula2ng small objects like budons or shoe laces. •  May move the whole body to look at something. •  Applies too much force on toys or pencils. Ways to Help •  Small changes to the environment can make a big difference! •  Be Aware: look at the surroundings to see if it is crea2ng difficul2es for your child. Can you change it? •  Be Crea2ve: Think of some posi2ve sensory experiences. For example sledding or going to the park. •  Be Prepared: Forewarn your child about the possible sensory s2muli they may experience. Sight Hyper (over-­‐sensi-ve) Hypo (under-­‐sensi-ve) •  Reduce fluorescent ligh2ng-­‐ •  Increase high contrast. use deep colored light bulbs instead. •  Wear sunglasses. •  Use blackout curtains. Sound Hypo •  Use visual support to back up verbal informa2on. Hyper •  Shut doors and windows to reduce external sounds. •  Prepare your child prior to going to noisy or crowded places. •  Wear ear plugs. •  Listen to music. Touch Hypo (under responsive) •  Use weighted blankets. •  Provide vibra2ng toys or massagers. •  Provide nontoxic, tot safe hand fidgets. Hyper (over responsive) •  Warn your child if you or someone are about to touch them. •  Remember that a hug may be painful rather than comfor2ng. •  Gradually introduce different textures. •  Allow your child to complete or assist in ac2vi2es themselves. (e.g.. Hair brushing and hands washing) Taste •  As long as someone eats a bit of a varied diet, being hypo-­‐
responsive or hyper-­‐responsive in this area may not necessarily be a problem. •  Consider ea2ng in a quiet place rather than a noisy one. •  Gradually vary food temperatures. •  Offer assorted dips for finger foods. •  Find other 2mes to play with food outside of meal2me (e.g. pudding or gela2n). •  Sneak fruits or vegetables into muffin mixes, pancake bader, or hamburgers. •  Try lots of foods that melt quickly in their mouth such as cheese curls or puffed cereals. Smell Hypo (under responsive) •  Use strong smelling products to distract students from inappropriate smelling. •  Allow your tot to hold a scarf with your cologne. •  While traveling take 2me to stop and smell different items. Hyper (over responsive) •  Use unscented detergents or shampoos •  Avoid wearing perfume •  Make the environment as fragrance-­‐free as possible. Balance Hypo (under responsive) •  Encourage rocking, swings, and seesaws. •  Use toys that move or rotate. •  Play jumping or hopping games. •  Bounce on a ball. Hyper (over responsive) •  Break down ac2vi2es into small more easily manageable steps. •  Jump on a trampoline •  Provide frequent movement breaks during sedentary ac2vi2es. •  Dance Body Awareness Hypo (under responsive) •  Posi2on furniture around the edge of the room to make naviga2on easier. •  Use arm’s length rule to judge personal space. •  Carry heavy items (e.g. grocery bags) •  Chewy or crunchy foods. •  Draw shapes on child’s back Hyper (over responsive) •  Does fine motor ac2vi2es and not gross motor . •  Par2cipate in household chores (e.g. vacuum, dust, carry laundry basket) References •  Roseann Schaaf, Susanne Smith Roley (2006). Sensory Integra-on; Applying Clinical Reasoning to Prac-ce with Diverse Popula-ons. •  Diana Henry (2007). Tools for Tots. •  The Na2onal Au2s2c Society (2014). The Sensory World of Au-sm. www.au2sm.org.uk •  Diane Corson, OTR/L (2009). A Guide to Implemen-ng Sensory Strategies in the Classroom SeBng.