Occupational Therapy (OT)
Parent Workshop
Our Lady of Good Counsel
Practical Sensory Strategies for Home
and School
Karen Barry
20th November 2012
Overview of Workshop
Role of the Occupational Therapist (OT)
 Sensory Processing
 Practical strategies/activities that you can
carry out at home.
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Role of the Occupational Therapist
Working with Children with Special
Needs
Aims to maximise the child’s
participation in age related occupations
Childhood occupations:
School/Academic
Self- care
Play/leisure
3 areas that are assessed by
the OT
Sensory Processing
 Gross motor skills
 Fine motor skills
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and how a child’s performance of
these 3 factors influences their ability to
learn and play.
7 senses
touch
vision
smell
taste
Balance
Body awareness
sound
What is Sensory
Integration/Sensory
Processing?
The brain’s ability to effectively process
information from our bodies and the which
makes it possible to use our bodies effectively
within the environment.
Information from our 7 senses goes to the
brain, where it is organised and interpreted.
As a result, plan of action is carried out in
response e.g. when a feather tickles your
hand you brush it off.
Sensory processing
Affect of sensory processing
on alertness
Break symbol
Your Sensory Checklist
What are your sensory preferences?
What calms you?
What energises/stresses you?
3 most important senses for
regulation and development
of motor skills
Tactile (touch: light touch and deep
pressure)
 Vestibular (movement and balance)
 Proprioception (heavy muscle work and
body awareness)
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Tactile System
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Light touch versus deep pressure touch
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Stimulating/alerting Vs calming
Activities that provide enhanced tactile
(touch) sensation (usually alerting)
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Sensory walks (walk on textured mats, into
containers of sand, rice etc)
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‘Goopy play’: dry: rice, sand, peas, lentils: hide
little items inside to find, playdough
Wet: shaving foam, finger painting etc
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Feelie bag (bag with different textures inside)
feel book etc.
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Fidget basket (spiky balls, textured toys, pot
scrubber, sandpaper, velcro etc), different textured
fabrics, e.g. velvet, corduroy, fleece, sponges
feathers...)
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Home activities: Cooking, baking, bathtime and
gardening activities: get your hands messy!
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Vibration: battery operate toothbrush, foot spa,
electric massager
Deep Pressure activities
(usually calming)
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Massage: body, head, hand, foot
Wrap up in blankets. Towel after the shower etc
Heavy blankets, duvet, ball blanket
Hugs, squeezes, squishes in large beanbag
Tight, snug clothing, under garments etc.
Vestibular System
The vestibular system is our balance and
movement sense. It tells us where our
body is in relation to gravity, whether it is
moving and how fast. It is important for
posture, muscle tone and bilateral
coordination.
Activities that provide enhanced
Vestibular sensation (usually alerting)
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Gym ball/peanut ball: Belly on the ball, hoppy ball
Rocking chair, spinning office chair
Playground equipment e.g. swing,roundabouts.
Trampoline, mini trampette
jumping
hopping
Skipping
rolling
O.T. Equipment: balance board, scooter board, air
cushion.
Proprioception
Proprioception is the sense that gives us
awareness of body position. Messages from the
proprioceptors in the muscles and tendons let us
know about our body position and force of
movement.
Activities that provide enhanced
proprioception (usually regulating)
Use activities that encourage child to push, pull, or
carry heavy loads i.e., heavy work for the
muscles.
Stretching: Stretchy scooby, Theraband, theraputty
Squeezing; fidget toys, stress ball, self squeeze
Push ups: chair desk of wall, push 5’s
Weight bearing: bear, crab, wheelbarrow walks
Playground equipment: e.g. Climbing frame, monkey bars
Pulling: Tug of War, see saw sit ups (row the boat)
Crawling: tunnels, obstacle course, commando crawl etc
Crashing: rough and tumble, crash pad etc
Heavy Jobs at home or at school
- Carrying: books, backpack etc
-watering plants, hoovering, mixing dough
- opening doors for others
- lifting: laundry basket
-organising classroom space e.g. moving furniture
 Alternate positions for activities e.g. kneeling, standing and lying.
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Note re sensory activities
Important: The above activities provide enhanced sensory input:
your child may not tolerate sensory input and hence need less.
This may be a learning curve for you and your child. What
calms/alerts your child? What if anything does your child
seek/avoid? How can you use this information to help him/her
in everyday activities?
Therefore:
 Do provide your child with the opportunities for sensory
exploration but never force your child into a sensory activity.
 Follow your child’s lead: See what your child gravitates
towards (does he/she initiate?)
 Do add in motivators to encourage the child to engage
 Offer choices
 What is your child able to do? What do you need to do to
teach them/help them do an activity?
A word on oral motor activities
(usually regulating)
Tactile and proprioceptive:
Chewing
Biting
Licking
Blowing
Crunching
Sucking
Safe things to chew including foods of various
textures and resistance.
How to support your child in the
community
 Proprioceptive input:
◦ Chewy and crunchy foods
◦ Chewy tubes and ‘chewellery’
◦ Carry a bag pack
◦ Heavy shoes
◦ Carrying groceries
◦ Pushing trolley, buggy etc
◦ Fidgets
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Ear muffs for noise
Sunglasses for brought sunlight and lights
Movement break before going out to raise muscle tone/alertness
Breaks from overwhelming environments
On the spot breaks: push 5’s squeezes, etc.
How can you support your child
to:
Do their homework?
 Sit for mealtimes?
 Wind down for bed?
 Tolerate hair and nail cutting?
 Calm down after playtime?
 Get some energy in the morning?
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Any Questions??