Sensory Integration and Sensory Processing Disorder

1. Sensory Integration andSensory Processing Disorder Supporting Children’s Diverse Learning

2. All of these children are demonstrating signs of problems with sensory integration: • Thomas covers his ears when the children are singing • Temple rolls all over the floor while others are sitting circle time • Brianna refuses to touch play dough, sand or paint • Miguel climbs on top of tables and jumps off • Cassandra often falls down and skins her knees. • William refuses to play on playground equipment

3. Autism vs SPD • Children with Autism will have always have some sensory processing disorder issues • Children diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder do not necessarily have Autism Spectrum Disorder • In fact, sometimes children who display SPD are misdiagnosed with Autism Spectrum disorder

4. This is Sensory Integration! Feel the air blowing from an air conditioner See background view of the room around you Hear sounds of the television in another room Hear children laughing outside Feel the blanket wrapped around your legs Smell of a candle burning Taste of the coffee you are drinking

5. Everyone has difficulty processing some sensory stimuli and everyone has sensory preferences • It becomes a sensory processing disorder when a child is on extreme ends of the continuum demonstrating disruptive, unpredictable fluctuations which significantly impact their developmental skills or everyday functioning

6. Sensory Processing Disorder • Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is a condition that exists when sensory signals don't get organized into appropriate responses….a neurological "traffic jam" that prevents certain parts of the brain from receiving the information needed to interpret sensory information correctly (Ayers, 1999). • A person with SPD finds it difficult to process and act upon information received through the senses, which creates challenges in performing countless everyday tasks.

7. Tactile: the sense of touch; input from the skin receptors about touch, pressure, temperature, pain and movement of the hairs on the skin. Auditory: input relating to sounds; one's ability to correctly perceive, discriminate, process and respond to sounds Taste: input relating to the mouth; one's ability to correctly perceive, discriminate, process and respond to input within the mouth Smell: input relating to smell; one's ability to correctly perceive, discriminate, process and respond to different odors. Visual: input relating to sight; one's ability to correctly perceive, discriminate, process and respond to what one sees.

8. Vestibular: the sense of movement; input from the inner ear about equilibrium, gravitational changes, movement experiences and position in space. • Proprioception: the sense of "position"; input from the muscles and joints about body position, weight, pressure, stretch, movement and changes in position.

9. Responses to Sensory Input • Children typically learn through interaction with their environment • Because SPD affects the child’s overall development, participation in typical experiences will be lacking, inconsistent, or ineffective

10. A child who is overwhelmed by sensory information from his environment will unable to learn effectively • A child who is under-stimulated by the environment will also lack the input necessary to learn

11. Types of Responses to Inputs Under-Stimulated Typical Response Over-Stimulated Under-Responder

12. Impact on Learning • Coordination problems • Poor attention span or difficulty focusing on tasks • Academic-related problems such as poor handwriting and difficulty cutting with scissors • Problems with self care skills such as tying shoes, zipping • Low self-esteem • Over-sensitivity to touch, sight, or sounds • Unusually high or low activity level

13. Sensory Avoiders • Most common type of sensory problem • Over-responsive to sensations • Brain unable to reduce stimuli • Children may be passive and try to get away from objects or activities that are frightening to them • May choose to do a less frightening activity • Other children may be aggressive or forceful in their response to sensations – kick and scream not to do what is frightening to them

14. Sensory Seekers • Craves excessive stimulation • Never satisfied with the amount of stimulation received

15. Sensory Under-Responders • Does not seem to notice inputs from the sensory system • Gives less of a response to stimuli than other children • May react very slowly or need extra strong input before responding Any combination of the above sensory integration disorder types could occur in any combination of senses

16. Websites http://www.spdfoundation.net http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com