MAKING THE SENSORY CONNECTION IN THE EARLY YEARS

1. MAKING THE SENSORY CONNECTION IN THE EARLY YEARS

2. Objectives • Learn the importance of sensory integration and sensory processing preferences • Overview of the sensory systems • Learn to recognize children with sensory processing difficulties • Learn practical strategies to minimize disruption and maximize learning opportunities.

3. Sensory Integration • A neurological process that organizes sensations from our environment to enable us to learn and behave effectively • Helps us to interpret and organize sensory information for our use in everyday life • A theory of brain/behavior relationships developed by Jean Ayres to describe neurological dysfunction (1950’s and 60’s) • Sensory Integration is the basis for all behavior • “The glue that holds it all together”

4. Sensory Processing 1. Registration 2. Orientation 3. Interpretation 4. Organization • Action

5. Sensory Defensiveness • Can occur in any sensory system but combinations of more than one are common • Common systems to be involved include tactile and auditory • May range from mild to severe

6. Normal Development • Level 1 – primary sensory systems by 2 months • Level 2 – perceptual-motor foundations by 1 year • Level 3 – perceptual-motor skills by age 3 • Level 4 – academic readiness by 6 years

8. Sensory Systems Overview • There are 7 senses: • 5 external sources of sensory information • 2 internal sources • Sensory integration evolves along a continuum of normal development throughout our lives • Birth – 7 to 10 years is an important period of sensory development

9. Sensory Systems Overview • Tactile (touch) • Vestibular (balance) • Proprioception (body awareness) • Visual (sight) • Auditory (hearing) • Gustatory (taste) • Olfactory (smell)

10. Sensory Preferences • All of us have sensory preferences that help us to deal with the constant stimulation we receive from our environment everyday. • Our sensory systems attempt to take in and organize this information so we can function on a daily basis. • Checklist activity…..

11. Tactile (touch) • Touch: provides information about the environment and object qualities (touch, pressure, texture, sharp, dull, heat, cold, pain) • Children may be hyper or hyposensitive to touch, or may have problems with tactile discrimination.

12. Tactile - Hypersensitive • Avoids touch or contact • Avoids and dislikes messy play • Responds negatively to textures in foods, toys, furniture • Reacts excessively to minor touch (e.g. light touch, leaf touching arm) • Avoids activities such as: using clay, glue, playdough, sand, water, paint • Dislikes teeth brushing, hairbrushing • Difficulty standing in line, sitting close to others

13. Tactile - Hyposensitive • Touches other people and objects to get information • Seeks deep touch, such as bear hugs, back rubs, rough play • Wants to touch surfaces that give strong feedback, such as hot, cold, rough, sharp • Frequently puts things in mouth, chews collar or clothing • Seems unaware of “mess” on faces or hands • Difficulty manipulating small objects • Delayed reaction to touch or pain

14. Vestibular (balance) • Vestibular: provides information about where our body is in space, and whether or not we or our surroundings are moving (speed and direction). • Location: inner ear – stimulated by head movements and input from other senses, especially visual • Children may be hyper or hyposensitive to movement, gravity or changing head position.

15. Vestibular System

16. Vestibular - hypersensitive • Over-reacts to or avoids movement activities • Walks close to walls, clings to supports such as banisters, furniture • Difficulty with motor planning • Difficulty with visual tracking • Fear and avoidance of the playground, gym, stairs, feet leaving the ground • Prefers to hold head upright; disoriented after change in head position (e.g putting on shoes)

17. Vestibular - hyposensitive • Seems to need constant movement (rocks, fidgets, can’t stay still) • Seek out stimulating motor activities such as merry-go-rounds, swinging, likes feeling dizzy • May take excessive risks (e.g. jumping from high places) • May use too much pressure to pick up or hold objects (e.g. tie laces, touch a pet) • Poor sitting balance in chairs • Poor balance while changing body position

18. Proprioception • Body awareness: provides information about where a certain body part is an how it is moving • Location: activated by muscle and joint movements • Proprioception is the unconscious awareness of body position. • Children who are under-responsive to proprioceptive input may seek out additional input to increase their knowledge of where their body is in space.

19. Proprioception • Signs: • Unable to determine the amount of force to move things. • Printing is too heavy or too light. • Leans into objects or people. • Frequently drops objects • Weak grasp. • Excessive clapping, crashing, banging.

20. Visual (sight) • Vision: provides information about objects and persons. Helps us define boundaries as we move through time and space. • May be hyposensitive or hypersensitive.

21. Visual - hypersensitive • Disturbed by bright light or flickering indoor light • Covers eyes or squints to avoid sunlight • Follows any movement in the room with eyes • Block field of vision with head • Avoids looking directly at people or objects

22. Visual - hyposensitive • Seems unaware of presence of other people • Unable to locate desired objects, people • Loses sight of objects when they move • Can’t draw or copy what he sees • Has difficulty with eye-hand coordination • Has difficulty tracking

23. Auditory (hearing) • Hearing: provides information about sounds in the environment (loud, soft, high, low, near, far). • May be hyper or hypo sensitive to sounds.

24. Auditory - hypersensitive • Easily distracted by background sounds • Hold hands over ears • Becomes anxious in anticipation of unpleasant sounds • Has difficulty looking and listening at the same time • Over-reacts to quiet, everyday sounds

26. Auditory - hyposensitive • Does not answer to name • Does not distinguish speech from other environmental sounds • Seem oblivious to sounds of surrounding activities • Creates constant sounds (e.g. echoing TV, sounds) • Uses voice that is too loud of too soft

27. Gustatory (taste) • Taste: provides information about different types of taste (sweet, sour, bitter, salty, spicy). • Child can by hyper-reactive or hypo-reactive. • Taste activity:

28. Taste – Hyper-reactive • Licks objects or people in the environment • Chews or mouths objects inappropriately • Sniffs objects or people in unusual ways • Wants food constantly • High threshold for bad tastes

29. Taste – hypo-reactive • Eats a limited variety of foods • Gags, refuses food • Spits out foods, medications • Difficulties with oral hygiene • Smell-defensive: will avoid places or people with strong odours • Reacts to odours that other people don’t notice

30. Sensory “red flags” • Constant meltdowns and frustration • Covering ears • Unable to transition • Frequent inability to handle certain forms of touch, sights or sounds • Bumpers & crashers vs. solitary and quiet play • Constant hiding, need to move under furniture or roll on the floor

31. Self-Regulation Strategies • Sensory checklist, interview and observation • Help the child to learn and recognize their own sensory preferences • Sensory Diet – a planned an scheduled activity program designed to meet a child’s specific sensory needs. • It’s purpose is to help the child become more focused, adaptable and skillful • Sensory Diets include a combination of alerting, organizing and calming activities.

32. Alerting Strategies • Quick physical movements • Bouncing on large exercise ball • Jumping • Crunching dry cereal • Action songs • Change of position • *Be careful that the alerting activity does not result in over-stimulation or hyperactivity. Watch the child’s signals.

33. Calming/Organizing Strategies • Fidget toys • Deep pressure • Sucking, chewing • White noise, quiet music with steady beat • “Heavy work” • Rocking, swaying, swinging

34. SAFE Sensorimotor Activities • Sensory motor, Appropriate, Fun and Easy activities • Book: “The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun”, Carol S. Kranowitz • Examples: Shaving cream car wash • Paw prints, Stretchy bands • Metronome code, Clothespin togs, Toothpick construction

35. Strategies • Provide immediate feedback • Explain rules and expectations • Use of meaningful visuals • Reduce sensory overload • Change the environment!!

36. Strategies for the Environment • Develop a consistent routine • Keep walls and shelves clutter free • Plan transitions • Plan movement breaks between and during activities • Simplify instructions

37. More Strategies? • Transition times (entering, leaving, change in activity) • Ideas:

38. SUMMARY • Recognize child’s sensory preferences. Strong preferences do not automatically mean a child has a “sensory issue”. • Choose one strategy and try it to see it works, before trying something else • Consult with OT • Sensory checklist • Explore sensorimotor activities • Changes to the environment can produce significant results

39. Words of Wisdom It is important to recognize that not every meltdown is a “sensory issue” – sometimes it is just a bad day!! If you see consistent sensory red flags, see what you can change in the environment first, before you try to change the child!!

40. References & Resources • Sensorimotor Processing Activity Plans: Constance Sheda & Patricia Ralston (1997) • The Out-of-Sync Child: Carol S. Kranowitz (1998) • The Out-of-Sync Child has Fun: Carol S. Kranowitz (2003) • The Sensory Connection: Nancy Kashman & Janet Mora (2005)

41. References & Resources • Building Bridges through Sensory Integration, 1998. Authors: Ellen Yack, Shirley Sutton & Paula Aquilla. • The Sensory Profile: Authors: Julie Ermer and Winnie Dunn • The Sensory Profile: Authors: Julie Ermer and Winnie Dunn. • Sensory Integration and the child, 1979. Author: Jean Ayres. • Website: www.otworks.ca

42. QUESTIONS