Sensory Processing

Sensory Processing Sensory Tool Kit Sensory Tool Kit Rhonda Kelley, OTR Brandy Tudor, COTA

What is Sensory Processing? • Sensory processing refers to how the brain takes in information from the sensory systems • The brain registers, interprets and uses this information to • Screen or ignore the sensory stimuli • Notice it and respond to the stimuli • Habituate the stimuli • We need sensory input for our brain to develop and continue to function properly

Sensory Systems • Tactile (touch) • Vestibular (balance & movement) • Proprioception (body awareness; muscles and joints) • Visual (sight) • Auditory (hearing) • Gustatory (taste) • Olfactory (smell) Page 2 of Handouts

What is Sensory Regulation? • Regulation allows us to focus on what is important • A well regulated student is able to notice relevant stimuli and filter out unimportant stimuli • Emotions and behavior reflect appropriate responses to the situation rather than to the environment • Regulation Disorder • The brain has difficulty with determining what is important. It is difficult to organize the environmental stimuli.

Sensory Processing Deficits: • Limit one’s productivity • Limit one’s enjoyment and participation • May result in poor self-esteem • Cause avoidance behaviors • Cause unexplained outbursts • Decreases social skills & participation in play • Cause difficulty with life skills at home & school • Anxiety • Poor attention • Poor regulation of reactions to others • Poor motor skills development

Types of Sensory Processing Difficulties Sensory Avoider Sensory Seeker Sensory Sensitive Under Responder Page 5 of Handouts

Just RightSensory Strategies Sensory Tool Kit

Sensory Strategies • Implement a Sensory Diet • Use proprioceptive input – “magic pill” for sensory regulation • Heavy work stimulates the brain to bring arousal to a normal level • Heavy resistance against muscles invokes a quick calm and increases body awareness to help the student feel more grounded • Helps the student feel “just right” • Effects can last from 90 minutes to 2 hours • Use vestibular input – can have alerting or calming effects depending on the type of movement involved • Fast movement – alerting • Slow, rhythmical movement – calming • Avoid spinning • Use pressure touch – can have a calming effect • Soothing – slow, continuous, steady, prolonged • Exciting – fast, intermittent, vibratory • Use deep pressure • Inhibits tactile defensiveness (over responsiveness) • Can produce a calming effect

Sensory Diets • A planned, scheduled activity program to specifically meet the needs of the student’s nervous system • The purpose is to bring them to a “just right state” to be ready for learning • The schedule is individualized to the student’s school schedule • Need at least 10 minutes of moderate activity to increase serotonin and the effect could last up to 2 hours • Not a cure all for behavior but you can meet the sensory needs while addressing the behavior

Heavy Work • Walking, running, jumping, rolling • Doing chair or wall push-ups • Erasing boards • Chewing/crunching/sucking • Crawling (tunnels/obstacles) • Jumping on trampoline • Stacking chairs • Wearing a weighted vest* • Wearing a weighted backpack • Carrying crate with books Weighted Vest *Only use weight up to 10% of child’s body weight. Child only wears the vest for 20-40 minutes.

Student Scenarios Sensory Tool Kit

Student A Sensory Avoider • Difficulty with sitting still during carpet time • Continually making noises • Avoids certain centers • Chews on coat and other things • Difficulty in music class • Does well on the playground Sensory Seeker

Sitting still during carpet time • Choose 1-2 heavy work activities before going to carpet time • Use weighted item in lap or on shoulders • Sit on shag carpet square or disco sit • Alternative seating (bean bag, cube chair, rocker) • Continually makes noises / chews on items • Blow bubbles, kazoo, harmonica before carpet time • Chew on candy (Starbursts, gummy bear) • Drink through a straw / water bottle • Sing silly songs with mouth movements Strategies

Avoids certain centers • Heavy work activity before going to non-preferred center • Count down with timer • Cue to start / cue to stop (warning) • Use a transition item (sticker) • Difficulty in music class • Change placement in class; sit by friend • Cue to start / cue to stop / transition item • Wear headphones (if bothered by loud noise) Strategies

Does well on the playground • Do not use playground as a punishment • Observe him to see what he is seeking and use it during the day • Transition Activities • Notify in advance / visual schedule • Push or carry heavy object to new activity • Skip, hop, dance • Compression on shoulders • Use a clapping or rhythmic beating to signify change • Sing a song Strategies

Student B Under Responder • Sleepy during the day • Inattention / difficulty sustaining attention • Easily frustrated Sensory Sensitive

Sleepy during the day • Alerting activities (jumping, walking, chair push-ups) • Wash hands • Chew on candy or chewy tube • Inattention / difficulty sustaining attention • Bring attention to task (bright colors; highlight edge of paper; add stickers) • Fast rhythmic music • Break large tasks into smaller steps • Heavy work activity before starting task Strategies

Easily frustrated • Heavy pressure / shoulder compression to calm down • Complete tasks in small steps • Clear beginning and an end to task • Continue with puzzle piece strategy Strategies

REMINDERS Praise Effort – Not performance Replace - Don’t Extinguish Behaviors Do not take away recess Be a Detective – Try to find out what the student needs Their behavior is a way of communication

Resources http://dsaundersot.webs.com/The%20Importance%20of%20Sensory%20Processing.pdf Sensory Tool Kit

Sensory Processing