Sensory Integration



Sensory Integration Dysfunction occurs when one or more of our sensory systems have difficulties accurately processing environmental stimuli. The result may be subtle or it can be very disruptive for the child and family. A child with sensory processing difficulties may interpret a gentle touch as extremely invasive and react with fight / fright / flight reactions. Things that may be interpreted by others as pleasurable may be interpreted as painful to this child. Sensory Integration treatment can help this child to process sensory stimuli more accurately to allow for improved function and quality of life. Our facility was designed to work with this clientele in particular. Steven Sanford, the owner of FIT FOR KIDS, is SI and SIPT certified and all of the Occupational and Physical Therapists, along with the Speech Pathologists, have years of experience working with children diagnosed with Autism, PDD, Aspergers, and DSI.


What is sensory integration?



The senses (taste, see, hear, smell, tactile, vestibular, proprioceptive) work together. Each sense works with the others to form a composite picture of who we are physically, where we are, and what is going on around us. Sensory integration is the critical function of the brain that is responsible for producing this composite picture. It is the organization of sensory information for on-going use.

For most of us, effective sensory integration occurs automatically, unconsciously, without effort. For some of us, the process is inefficient, demanding effort and attention with no guarantee of accuracy. When this occurs, the goals we strive for are not easily attained.

Sensory experiences include touch, movement, body awareness, sight, sound, and the pull of gravity. The process of the brain organizing and interpreting this information is called sensory integration. Sensory integration provides a crucial foundation for later, more complex learning and behavior.

For most children, sensory integration develops in the course of ordinary childhood activities. Motor planning ability is a natural outcome of the process, as is the ability to adapt to incoming sensations. But for some children, sensory integration does not develop as efficiently as it should. When the process is disordered, a number of problems in learning, development, or behavior may become evident.


Who has problems with sensory integration?



You may know a child who, although bright, has difficulty using a pencil, playing with toys, or doing self-care tasks, like dressing. Perhaps you have seen a child so fearful of movement that ordinary swings, slides, or jungle gyms generate fear and insecurity. Or maybe you have observed a child, whose problems lie at the opposite extreme uninhibited and overly active, often falling and running headlong into dangerous situations. In each of these cases, a sensory integrative problem may be an underlying factor. Its far-reaching effects can interfere with academic learning, social skills, even self esteem.

Premature birth - More and more premature infants survive today; they enter the world with fragile, easily over stimulated nervous systems and multiple medical complications. Parents need to learn how to give their premature infant the sensory nourishment their child requires for optimal development, and how to avoid detrimental over stimulation .

Autism and other developmental disorders - Although autism is rare, it occurs more often than blindness. Severe difficulty with sensory processing is a hallmark of the disorder. Autistic children seek out unusual quantities of certain types of sensations and are extremely hypersensitive to other types. Similar traits are often seen in other children with developmental disorders. Improving sensory processing leads these children to more productive contacts with people and environments.

Learning Disabilities - As many as 30% of school-aged children are estimated to have learning disabilities. Research indicates that a majority of these children, although normal in intelligence, are likely to have sensory integrative problems. These children are also more likely than their peers to have had a premature birth, early developmental problems, and poor motor coordination. Early intervention can improve sensory integration in these children, minimizing the possibility of school failure before it occurs.

Delinquency and substance abuse - Numerous studies indicate that learning disabled children are at risk for later delinquency, criminality, alcoholism, and drug abuse. Repeated failure in school opens the door to self-destructive activities. By interrupting the vicious cycle of failure, intervention to help children with sensory integration and learning problems may also prevent serious social problems later in life.

Stress related disorders - Sensory integrative difficulties that appear in childhood often are not outgrown. When sensory inefficiencies in adults do not allow them to perform optimally in the workplace, stress can build up. Additionally, there is mounting evidence that stress in parents can lead to child abuse, violence in the home, and problems that pass from generation to generation. Recognition of the sensory processing component of these problems contributes an important element in aiding people to achieve greater satisfaction in their home life and competence in their work.

Brain injury - Trauma to the brain from accidents and strokes can have profound effects on sensory functioning. People who suffer from these effects deserve treatment that will lead to the best possible recovery. In order for this to occur, their sensory deficits must be addressed by the health professionals who serve them.


The following may indicate poor sensory processing:



- Language or motor delays.

- Extreme over responsiveness to normal sensations such as touch,
sound, movement, vision, smell.

- Extreme under-responsiveness to normal sensations. May constantly
seek out a lot of rough and tumble play, chooses to eat very spicy foods,
little response to painful situations.

- May tend to be lethagic or have a low activity level.

- May be overly active or in constant motion.

- May exhibit poor sleep/wake cycles.

- Has difficulties handling changes in routines or transitions.

- Appears "disorganized" or clumsy.

- Difficulty calming self down or staying appropriately alert and focused to
complete activities.

- Decreased body awareness, and/or poor motor planning skills
(ie. difficulty getting on/off play equipment or furniture).

- Excessive need to control his/her environment.