Sensory Integration

Arvinder Singh Paul

BSc, PGCE (London)

Aims•What is Sensory Integration?•Why is it important?• How can it be used effectively in the home?• Benefits?

What is Sensory Integration?• Our senses……..how many are there?Sight or Smell orVisual Olfactory

Touch or Sound orTactile Auditory

Taste or Gustatory Any

others?......

3 more senses….

•ProprioceptionPosition and Movement

•VestibularGravity, Head movement and

Balance

The Proprioception sense

• The ability to sense stimuli arising within the body regarding position, motion, and equilibrium.

• Even if a person is blindfolded, he or she knows through proprioception if an arm is above the head or hanging by the side of the body.

• The sense of proprioception is disturbed in many neurological disorders.

• It can sometimes be improved through the use of sensory integration therapy, a type of specialised occupational therapy.

The Vestibular sense

• Sense of balance and awareness of spatial awareness. Whether we are moving, how fast and which direction or if we are still.

• Two types of receptor in the ear- One for gravity awareness - And the other for movement- This is active in an unborn baby from 10th or 11th

week and fully developed by 5th month along with the tactile and visceral systems.

The Visceral Sense

Which sense tells you you are hungry or thirsty?

Receptors in our internal organs and major blood vessels are stimulated by activity, blood flow and blood chemical contents to provide the brain stem with information to keep the body healthy.

Visceral input helps to regulate things like, blood pressure, digestion and breathing.

“ A large part of a child’s capacity for learning is the ability to integrate sensory information”

“Over 80% of the nervous system is involved in processing or organising sensory input”

Some facts…

“ Sensory integration is the process of organising sensory inputs so that the brain produces a useful body response and also useful perceptions, emotions and thoughts.”

(Sensory Integration and the Child by A. Jean Ayers, PhD)

Sensory Integrative Dysfunction

• When the brain is NOT processing or organising sensory information in a manner that gives the individual good, precise information about himself or his world.

• Like a “traffic jam” in the brain.

• Other terms used for Dysfunction are,disorder or malfunction.

“When the brain is not processing sensory input well, it usually is not directing behaviour effectively, either.”

“A child with sensory integrative dysfunction often develops in an uneven way.”

“Speech and language are apt to develop slowly…”

The 3 PRIMARY senses

• Tactile, Vestibular and Proprioceptive functions are the BUILDING BLOCKS of emotional stability.

• Whilst in the womb the baby has developed these senses by the 5th month

• Tactile - skin contact, bond with mother. Children with tactile disorders very often have trouble being affectionate

The Integrative Process• 1st and 2nd

levels involve the 3 PRIMARY senses.

• Only in 3rd and 4th level do Auditory and Visual senses come into play.

Importance of the 3 PRIMARY senses

• Very few people realise that vestibular disorders exist and cause problems in many children.

It is imperative for parents, carers, teachers and professional practitioners to see the importance of stimulating the 3 Primary senses in such children.

Disorders Involving the Vestibular System

• The sense of movement influences the development of many skills.

• The vestibular system has many interconnections with almost every other part of the brain.

• Lack of balance, walking difficulties, visual perception and auditory language problems, reading, writing, tactile defensiveness,

Unfortunately…Society is placing more emphasis on language,

acedemic and intellectual development, and less on building the sensorimotor foundations for these higher functions.

Sensory motor Foundation andWell developed 3 Primary senses

School, collegeUniversity

Jobs, society, intellect

What can be done?• “Therapy involving therapeutic

sensory experiences…can be more effective than drugs, psychological analysis, or rewards and punishment in helping the brain and body to develop optimally.”

For Parents…• Earliest intervention is paramount• Children WANT to learn, so provide stimuli• Therapy using a sensory integration

approach is holistic; it involves the whole body, all of the senses, and the entire brain.

• What looks like “PLAY” is stimulating the senses and is sensory integration in action.

• When your child is having FUN, he is learning in a OPTIMUM manner.

What YOU can do…• Change your views about disability - your child is a gift and an opportunity.

• Notice your child’s actions and behaviour closely and if necessary get professional help as early as possible, the earlier the better.

What YOU can do, Continued…

• Provide stimuli such as rocking in hammock, rolling, tumbling, crawling in and out of small spaces, swinging, sliding, gliding and make these FUN.

What YOU can do, Continued…

• KNOW what you child likes and dislikes, build a profile of these and build on the likes, tell friends and relatives of dislikes to avoid them.

• Read up/ watch YOUTUBE videos for information

• DO have lots of patience and love…and watch your love produce amazing results.

What YOU can do, Continued…

• Go to our website for more information and ideas, www.rainbow-schools.org

• Form parent support groups in your local areas to share good ideas and help each other

• Be INVOLVED with your child’s school and teacher

Introduction to the “PLAY PARACHUTE”

• One of the most FUN and sensory integrated activities that has enormous benefits for DISABLED children AND adults!

• Activities are adaptable and only limited by your imagination

- BENEFITS EVERYONE

Question and answer session

• One to one sessions with parents/families after lunch, so specific questions then please

• Contact:

Email: arvinder@rainbow-schools.org

www.rainbow-schools.org

THANK YOU

• For attending• For participating• ONE to ONE sessions with parent/families after “play parachute session and lunch

Arvinder, Sandeep and Gurleen

October 2014