In Step With Kids-Sensory Integration

Presented By:Lori Erskine Marsh, MS, OTR/L

Children’s Therapy CornerWritten By:

Lori Erskine Marsh, MS, OTR/L and Anne E. Brennan, MS, CCC-SLP

Sensory Integration is when “Our bodies and the environment send our brains information through our senses. We process and organize this information so that we feel comfortable and secure. We are then able to respond appropriately to particular situations and environmental demands.”

Excerpt from Building Bridges Through Sensory Integration, Second Edition by Ellen Yack; Shirley Sutton; Paula Awuilla (1998)

Sensory Integration

Some kids, and adults as well, have difficulties processing and organizing this information, and it results most often, in negative behaviors, which impact the child’s ability to learn and grow.

Sensory Integration

Children with Sensory Integration Dysfunction (SID) follow the typical population in terms of intelligence, with some being very bright and others are average.

SID can impact their learning when the child does not perceive information the way everyone else does and therefore misses or misinterprets information vital to learning.

Sensory Integration

An additional concern of parents and teachers is whether or not a child with SID has autism.

We feel that any child with a diagnosis of autism does have SID.

A child can have SID WITHOUT being autistic. SID can and does affect otherwise typically

developing children, and there does seem to be a genetic component in that this dysfunction can and does tend to run in families.

Sensory Integration

When we see a child overreact to something, avoid certain activities, or act out, we often assume it is behavioral and the child should learn to calm down, try the task, or behave herself/himself.

This may be true in many cases, however, for the child with SID, these are real responses to stimuli that are truly overwhelming and aversive.

Sensory IntegrationA brief overview of the sensory systems

How do you tell if its behavior or SID?With SIDResponses are often consistentShow true fear/anxiety/withdrawalIncrease in the activityNot done to gain attention of others

A brief overview of the sensory systems

These children have trouble staying calm and on task

Parents are not likely to share this personal information, and it is recommended that classroom modifications occur to try to address these behaviors.

All modifications to the classroom will benefit every child and will allow the child with SID to participate more fully and learn more.

A brief overview of the sensory systems

Sensory System Information Received

What you may see in a child

Tips to Address This

Tactile Light TouchPressureVibrationTemperaturePain-From receptor cells in the skin

-Dislikes/loves finger painting or glue-trouble sitting next to another child-trouble standing in line-clothing is bothersome and has to be just right-doesn’t like to be touched or touches everything

-respect extreme discomfort for paint or glue by offering use of tools, brushes or q-tips to apply,-provide structure for sitting–carpet squares, -structure for standing in line- front or end of line, -allow fidget toys

A brief overview of the sensory systemsThe Tactile System

Sensory System Information Received

What you may see in a child

Tips to address this

Vestibular -movement-gravity-tells us if we are moving or standing still-keeps us on an even keel-closely tied to hearing and vision

-not able to sit for a story-may rock while sitting-moves quickly, runs everywhere rather than walks-moves slowly and deliberately

-allow movement that doesn’t affect others-provide an activity such as bend and touch toes, animal walks (bear walk, crab walk, frog hops, kangaroo hops)-encourage swinging on playground

A brief overview of the sensory systemsThe Vestibular System

Sensory System Information Received

What you may see in a child

Tips to address this

Proprioceptive -Gains info from muscles and joints-tells us where we are in space-allows smooth movement-determines amount of force needed to pick up objects-helps with sleep/wake cycles

-has trouble holding a crayon-presses too hard when coloring or writing-presses too light-runs into others or objects-has trouble sitting up and prefers to lay or rest/lean against a table

-gross motor tasks, carry or move items with weight or resistance-jumping jacks-giant steps,-stand to stretch-monster walks-use larger crayons/markers/chalk-provide more support such as chair or back rest-allow to lean

A brief overview of the sensory systemsThe Proprioceptive System

Sensory System Information Received

What you may see in a child

Tips to address this

Visual -gain info through our eyes-closely tied to the vestibular and proprioceptive systems-allows us to see images, colors, distance and movement

-wears glasses-has trouble moving eyes to scan left to right for reading-has trouble copying from the board-is overwhelmed by rooms that are “busy”

-avoid cluttered rooms (walls, dry erase boards, bulletin boards)-lay out of activity sheets should be organized and without decorative borders-lights can be low or off at times

A brief overview of the sensory systemsThe Visual System

Sensory System Information Received

What you may see in a child

Tips to address this

Auditory -gains info through our ears-letting us hear pitch, intensity, and judge distance

-covers ears when the room is loud-doesn’t answer when name is called-startles easily-hears the ticking of the clock or the buzz of the lights

-allow hands over ears-move child away from the noise (away from music or speaker source)-prepare child for loud noises ahead of time

A brief overview of the sensory systemsThe Auditory System

Everything you do to help a child with sensory integration dysfunction learn will also help every other child learn.

What this means to a teacher:

Start with the overall structure of your class: Does it allow for some movement? Is it designed to teach to a variety of

learning styles?For younger children, many programs are already set up for gross motor tasks, listening activities, crafts/activities, and music, which is a great start to address SID needs.

What this means to a teacher:

Because sensory issues can keep a child from attending and listening, the two most important things you can do in your teaching are: Think about the organization of your class

activities and The language you use.

What this means to a teacher:

Using a predictable order of activities is helpful, and writing the general list of things to do for the kids to see can further facilitate classroom success.

For example, write or use pictures to show the class that you will, (1) read a story, (2) sing a song/dance/move, (3) craft/coloring, (4) snack, and (5) clean up.

Point to each as you do it, and cross them off when you are done.

The Organization of the Class

The predictability lets children with SID prepare themselves for upcoming sensations, which might be overwhelming to them, so they can deal with them rather than react to them

Everyone likes to know what is coming up next in their day, and kids are no exception.

The Organization of the Class

Example:Prepare the activity- “We will listen to a story and then have a snack”

The Organization of the Class

Movement: Needs to be organized and purposeful This helps organize a child and readies them for

learning Activities such as animal walks, jumping jacks,

giant steps, stand to stretch, and moving to the beat of music all help calm and organize a body

Free play/movement tends to disorganize children and can lead to a chaotic classroom.

The Organization of the Class

Movement cont. Structure of where and when to move can

help. Provide carpet squares for sitting or a tape

line on the floor Movement activities need start/end points-

“Walk like a bear from the door to the dry erase board.” “Do 10 jumping jacks then stop.”

The Organization of the Class

Consider where the children are coming from prior to class, which helps you determine what you will do to start your class. If they have just come from a less organized situation, you will have more learning, participation, and fewer negative behaviors if class starts with organized movement and does not require the children to sit still immediately.

The Organization of the Class

The words you use can also have a big impact on classroom effectiveness and success by adding some structure to each activity.

For example, “After we read a story, we will make a puppet.” or “ 2 more minutes for the craft and then cleanup time.”

These set up the transitions for the children-letting them know what comes next so they can prepare for it.

The Language of the Class

Concise directions with some parameters give the predictability that is so needed by a child with sensory issues.

Sometimes this feels like you are “giving in” to a child when you feel like you have to give notice before moving on to something different.

For typical children, this may be true.

The Language of the Class

For children with SID, moving from one task to another is very hard and can result in tantrum-like behavior. Change is hard because the child is comfortable dealing with all the sensations around them and moving to an unknown set of sensations is challenging and overwhelming.

The Language of the Class

In addition to planning for transitions, consider the words that you use when you talk.

One of the biggest language activities in a classroom is answering questions. Allow the child with sensory needs to listen to others first, giving

them time to understand the question and come up with an answer and watch the other kids.

Allow the child time to respond and try not to rush their answer. If they cannot respond quickly enough for the pace of your

classroom, move on to another child and come back to them again for their answer.

The Language of the Class

The question form you use also impacts response. For the child having difficulty, be more

direct, give choices, or have them show you the answer.

Examples: “Who is this?” Zaccheus. Yes, Zaccheus was the tax collector. (pause) He watched Jesus from a tree or a bench?”This facilitates participation and learning in the younger child.

The Language of the Class

Older children may need help with open-ended questions such as “Why” and “How”.

You can do the same when you summarize a story or message by using short sentences and pauses.

Long, wordy explanations lead to children tuning you out, not understanding the information, and missing the information.

The Language of the Class

Other Tips For Success Use your voice to emphasize and gain attention by adding

excitement and loudness. Speak calmly and at a typical conversational level-this helps to

calm a child-calmness begets calmness. Use short sentences and pauses between pieces of information Use proven teaching techniques-walk around the room and

place a hand on a child’s shoulder to calm them and/or gain attention, make eye contact when asking questions, asking for a student’s opinion when negative behavior is occuring often gains the child’s attention and reduces the behavior

The Language of the Class

Other Tips for Success cont. Offer the child an opportunity to leave the room by

doing a task or running an errand- example: take a book to the office, take a note to another classroom, get a drink, use the bathroom.

The purpose of the task is to get the child away from over stimulating activities in order to calm down; this allows the child to leave the room with dignity, calm down, and return to class to complete the activity.

The Language of the Class

Other Tips for Success cont. Use the oldest trick in the book-POSITIVE

REINFORCEMENT of specific behaviors! You can set a child up for positive behaviors

by using reinforcement prior to a response/task as well as during the task.

The Language of the Class

Examples:“Good job!”- the child thinks “what did I do?”

“Stop that now, please.”- the child thinks “Stop what? Are you talking to me?””

“No more talking.”- the child thinks “Ah! Not again!

The Language of the Class

The positive and specific approach:“Thanks for waiting and raising your hand.” For younger children “You raised your hand-great!”

“I like the way you’re sitting with your hands to yourself” or “Sitting with hands in your lap-wonderful!”

“Cleaning up is helpful. I like that.”

“Thanks for waiting in line and not talking.”

“Thanks for being quiet.”

The Language of the Class

What it really comes down to is ACCEPTANCE. Being an adult and a leader/teacher, YOU set the tone of the class in terms of how behaviors are dealt with. Adapt your style to reach the child with sensory needs, which will really meet the needs of ALL of the children in your class. Learning styles vary, and by varying your style, you will reach all of the kids. There isn’t anything out of the ordinary that you do to teach a child with sensory needs that isn’t also going to be fun and exciting for the child without sensory needs.

In Conclusion

Henry’s Occupational Therapy Services: www.gtcs.com/sponsors/henry

Sensory Integration International: www.home.earthlink.net/~sensoryint/

Sensory Integration Issues: www.uchsc.edu/sinet

American Speech-Language Association: www.asha.org

Suggested Websites

Building Bridges through Sensory Integration, Second Edition by Ellen Yack, Shirley Sutton, Paula Aquilla (1998)

The Out-of-Sync Child, by Carol Kranowitz Integration and the Child: 25th Anniversary

Edition, by A. Jean Ayres

Suggested Books

Children’s Therapy Corner1525 Ridgewood Drive 808 S. Garfield Ave., Suite AMidland, MI 48642 Traverse City, MI 49686(989) 835-6333 (231) 929-2354

info@childrenstherapycorner.comwww.childrenstherapycorner.com

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