ALL THE SENSORY SKILL PAGES ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION! PLEASE BE PATIENT!
Disclaimer: Sensory Processing Disorders is a VERY specialized field. Information and suggestions on this website are to be used as guidelines, not treatment. This website CANNOT and SHOULD NOT replace medical advice. Do NOT attempt sensory strategies without first discussing the issue with your child's health care provider
Disclaimer: Sensory Processing Disorders is a VERY specialized field. Information and suggestions on this website are to be used as guidelines, not treatment. This website CANNOT and SHOULD NOT replace medical advice. Do NOT attempt sensory strategies without first discussing the issue with your child's health care provider
Sensory Skills
Sensory processing and sensory integration disorders are a hot topic these days.
"Sensory Disorders" were first pioneered by A. Jean Ayres. Ayres believed that sensory processing could directly impact a person's ability to learn and perform.
I will try to give you a very basic understanding of the sensory system. The best way to learn more is to go to conferences in your area, or speak with an Occupational Therapist in your school district. Sensory activities are very individualistic, and a sensory diet for one child won't necessarily work with another. Each child's sensory needs are very unique.
"Sensory Disorders" were first pioneered by A. Jean Ayres. Ayres believed that sensory processing could directly impact a person's ability to learn and perform.
I will try to give you a very basic understanding of the sensory system. The best way to learn more is to go to conferences in your area, or speak with an Occupational Therapist in your school district. Sensory activities are very individualistic, and a sensory diet for one child won't necessarily work with another. Each child's sensory needs are very unique.
WHAT IS SENSORY?
Although they tend to be used interchangably, "Sensory Processing" and "Sensory Integration" ARE actually two different (although very similar concepts). The first step in understanding a "Sensory Disorder" is to understand the difference between these two terms. In order to understand what these terms means, let's first just address a very basic question......
What are "The Senses"?
Although one would think that the answer to this question is quite obvious, it actually is not.
I am pretty sure most people have a good grasp on the obvious senses.....
On The Bench
I say these 3 senses are "on the bench" because although they are important players, the other sensory systems tends to be important because they provide more "bang for your buck." I will touch upon these senses, but you will find that I don't go into great detail. However, there are certainly circumstances when these senses ARE indeed the MVPs (particularly in regards to Hypersensitivity Problems).
1. Sound: or the "auditory" sense
2. Taste: or the "gustatory" sense
3. Smell: or the "olfactory" sense
Star Subs
The next two senses ARE quite important in terms of sensory processing and sensory integration. They are the first to be called into place after the "starting line up". We will touch on why later.
4. Sight: or the "visual sense"
5. Touch: or the "tactile" sense
Starting Line Up/MVPs
Finally, the most important sensese in the world of "Sensory Disorders". And see, you only thought there was 5 senses. These two "hidden" senses are the cornerstone of sensory processing and sensory integration. They are your bread and butter. in order to have a REAL understanding, there is no other way that to go to a sensory-based conference. My summary here cannot do justice to the complex effects the "hidden" senses have on learning. But I will try my best....
6. Movement (position of the head in space): or the "vestibular" sense
7. Body awareness (position of the body in space): or the "proprioceptive" sense
I am pretty sure most people have a good grasp on the obvious senses.....
On The Bench
I say these 3 senses are "on the bench" because although they are important players, the other sensory systems tends to be important because they provide more "bang for your buck." I will touch upon these senses, but you will find that I don't go into great detail. However, there are certainly circumstances when these senses ARE indeed the MVPs (particularly in regards to Hypersensitivity Problems).
1. Sound: or the "auditory" sense
2. Taste: or the "gustatory" sense
3. Smell: or the "olfactory" sense
Star Subs
The next two senses ARE quite important in terms of sensory processing and sensory integration. They are the first to be called into place after the "starting line up". We will touch on why later.
4. Sight: or the "visual sense"
5. Touch: or the "tactile" sense
Starting Line Up/MVPs
Finally, the most important sensese in the world of "Sensory Disorders". And see, you only thought there was 5 senses. These two "hidden" senses are the cornerstone of sensory processing and sensory integration. They are your bread and butter. in order to have a REAL understanding, there is no other way that to go to a sensory-based conference. My summary here cannot do justice to the complex effects the "hidden" senses have on learning. But I will try my best....
6. Movement (position of the head in space): or the "vestibular" sense
7. Body awareness (position of the body in space): or the "proprioceptive" sense
What is "Sensory Processing"?
In basic terms, "Sensory Processing" is the ability to take in information through our "senses" and understand it. The information comes into our system through a "receptor". Once the information activates the receptor, it travels along a neural pathway (or in most cases, multiple pathways) to the brain. Along the pathway, there are "checkpoints". At these checkpoints, irrelevant information is filtered out and important information is emphasized. As a result, the "most relevant" information reaches the brain. The brain then uses the information to understand what is going on outside our bodies.
Efficient "Sensory Processing" is dependent on a few things:
1. Receptors that activate
2. Neural pathways that connect correctly
3. "Checkpoints" that work accurately
Efficient "Sensory Processing" is dependent on a few things:
1. Receptors that activate
2. Neural pathways that connect correctly
3. "Checkpoints" that work accurately
What is "Sensory Integration"?
"Sensory Integration" is the NEXT step. It involves "Sensory Processing". The information has reached the brain. Now what?
The brain is a wonderful organ. Inside it, it has stored all of our sensory experiences. It remembers what happened, how we acted, and how successful our actions were in getting what we needed done, done. It stores a little blueprint of this information, so that if we are ever in a similar situation, we aren't starting from scratch. Instead, it uses the blueprint to build our plan of action.
"Sensory Integration" is the process by which we use the information provided by our system (through "Sensory Processing"), integrate it with "blueprints" already existing in our neurology banks, make a plan of action, and tell our body how to act. And it doesn't stop there. That part is the FEEDFORWARD loop.
Once our body begins "acting", stuff is happening. Our brain needs to assess whether the plan was successful, and make needed adjustments in the plan in order for it to be. MORE sensory information is coming in. MORE neural pathways are travelled. The brain adds to and adjusts the plan. This is the FEEDBACK loop.
The important difference to recognize is that the end product of "Sensory Processing" is INFORMATION. However, the end product "Sensory Integration" is PURPOSEFUL ACTIVITY. Yes, "Sensory Integration" uses the information from "Sensory Processing" to plan how to perform the purposeful activity. But it is ONLY when an activity has purpose, has MEANING, then it is stored in the brain and becomes a Motor Memory.
Efficient "Sensory Integration" is dependent on a few things:
1. Past Experience - how HUGE is this. Without past experience, we have no blueprint. Without a blueprint, our ability to plan an action is THAT much slower, THAT less accurate. This may not seem like a big deal, but imagine if something prevented a child from participating in "past experiences". For example, what if an infant was in the NICU for months? Never exposed to touch, rocking, reaching, rolling...... What will happen when they try to make a plan of action? Their Motor Memory banks are quite empty.
2. Adequate FEEDFORWARD looping - or AKA adequate "Sensory Processing"
3. Adequate FEEDBACK looping
The brain is a wonderful organ. Inside it, it has stored all of our sensory experiences. It remembers what happened, how we acted, and how successful our actions were in getting what we needed done, done. It stores a little blueprint of this information, so that if we are ever in a similar situation, we aren't starting from scratch. Instead, it uses the blueprint to build our plan of action.
"Sensory Integration" is the process by which we use the information provided by our system (through "Sensory Processing"), integrate it with "blueprints" already existing in our neurology banks, make a plan of action, and tell our body how to act. And it doesn't stop there. That part is the FEEDFORWARD loop.
Once our body begins "acting", stuff is happening. Our brain needs to assess whether the plan was successful, and make needed adjustments in the plan in order for it to be. MORE sensory information is coming in. MORE neural pathways are travelled. The brain adds to and adjusts the plan. This is the FEEDBACK loop.
The important difference to recognize is that the end product of "Sensory Processing" is INFORMATION. However, the end product "Sensory Integration" is PURPOSEFUL ACTIVITY. Yes, "Sensory Integration" uses the information from "Sensory Processing" to plan how to perform the purposeful activity. But it is ONLY when an activity has purpose, has MEANING, then it is stored in the brain and becomes a Motor Memory.
Efficient "Sensory Integration" is dependent on a few things:
1. Past Experience - how HUGE is this. Without past experience, we have no blueprint. Without a blueprint, our ability to plan an action is THAT much slower, THAT less accurate. This may not seem like a big deal, but imagine if something prevented a child from participating in "past experiences". For example, what if an infant was in the NICU for months? Never exposed to touch, rocking, reaching, rolling...... What will happen when they try to make a plan of action? Their Motor Memory banks are quite empty.
2. Adequate FEEDFORWARD looping - or AKA adequate "Sensory Processing"
3. Adequate FEEDBACK looping
SENSORY DISORDERS
Identifying Where The Breakdown Occurs
First and foremost, using sensory information efficiently is not a linear process. Because there is so much "communication" between pathways, so much "dependency" on past experience and motor memories and so many environment, behavioral and emotional conditions that impact our plan of action, it is almost impossible to confidently say that the breakdown is occuring in ONE particular area. However, like every solution to a problem, you have to start somewhere....
Don't Get Caught Up In The Terms
Every conference I've gone to, every textbook I've highlighted, every research article I've read uses a different phrase. Sometimes it means the same thing, sometimes it's just a little different. Try not to get caught up in the terminlogy. The words I use are not going to be the same words you hear from another Occupational Therapist, even if we are trying to talk about the same thing. Understand the concept, call it whatever you want. Here's how I present it:
There are two kinds of sensory problems I see in children:
1. Problems REGISTERING the sensory input coming in. For simplicity, I will call this Sensory Registration.
2. Problems using the sensory input to PLAN how to move. For simplicity, I will call this Praxis.
To help guide you to what link to follow, I will try to give you a picture of a child with each of these problems.
There are two kinds of sensory problems I see in children:
1. Problems REGISTERING the sensory input coming in. For simplicity, I will call this Sensory Registration.
2. Problems using the sensory input to PLAN how to move. For simplicity, I will call this Praxis.
To help guide you to what link to follow, I will try to give you a picture of a child with each of these problems.
REGISTRATIONIn a child with Registration Problems, the amplitude of their response to sensory input is greater or less that most individuals.
In simple terms, it means that they seem overly sensitive, or underly sensitive, to sensory input. On one end of the spectrum, they find sensory stimulation that an average person who consider "normal" to be overwhelming. Or on the other end of the spectrum, they don't seem to be effected (or respond to) sensory information that would "activate" an average persons sensory system. Their registration is off. Click here to learn more. |
PRAXISIn a child with Praxis Problems, they may be receiving accurate sensory input, and their brain may even accurately understand what is going on (in comparison to a Registration Problem, where the child isn't accurately understanding what is going on). However, the problem lies in their ability to use the information to plan a movement. There is a breakdown somewhere in the process of getting a "clear" picture in the brain, referencing past experiences and telling the body how to move.
Their plan is off. Click here to learn more. |