Sensory Processing | Bres. O.T. Gr. 1-3

What is Sensory Processing?

A. The ability to synthesize, organize and process incoming information received from the body an environment to allow for adaptive and purposeful goal-directed responses.

B. Occupational behavior: Children have many roles and related responsibilities including the player, the creator, the explorer, the daughter/son, brother/sister, friend, leader/follower, student, etc. Children all have varying strengths and weaknesses that allow then to functionally adapt and successfully perform in their various roles during each day. It is when these deficits in sensory processing lead to misperceptions and maladaptive responses and delayed development that interfere with Function in these Roles that dysfunction now occurs.

There are 8 Sensory Systems:

1. Movement
2. Proprioception-Muscle/Joint Perception
3. Tactile Perception
4. Vision
5. Auditory
6. Olfactory (smell)
7. Gustatory
8. Interoception: :the internal sensations we receive from our organs such as heartbeat and breathing changes,

Sensory System Functions:

1. Sensory Arousal and Modulation: How You Feel~ The nervous system’s ability to take in sensory information and then process this information in an organized way without under or over-reacting emotionally: i.e.: being calm in a noisy cafeteria or assembly; sitting still at a desk for 10 minutes without feeling the need to fidget and get up; sitting comfortably next to a friend without feeling like you need to lean on or touch them; comfortably wearing different textures of clothes; comfortably eating a variety of foods, comfortably smelling novel foods

2. Sensory Discrimination: What You Do ~The ability of the sensory system to use information in a skilled way: i,e.: distinguishing the smell of cookies baking from them burning; distinguishing a dime from a quarter in a pocket; hearing the correct location of a sound; finding your pencil on your cluttered desk; distinguishing a sweet from sour taste; balancing on one foot; gently closing a door, whispering versus talking loudly

Products

of

Sensory

Processing:

General Calming Strategies/Tools Click on icon to access Printable copy

Use of Zones terminology about defiining Zone that student is in: Blue, Green, Yellow, Red
Provide enclosed spaces such as tents and tunnels
Provide spaces that “surround” such as quiet work space, bean bag chair, sleeping bags, ball pit
Create Quiet /Cozy Spots to work in to minimize distractions and encourage self- regulation when student is distracted or upset.
Sound reducing headphones
Classical music
Reduce visual and auditory clutter in environment and on paper
Face visually quiet/calming views - plain wall, look out window, etc.
Mindjars and other Mindfulness activities
Touch: Change a child’s seat/place in line, desk in a row, location in a group – to minimize incidental touch
Be respectful of their personal space, and observe how they respond to incidental daily touch from other children.
When using hand-over-hand guidance let them know first and then use firm and constant pressure.
For tactually fidgety students -Place Velcro under the edge of the desk top to allow non-disruptive fidgeting during listening tasks.
Have student assist teacher in meeting time, etc, by holding an appropriate Item - to give hands an organizing task
Heavy work activities: lift, push, squeeze, carry activities such as carry books, clean the white board, wall or desk push-ups, Yoga, squeeze bottles, use sponges

Sensory Alerting Tools Click on icon to access Printable version

Use oral motor organizers – Water Bottles, Altoid/Listerine Flavor Strips,
Flavored or Scented Lip Gloss – to assist students to reduce excessive chewing sleeves, collars, dress ties, etc.
Use smells: Cinnamon and spicy odors
Use tactile activities: Fast rubbing with therapeutic brush, face cloth, play with beans, rice, lotions etc.
Use vision: Brighter lights, bubbles, flashlights, Red Sheet writing assignment – Place a Red Piece of construction paper under writing assignment to increase visual alertness to task
Use sound: Drums, bang toys, louder voice, arrhythmic music
Provide Opportunities for Moving and Kinesthetic (musche/joint) Learning interspersed with more sitting down learning activities;

~work while standing or sitting on therapy ball or moven’sit cushion,

~Go Noodle, dancing, jumping, running in place, go for a quick walk, jumping jacks, wall push-ups,

~ heavy work activities (push, pull, squeeze, and/orcarry), trampoline activities