The Sensory-Behavior Connection Joselyn Ensor M.S. Ed., BCBA, LBA  Board Certified Behavior Analyst Coordinator of Special Education - Special Programs Kristin M. Hoffman, MS, OTR/L Occupational Therapist Administrative Coordinator of Carroll Springs

What is Behavior??? Behavior is ANYTHING a person does Behavior is generally learned Behaviors that successfully get a child what he/she wants or needs will occur again under similar circumstances = reinforcement

Why Does Problem Behavior Occur? There is always a reason why children do what they do – they are either trying to obtain something or avoid it. GET/OBTAIN: ESCAPE/AVOID: attention demand/request self-stimulation item or activity item person activity feeling/sensation place Why Does Problem Behavior Occur?

The ABC’s of Analyzing Behavior Antecedent – what happened immediately before the behavior occurred? B Behavior – what did the behavior look like? C Consequence – what happened immediately after the behavior occurred?

What is Sensory Processing? Sensory processing is a term that refers to how a person's brain interprets and responds to sensory input from their own body and the world around them. Sensory processing is the neurological process that organizes sensation from one’s own body and the environment, thus making it possible to use the body effectively within the environment

Sensory Processing Disorder “Problems in directing, regulating, interpreting, and responding to sensory input.” (Miller, Anzalone, Lane, Cermak, Osten, 2007) The difference between sensory difference and a sensory disorder is a disorder is severe enough to interfere with occupations, roles and routines. Sensory Processing Disorder www.sinetwork.org/aboutspd/whatisspd.html

Modulation Hyper Arousal Zone Hypo Arousal Zone Window of Tolerance Increased sensation Emotional Reactivity Hyper Vigilance Instructive Imagery Disorganized cognitive processing Hypo Arousal Zone Relative absence of sensation  Numbing of emotions Disabled cognitive processing Reduced physical movement The ability to process information depends on the “width” of the window. A wide widow correlates with the ability to cope with the greatest extremes of arousal and process of complex information A narrow window correlates with fluctuations of dysregulation. Window of Tolerance Optimal Arousal Zone

What is Self-Regulation? Driving conditions are constantly changing  Traffic, weather, speed zones, merging traffic The driver is required to adjust accelerations, braking and shifting gears accordingly  Stanley Greenspan, the author of The Challenging Child: Understanding, Raising, and Enjoying the Five "Difficult" Types of Children has an insightful analogy to help us understand what people experience when they can not effectively process, or interpret, sensory input. “Imagine driving a car that isn't working well. When you step on the gas the car sometimes lurches forward and sometimes doesn't respond. When you blow the horn it sounds blaring. The brakes sometimes slow the car, but not always. The blinkers work occasionally, the steering is erratic, and the speedometer is inaccurate. You are engaged in a constant struggle to keep the car on the road, and it is difficult to concentrate on anything else." Ability to deal with stressors effectively and efficiently and return to a baseline of being focused and alert. The goal is to widen the window of tolerance or move more smoothly back to state of optimal arousal.

Sensory as it relates to the ABCs of Behavior Antecedent B Behavior C Consequence

Water Bottle Activity This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND