Brought to you by Autism Support Daily & Laurie Euler Laurie has experience working with special needs and at risk youth and is available for consulting and training in sensory integration strategies. She believes sensory integration awareness provides a valuable lens through which to view and improve every child's attention and learning. (contact information is provided on Slide 32)

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Sensory Integration

What do we mean by sensory integration? Things we all do to stay alert and calm The normal neurological process of organizing sensations for use in our everyday life. Your brain receives sensory information from our bodies and surroundings, interprets these messages, and organizes purposeful responses

We really have eight senses: The five we learned about in school, plus one that balance, one that controls the touch of things against us, and one that controls the amount of pressure input that we feel

What is Sensory Integration Dysfunction/ Sensory Processing Disorder? the brain is inefficiently processing sensory messages coming from a person's own body his/her environment trouble responding in an adaptive way to everyday sensations that you and I would hardly notice or simply take in stride

Remember It's not behavior, it's neurological

Touch (Tactile) About the sense: both active and passive touch pressure, vibration, temperature, etc.

How it can look in a kid with SPD bothered by clothing avoids hugs avoid groups or other children (fear of unexpected touch) not wanting to go outside (wind on face) may not understand pain others feel may seem unaware of touch touch things constantly may walk on toes

What you can do to support provide prep time before dressing or other daily activities provide tactile activities before dressing, etc.

Balance and Movement (Vestibular) About the sense o tells us where our heads and bodies are in relation to the surface of the earth

How it can look in a kid with SPD avoid changes in head position get car sick demand physical support from caregiver crave movement enjoy being upside down have poor balance or excellent balance have low muscle tone tire easily

What you can do to support appropriate movement games (obstacle course, laundromat game) support transitions

Body Position (Proprioceptive) About the sense integration of sensations coming from muscles and joints

How it can look in a kid with SPD bump against objects or people difficulty with stairs have poor sense of body awareness

What you can do to support heavy work - push, pull, carry! physical play chewy or crunchy foods use a straw for drink

Seeing (Visual)

How it can look in a kid with SPD shield eyes sees double turn/tilt head or body have hard time tracking moving object get tired with reading or homework

What you can do to support reduce "busyness" in visual field play catch games

Hearing (Auditory) About the sense o ability to receive sounds and organize appropriate response

How it can look easily distracted hear sounds long before others not know where sound is coming from be distressed by noises

What you can do to support lower your voice allow child to be in charge of sounds during play provide advance notice of sounds enjoy music together

Smelling (Olfactory) and Tasting (Gustatory)

How it can look in a kid with SPD o notices odors that others do not o picky eater o taste non- food items o like spicy foods

What you can do to support avoid wearing scents games

Simple, On the Spot Regulating Activities You Can Use

Food and drink "remedies" (depending on child and family preferences): cold or warm beverages cold food (popsicle) sour or tart food crunchy food food or drink through a straw (applesauce, pudding) blow soccer straws race

Paper Plate Skate Sandwich Game (or tortilla, or pizza)

We hope you enjoyed this introduction to Sensory Integration! If you would like more information on Sensory Integration, please call or Laurie Euler Telephone: (802) Copyright/Contact No part or parts of this presentation may be reproduced, distributed, republished, displayed, broadcast, hyperlinked or transmitted in any manner or by any means or stored in an information retrieval system. You may send a link to our website to friends/family/co-workers who may wish to visit our site to watch this presentation.