1. SENSORY MOTOR STRATEGIES TO HELP PARENTS SUPPORT STUDENT SUCCESS BY: CHRISTINE BAIRD, JENNIFER JESSOE, LISA TRAN BUSD OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS

2. HOW MANY SENSES DO YOU HAVE?

3. YOUR 8 SENSES VESTIBULAR (SENSE OF MOVEMENT) PROPRIOCEPTION (BODY AWARENESS) TACTILE (TOUCH) AUDITORY (HEARING) VISUAL (VISION) OLFACTORY (SMELL) GUSTATORY (TASTE) INTEROCEPTION (AWARENESS OF INTERNAL ORGANS)

4. WHAT IS SENSORY PROCESSING?  SENSORY PROCESSING AND INTEGRATION IS A COMPLEX NEUROLOGICAL PROCESS THAT OCCURS UNCONSCIOUSLY IN TYPICALLY DEVELOPING INDIVIDUALS. THE PROCESS INVOLVES:  RECEIVING INFORMATION FROM EACH SENSORY SYSTEM.  ORGANIZING AND INTERPRETING THE INFORMATION FROM ALL THE SENSORY SYSTEMS.  RESPONDING TO THE ENVIRONMENT APPROPRIATELY BY USING THE INFORMATION TO PERFORM AN ADAPTIVE OR FUNCTIONAL RESPONSE.

5. CONTINUUM OF SENSORY PROCESSING

6. WHY DOES SENSORY PROCESSING MATTER?

7. VESTIBULAR THE VESTIBULAR SYSTEM IS YOUR SENSE OF MOVEMENT. IT TELLS YOU HOW YOUR HEAD IS MOVING, AS WELL AS, WHAT POSITION THE HEAD IS IN AS IT RELATES TO GRAVITY.

8. VESTIBULAR STRATEGIES GOING TO THE PARK ­ SWINGING IN SITTING AND ON STOMACH (SMOOTH LINEAR MOVEMENT IF TOLERATED IS CALMING; STARTING, STOPPING, SPINNING INCREASES THE INTENSITY OF THE MOVEMENT) GOING DOWN SLIDES RUNNING WITH RAPID CHANGES IN DIRECTIONS ­ ROLLING ON THE GROUND OR DOWN A HILL ­ ROCKING CHAIR ­ MOVE AND SIT CUSHION ­ SIT AND SPIN OR DIZZY DISC SPINNING IN DESK CHAIR ­ CERVICAL ROTATION (RAPIDLY LOOKING BEHIND YOU OVER ONE SHOULDER THEN THE OTHER) ­­ THERAPY BALL ACTIVITIES ­ ROLLING OVER THE TOP OF IT ­ BOUNCING ON IT ­ ROLLING UPSIDE DOWN ON IT ­ HIPPITY HOP ACTIVITIES ­ RIDING BICYCLES/TRICYCLES ­ JUMPING ON A TRAMPOLINE

9. PROPRIOCEPTION THE PROPRIOCEPTIVE SYSTEM IS YOUR BODY AWARENESS; IT TELLS YOU WHERE YOUR BODY IS IN SPACE AND HOW MUCH MUSCLE FORCE TO USE FOR A GIVEN TASK. PROPRIOCEPTIVE INPUT HAS A CALMING EFFECT ON ALL OTHER SENSORY SYSTEMS. WHEN IN DOUBT USE PROPRIOCEPTIVE STRATEGIES TO ORGANIZE YOUR CHILD.

10. HEAVY MUSCLE WORK: EASILY INCORPORATED IN CHORES; PUSHING, PULLING, CARRYING THE LAUNDRY/GROCERIES, VACUUMING, MOPPING, MOWING THE LAWN, TAKING OUT THE TRASH GO TO THE PARK CLIMBING, HANGING, RUNNING, DIGGING, CRAWLING, RIDING A BIKE, HAVE THE CHILD RUN UP A HILL AS FAST AS THEY CAN PUSH-UPS OR WALL PUSH-UPS OR CHAIR PUSH-UPS SIT-UPS YOGA POSES (I.E., DOWNWARD DOG, TABLE, BRIDGE, CAT/COW) ANIMAL WALKS (I.E., BEAR WALK, CRAB WALK, PENGUIN WALK, SNAKE WALKS, LIZARD WALKS) SITTING ON UNSTABLE SURFACES SUCH AS, THERAPY BALLS (YOGA BALLS) PUSHING WITH WHOLE BODY AGAINST THE WALL OR ANOTHER PERSON CRASHING INTO PILLOWS AND BEAN BAG CHAIRS BEAR HUGS, BODY SQUEEZES ­ROUGHHOUSING HAVE THE CHILD JUMP OFF THE LAST STEP WHEELBARROW WALKING BAKING ACTIVITIES (STIRRING, KNEADING, ROLLING) TUG-O-WAR THERAPUTTY OR PLAYDOH PROPRIOCEPTIVE STRATEGIES

11. ORAL MOTOR/GUSTATORY/OLFACTORY ORAL MOTOR (MOUTH) TOOLS CAN HELP THE BODY WORK BETTER AND PAY ATTENTION. ADULTS OFTEN CHEW ON STRAWS, GUM, RUBBER BANDS, EAT OR DRINK THINGS TO STAY ALERT AND DO FOCUS ACTIVITIES. SOME CHILDREN CHEW ON THEIR CLOTHING OR PENCILS AND SEEK THIS ORAL MOTOR SENSORY INPUT MORE THAN OTHERS.

12. CRUNCHY FOOD (PRETZELS, POPCORN, NUTS, APPLES, CELERY, CARROTS, CHEERIOS, CRACKERS CHEWY FOOD (GUM, RAISINS, BAGELS, CHUNKS OF CHEESE, GUMMY CANDY, CARAMELS) SOUR FOOD (PICKLES, SOUR CANDY) SWEET FOOD (FRUIT, DRIED FRUIT, CANDY) SPICY FOODS (CINNAMON OR SALSA) COMBINATIONS: TRAIL MIX (CRUNCHY, CHEWY, SWEET) STARBURST (CHEWY, SWEET, TART) CHIPS & SALSA (CRUNCHY AND SPICY) PULLING: LICORICE STRINGS/FRUIT ROLL-UPS LICKING: LOLLIPOP OR FRUIT POPSICLE DRINK FROM A STRAW: USE AN EXERCISE/SPORTS BOTTLE OR WATER BOTTLE WITH A POP TOP WATER: COLD IS ALERTING, WARM IS CALMING THICK LIQUIDS: MILKSHAKE, SLURPIE, SMOOTHIE (PARTIALLY THAW A FROZEN DRINK) THROUGH A STRAW CHEWY TUBES, NECKLACES USE OF ESSENTIAL OILS TO INCREASE/DECREASE AROUSAL CALMING: LAVENDER, CHAMOMILE, ROSE ALERTING: PEPPERMINT, CITRUS, CINNAMON, EUCALYPTUS AVOID STRONG SMELLS IF SENSITIVE TO SMELLS ORAL MOTOR/GUSTATORY/ OLFACTORY STRATEGIES

13. TACTILE THE INTERPRETATION OF TOUCH SENSATION THROUGH THE SKIN IS NECESSARY FOR MANY FACETS OF LEARNING SUCH AS CONCEPTS OF SIZE, SHAPE, AND TEXTURE; IT ALSO PROVIDES A MEANINGFUL BASIS TO DEVELOP BODY AWARENESS. TACTILE INPUT CAN BE BOTH ALERTING AND CALMING DEPENDING ON THE INDIVIDUAL

14. ­RUB A VARIETY OF TEXTURE ON THE SKIN (SHAVING CREAM, SOAP, LOTIONS, LOOFA SPONGES, BRUSHES, FOAM POT SCRUBBERS) ­FINGER PAINTS ­DRAWING IN SAND SEWING A TEXTURED PIECE OF FABRIC INSIDE THE PANTS POCKET TO RUB ­PLAYING IN SAND BOX OR RICE AND BEAN BOX (HIDE OBJECTS IN THE RICE AND BEAN AND HAVE THE CHILD DIG WITH THEIR HAND TO FIND THE OBJECTS) ­FEELIE BOX - CUT HOLES IN THE SIDE OF A BOX, PUT COMMON OBJECTS INSIDE, HAVE THE CHILD GUESS WHAT TOY THEY ARE TOUCHING ­COOKING ACTIVITIES THAT THE CHILD CAN MIX WITH THEIR HANDS ­MAKE SALT DOUGH WITH THEIR HANDS ­HAVE THE CHILD CRAWL THROUGH A CLOTH TUNNEL ­PLAYDOH ­WATER PLAY ROLL ON A CARPET OR GRASS ROLL UP IN A BLANKET LIKE A BURRITO FINDING HIDDEN OBJECTS IN THERAPUTTY FIDGETS TACTILE STRATEGIES

15. AUDITORY THE AUDITORY SYSTEM IS YOUR SENSE OF HEARING. THE AUDITORY SYSTEM EVOLVED OUT OF THE PRIMITIVE VESTIBULAR SYSTEM. THEREFORE THE AUDITORY SYSTEM IS CLOSELY INTERLINKED WITH THE VESTIBULAR SYSTEM. IT IS NEUROLOGICALLY EASIER TO PROCESS LOWER FREQUENCY SOUNDS, SO USING A DEEPER VOICE MAY RESULT IN IMPROVED FOLLOWING OF AUDITORY DIRECTIONS.

16. ­ STAND DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE CHILD WHEN ADDRESSING THEM ­ PLACE THE CHILD AWAY FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER OR FAN ­ USE SIMPLE LANGUAGE, REINFORCING IT WITH FACIAL EXPRESSIONS AND HAND MOVEMENTS ­GIVE EXTRA TIME FOR THE CHILD TO RESPOND TO YOUR QUESTION PROVIDE VISUAL CUES AS WELL AS VERBAL CUES ACKNOWLEDGE THE BACKGROUND NOISES TO HELP THE CHILD MOVE PAST THE BACKGROUND NOISES. HIGHER PITCHED (HIGH SOUNDS) MUSIC HAS MORE OF A COGNITIVE AFFECT ON THE CHILD AND PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION REGARDING WHERE THE SOUND IS COMING FROM. LOWER PITCHED MUSIC (LOW SOUNDS) WITH A STRONGER BASS AND BEAT HAS MORE OF A POSTURAL AFFECT ON THE BODY, PROVIDES MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO MOVE YOUR BODY, AND STIMULATES THE VESTIBULAR SYSTEM. CONSISTENT RHYTHM AND BEAT MUSIC WITH 50 TO 70 BEATS PER MINUTE AUDITORY STRATEGIES

17. VISUAL THE VISUAL SYSTEM IS YOU SIGHT. THERE ARE TWO COMPONENTS TO YOUR VISUAL SYSTEM, YOUR EYESIGHT (20/20) AND YOUR VISION. YOUR EYESIGHT ONLY MEANS CLARITY; IT DOES NOT MEAN VISUAL FUNCTION.

18. VISUAL STRATEGIES WEARING LIGHTLY TINTED OR COLORED SUNGLASSES ­PLACE THE CHILD IN THE AREA WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF VISUAL DISTRACTIONS LIMIT THE DECORATION IN THE ROOM ­FOLD OR COVER WORKSHEETS IN HALF TO DECREASE THE NUMBER OF PROBLEMS SEEN ­USE A RULER UNDER THE LINE WHEN READING ­GAMES AND ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE VISUAL PERCEPTION: TANGRAM ­RUSH HOUR AND RUSH HOUR JUNIOR ­FIND THE HIDDEN OBJECTS IN THE PICTURE ­WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE PICTURE ­SIMPLE MATCHING GAMES MEMORY ­ PUZZLES “I SPY” BOOK “WHERE’S WALDO?” BOOKS WORD SEARCHES CROSSWORD PUZZLES

19. ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES WORKSTATION QUIET PLACE, AWAY FROM DISTRACTING AREAS, LIMITED DECORATIONS APPROPRIATELY SIZED CHAIR/TABLE, USE OF FOOTSTOOL IF NEEDED USE OF YOGA BALL INSTEAD OF CHAIR, MOVE AND SIT CUSHION ALLOW ALTERNATIVE SEATING ARRANGEMENTS: STANDING AT DESK, LYING ON STOMACH, ROCKING CHAIR, SWIVEL CHAIR LIGHTING: NATURAL LIGHTING, WATCH FOR GLARE

20. GENERAL STRATEGIES FOR HOMEWORK MAKE SURE PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS ARE ADDRESSED BEFORE BEGINNING HOMEWORK INCORPORATE SENSORY STRATEGIES BEFORE AND DURING HOMEWORK TO HELP WITH FOCUS BREAK HOMEWORK INTO SMALLER STEPS AND PROVIDE CHECKLIST FOR STUDENTS TO CHECK OFF WHEN COMPLETED USE A TIMER

21. QUESTIONS?