Sensory integration disorders impact how an individual interprets sensory stimuli, such as touch, movement, sounds and sights. These individuals are often clumsy and struggle to remain alert enough to learn, yet calm enough to avoid meltdowns. Providing the sensory stimulation they need, avoiding situations that trigger outbursts and structuring their day with predictable events may help the person to cope with dysfunction in sensory integration, according to "The Out-Of-Sync Child" by Carol Stock Kranowitz.
Tips to Improve Body Awareness
A person with dysfunction in sensory integration (DSI) often has poor body awareness--difficulty knowing where her body is in relation to other people and objects around the person, writes Kranowitz. This is seen when a child sits partially on top of another child during circle time, uses so much force on crayons that they break, bumps into others and is overall clumsy. Activities that provide deep pressure--such as rolling up inside a blanket--provide stimulation to the joints and muscles and increase body awareness. Wearing a weighted vest, collar or wrist/ankle weights (sold through therapy catalogs) may improve body awareness to maintain good sitting posture and improve coordination during movement activities. Using weighted materials, such as sand bags, during gross motor games or a motorized pen that vibrates also provides sensory stimulation that increases body awareness. In addition, the environment may be adapted with visual and physical cues such as mats to sit on--so that children learn how to maintain space between themselves and others.
Tips for Sensory Defensiveness
Individuals with DSI may experience what is called "sensory defensiveness"--or sensitivities to sensory stimuli. They may experience a tap on the shoulder as threatening or become easily overwhelmed in crowded or noisy environments. Occupational therapy activities that provides deep pressure and movement, such as jumping off a swing and crashing into a mountain of pillows, may decrease sensory defensiveness, according to "Building Bridges through Sensory Integration" by Ellen Yack, Paula Aquilla and Shirley Sutton. Children or adults may be better able to focus when wearing headphones and seated at a desk with a corral that visually blocks activity in the room. Other possible environmental adaptations include placing students at the end of lines to avoid getting jostled, wearing a weighted vest and providing stress balls to squeeze during haircuts and sleeping inside a tightly fitted bag with a weighted blanket on top. The deep pressure may help the person to cope with touch and relax to fall asleep. In addition, white noise from a fan may block sounds that prevent people with auditory sensitivities from sleeping.
Tips to Improve Eating
Children and adults with DSI are often very picky eaters and have limited diets. They often find touch around the mouth aversive, avoid strong tastes and do not tolerate foods such as soup that have unusual textures, according to "Just Take a Bite" by Lori Ernsperger and Tania Stegen-Hanson. Occupational therapists may apply deep pressure (using a washcloth) on an individual's cheeks and massage above and below the lips to desensitize the skin. Sucking on Popsicle sticks increases muscle tone and awareness of what the lips are doing and can help decrease drooling. Use of a plastic coated spoon might be better tolerated than metal and the vibration of an electric toothbrush helps to desensitize the mouth as well as cleans teeth. One successful way to increase tolerance for touch inside and around the mouth is to play games, such as blowing bubbles, making funny sounds with the lips and blowing on toy musical instruments or whistles.
Tips to Improve Focus
Individuals with DSI often struggle to achieve an optimal level of alertness to focus, learn and work. Occupational therapists Mary Sue Williams and Sherry Shellenberger, creators of the "Alert Program" and authors of "How Does Your Engine Run?" describe the brain as an "engine" that may be running too low or too high. When the engine is running too slow (the person is sluggish), stimulating activities, such as dancing to erratic music, light touch, such as tickles, and bright lights, help them to focus. When a person's "engine" is running too high, activities such as rocking slowly, squeezing stress a ball, dimming lights and listening to quiet music, help them to focus. Parents and teachers can teach children to recognize their alertness state and adapt the environment accordingly. Adults can also create work environments that optimize their abilities to focus.
References
- "How Does Your Engine Run?" Mary Sue Williams and Sherry Shellenberger; 1994
- "Sensory Integration and the Child;" A. Jean Ayres; 2005
- "Building Bridges through Sensory Integration;" Ellen Yack, Paula Aquilla and Shirley Sutton; 2004
- "The Out-of-Sync Child;" Carol Stock Kranowitz; 2006
