Exam 13: Sensory Integration (part 1) Flashcards
what is sensory integration?
the neurological process that organizes sensations from one’s body and from the environment and makes it possible to use the body effectively in the environment
assumptions from SI Theory
- sensory systems influence development and occupational performance
- importance in the development of the CNS
- developmental process
- the importance of the environment and the context of intervention
basic principles (5)
- sensation leads to experience and experience leads to sensation
- adapting challenges leads to success
- motivation is key to active participation
- play makes learning fun
- the just-right-challenge
what is sensory processing
- our sense provide us with information about our bodies and the environment
- external senses: sight, touch, hearing, smell, and taste
- internal senses: interoceptive, vestibular, proprioception
what is sensory processing disorder?
- occurs when one or more of our senses is not being interpreted properly; when this occurs, a number of problems in learning, motor development, and behavior can be observed
5 systems
- tactile
- vestibular
- proprioception
- auditory
- visual
vestibular system
- inner ear (semicircular canals)
- tells us where our head & body is in relation to earth
- register movement of the head, trunk, neck, and eyes and respond to the pull of gravity
- can be over or under responsive
vestibular system dysfunction
- difficulty sitting still
- clumsy
- poor balance
- weak/ low tone
- head “wag”
- spin
- withdrawal from physical activities
- anxious
- poor balance
- lean on others
- slouch
- tires easily
vestibular system “treatment”
- rolling on ball
- scooter
- spinning (chairs & swings)
- rolling on mat/wedge
- ride bike
proprioceptive processing
- joint/ muscles (position of body in space)
- tells us how much force and speed to use when moving
- receptors in muscle bellies, tendons, ligaments, joint capsules, connective tissue, skin
proprioceptive processing dysfunction
- clumsy
- falls frequently
- runs/ bumps into things
- too much or too little pressure on things
- plays too rough
- climbs, hangs, chews
proprioceptive processing “treatment”
- pushing/ pulling heavy objects
- crawling
- chew tube
- carrying heavy objects
- weighted vest/ backpack
- jumping
auditory system/ dysfunction
- covers ears, talks loud, constantly makes noises, can be overstimulated/ disorganized when loud
- can be over or under stimulated
auditory system “treatment”
- headphones
- quiet break/ area
- calming music
- warning prior to noxious/ loud music/ flushing toilet
- exciting music to alert
tactile system/ dysfunction
- under responsive
- puts things on face/ mouth, touchy-feely, grabby
- over responsive
- resistive to touch, startles to touch, resistive to messy/wet/mushy play, pulls away from touch
tactile system “treatment”
- deep pressure input
- expose to input but, follow their lead - don’t pressure/push
- verbally or visually warn before unexpected touch
visual system/ dysfunction
- under responsive
- seeks light or visual input (videos/ computer)
- waves objects in front of eyes or tracks objects out of side of eyes
- over responsive
- resistant to light/ covers eyes
- squints or looks away from light
- distracted/ disorganized by visual clutter
visual system “treatment”
- dim lights/ reduce fluorescent lighting
- reduce visual clutter
sensory hypersensitivity
- characterized by avoidance behaviors to sensory activities or situations
- produces a fight or flight response due to misinterpreting normal sensory input as threatening
- child may rely heavily on predictable routines due to anxiety
sensory hyposensitivity
- children register sensory input less intensely than others
- the children may present as sensory-seeking or demonstrate poor registration
sensory seeking
actively seek our sensory input; demonstrate difficulty staying in their seat frequently moving to get more sensory information; often referred to as thrill seekers
poor registration
appear floppy, lethargic; they may have poor coordination, hypo-responsive auditory system, as well as poor visual perception skills
sensory diet
- a prescribed routine carefully picked for a specific student based on their sensory system (hyper or hypo)
- student must be closely supervised and done as prescribed
- diet is implemented by OT or an adult trained by the OT
break
- a time away from the classroom or structured routine that is basic and could be used for the
