Sensory integration theory, assessment and treatment

Question 1

What are things that categorize a person with Sensory Processing Disorder?

Answer 1

pt has difficulty processing and acting on sensory information, creates challenges in performing everyday tasks that include fine motor, gross motor, oral motor/feeding, communication, forming relationships and attachments

Question 2

What is the sensory integration cycle (4 things)?

Answer 2

1. sensory input
2. integration
3. adaptive response
4. feedback

Question 3

When treating sensory processing disorder, what is the first thing you must address?

Answer 3

treat sensory modulation disorder first!

Question 4

What are the three components of sensory processing disorder?

Answer 4

sensory modulation disorder, sensory discrimination disorder, sensory-based motor disorder

Question 5

What are the three types of sensory modulation disorders?

Answer 5

sensory over-responsivity, sensory under-responsivity, sensory seeking/craving

Question 6

t/f, sensory modulation disorders are always generalized to all the senses

Answer 6

false, can be specific to only certain senses (can be sensitive to touch but not visual for example)

Question 7

Describe the components of the sensory processing disorder chart?

Answer 7

Question 8

What system is most prevalent in hypersensitivity sensory modulation disorders?

Answer 8

ALS- sympathetic responses that lead to decreased parasympathetic calming responses and lead to emotional outbursts

Question 9

t/f, DCML can be problematic in hypersensitivity modulation disorders

Answer 9

false, is generally not a problem

Question 10

What are the different types of vestibular sensory modulation disorders?

Answer 10

gravitational insecurity, aversive responses to movement (vestibular hypersensitivity), postural insecurity

Question 11

Fill in the appropriate vestibular sensory term to its definition:
_____: aversive (ANS) responses to non-noxious movement (motion sickness=> avoids moving on playground equipment) POOR SEMICIRCULAR CANAL INFO PROCESSING
____: fear of movement, being out of upright position, having off ground, moving surfaces, POOR OTOLITH PROCESSING
____: fear of movement that is appropriate for child’s motor abilities, IS NOT A SPD

Answer 11

vestibular hypersensitivity/aversive responses to movement

gravitational insecurity

postural insecurity

Question 12

t/f, hyposensitivity tends to be generalized to all or most senses

Answer 12

true, under-arousal which causes the inability to attend to relevant environmental information

Question 13

You have a child that tends to be very lethargic and is unmotivated to play. The parent says they are very unsafe at home and love to jump from the couches onto the floor and the kid does not realize when they have been hurt. The child tends to put a lot of things into their mouths and tend to invade the personal space of whoever they are talking to. What do you think is happening with this child on a sensory level?

Answer 13

child is showing signs of hyposensitivity

Question 14

What is the difference between a child that is hyposensitive versus a child that has “shut down” from generalized hypersensitivity?

Answer 14

The difference is that if a child is shut down, they will have ANS symptoms (take BP and HR to determine) to back up how they are feeling, so you can change the environment if the child is shut down

Question 15

How will a child who is proprioceptive hyposensitive tend to perfom on the SOT?

Answer 15

will show no difference between falls on a firm or unstable surface

Question 16

What are some things that a child with poor postural control will show in test results?

Answer 16

decreased extensor mm tone/strength, impaired prone ext/supine flex, poor proximal stability, poor equilibrium reactions, impaired postural adjustments or background movements

Question 17

What postural control problem includes all of the above plus postrotatory nystagmus and difficulty using vision to assist with postural control?

Answer 17

postural ocular movement disorder

Question 18

Which movement disorder has difficulty in planning, sequencing, and/or performing novel motor tasks or task sequences?

Answer 18

dyspraxia

Question 19

What three things does praxis require?

Answer 19

ideation of task (prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia)
planning and sequencing of task (lateral premotor and medial SMA)
execution of the task (primary motor area)

Question 20

What are things to remember to do when creating a novel task for a child with dyspraxia?

Answer 20

if determining level of praxis, can create obstacle course or novel task and give very minimal instructions to child (go from here to there) so they have to figure out how to do it on their own, can ask them how they are going to do it (shows ideation) and ask them what they are going to do next (to show their planning and sequencing of task), and once they do it once, you have to CHANGE IT UP to keep working on praxis

Question 21

What are the sensory based types of dyspraxia?

Answer 21

BIS, somatodyspraxia, visual dyspraxia

Question 22

Which type of dyspraxia is characterized with the child having poor planning and production of projected action sequences, difficulty with bilateral integration and failure to cross midline?

Answer 22

poor bilateral integration and sequencing (BIS)

Question 23

What are activities that a child with BIS would struggle in?

Answer 23

jumping jacks, stride jumping, hopping, skipping together

Question 24

Which type of dyspraxia is characterized with the child having difficulty with feed-forward and feed-back control and is caused by somatosensory (tactile) processing difficulties?

Answer 24

somatodyspraxia

Question 25

What are things you would expect to see in a child with somatodyspraxia? (test results)

Answer 25

decreased supine flexion, difficulty with sequential finger touching, slow and controlled movements, rapid and alternating movements and impaired haptic exploration and in-hand manipulation

Question 26

Which type of dyspraxia is characterized by poor form and space perception, decreased visual motor control, and poor visual construction abilities?

Answer 26

visual dyspraxia

Question 27

How do you treat dyspraxia? (4 parts)

Answer 27

modulation
discrimination
postural control/BIS
practice function=play

Question 28

What are components of SI (sensory integrated) treatment?

Answer 28

Child directed, nurturing adult, encourage exploration and variety, environment and activities guide therapy

Question 29

What are the principles of treatment (5 things)

Answer 29

safe environment (give choices and allow for safe exploration of sensory items)
trustful relationship (do not force anything)
child directed (active child and interesting environment child wants to explore)
just-right challenge (task grading is critical)
sensory diet (educate about sensory issues and allow for sensory input to be adjusted to keep appropriate level of arousal and alertness)