Sensory Processing: Implications for PT Flashcards
What are the 8 sensory systems?
- Gustatory
- Tactile
- Visual
- Olfactory
- Auditory
- Proprioception
- Vestibular
- Interoception
How can you measure whether a response from integration of sensory information is appropriate and purposeful?
- Arousal –> appropriate energy level
- Attention –> appropriate for age
- Affect –> appropriate emotion
- Action –> coordinated, efficient, and purposeful
- Organized behavior
What is self regulation? What are some examples of management?
Self regulation is the ability to manage yourself in regards to emotions, behaviors, and internal body responses based on a given set of circumstances
Management examples: problem solving, controlling responses, modifying behaviors, and maintaining a calm, alert, and oragnaized state
What are some self-regulatory red flags?
- Excessively high or low energy
- Fluctuating energy levels that do not match the current situation
- Decreased concentration or attention
- Quick frustration
- Excessive difficulty with change in plan or routine
What is a sensory processing disorder? What are some examples or sensory processing disorders?
- The body does not provide reliable feedback leading to decreased interaction with the environment
-Types: sensory modulation disorder (overresponsitivity, underresponsitivity, seeking/craving), sensory discrimination disorder, sensory-based movement disorders (dyspraxia, postural disorders)
What can leave a child at risk of developing a sensory processing disorder?
- Prematurity
- C-section
- Idiopathic
- Autism spectrum disorder
- ADHD
- Anxiety
Describe sensory overresponsitivity
- Sensory modulation disorder
- Responding more than expected to a sensory experience
- Physiological changes related to fight or flight
Describe sensory underresponsitivity
- Sensory modulation disorder
- Responding less than expected to a sensory experience
Describe sensory seeking
- Sensory modulation disorder
- Obtains additional sensory input in a manner that helps to calm and organize
- Sensation helps
Describe sensory craving
- Sensory modulation disorder
- Obtains additional sensory input in a manner that disorganizes and dysregulates
- Sensation does not help
Describe a sensory discrimination disorder
- An inability to identify qualities, characteristics, or details of a specific sensory experience
- Can impact timing and grading of movements
Describe dyspraxia
- Sensory-based movement disorder
- Difficulty at any stage of motor planning (ideation, planning, execution)
Describe postural disorders
- Sensory-based movement disorder
- Difficulty controlling the body against gravity (posture, tone, balance)
What is the goal of sensory integration therapy?
- To improve the ability of the nervous system to interpret and organize sensory information
- To improve quality of life
What are some “musts” of sensory integration therapy?
- Establishing a relationship
- Child directed treatment
- Sensory-rich environment
- Active participation from the child
- Appropriate challenge for the child
- Optimal arousal and organization
What are some guiding principles of sensory integration therapy?
- Allow the individual to initiate the activity, actively participate, and progress at their own pace
- Clearly identify the purpose of the task
- Observe for signs of disorganization, distress, and changes in alertness
- Pushing, pulling, lifting, and deep pressure can organize and improve attention and calmness (proprioceptive input)
- Consider developmental progression (lying –> sitting –> upright or stable –> unstable)
What is the goal of managing regulatory challenges?
- To assist the individual in achieving their own regulation through self-regulation and co-regulation
- How to reach that goal? –> establishing your own self-regulation, focus on emotional/social goal rather than skill, child directed therapy, have fun, anticipate needs, use schedules, offer warnings, enforce consistency, maintain optimal arousal and organization
What are general strategies for treating someone with sensory overresponsitivity?
- Reduce exposure
- Low, slow, calming tasks
- Maintain trust and progress gradually
- Proprioceptive and deep pressure input is helpful
What are general strategies for treating someone with sensory underresponsitivity?
- Fast, arousing, intense input
- Multisensory input
- Provide feedback (visual and verbal)
What are general strategies for treating someone with sensory seeking behaviors?
- Allow the individual to get the sensory input they are seeking in a socially acceptable way
- Incorporate proprioception and deep pressure input
- Monitor for signs of dysregulation
What are general strategies for treating someone with sensory craving behaviors?
- Shift the individual away from the sensory input they are craving
- Start and stop tasks
- Incorporate purpose into the task
- Incorporate proprioception and deep pressure input
What are general strategies for treating someone with sensory discrimination disorder?
- Limit the “background”
- Provide feedback using other senses
- Gradually increase the challenge
- Achieve optimal arousal for greatest success
What are general strategies for treating someone with dyspraxia?
- Identify the specific phase or phases that are challenging
- Provide support and scaffolding in that area
- Repetition followed by generalization
What are general strategies for treating someone with postural disorder?
- Address strength, balance, co-contraction, and work against gravity
- Proprioceptive and deep pressure input may be helpful
