Treatment of Infant/Toddler with Sensory Motor Dysfunction Flashcards
what is sensory processing?
- the dynamic neurological process of taking in, processing, and organizing sensation from one’s own body and from the environment
What does this “integrated” sensory information help with?
with planning and organizing one’s movements and behavior effectively
Overarching functions of the CNS
- Thinking, learning, remembering
- Processing sensory information
- Controlling motor skills (gross motor, fine motor, oral motor, ocular motor)
- Controlling behavior and emotions
- Controlling autonomic functions
What are the senses?
- Tactile
- Vestibular
- Proprioception
- Vision
- Auditory
- Gustatory
- Olfatory
- Interception (gut level feeling)
first basic principle
- Most individuals take in and process sensory information automatically and effectively
second basic principle
poor sensory processing often leads to ineffective motor and conceptual leaning (impacts function and participation)
third basic principle
providing enhanced and meaningful sensory experiences results in enhanced sensory processing
Key impairments present in child with sensory motor dysfunction
- Sensory processing dysfunction
- hypotonia
- muscle weakness
- decreased postural control
What type of sensory processing disorder do we as PTs typically see?
Sensory based motor disorder (postural disorder, dyspraxia)
Modulation =
they can interpret things such as when something is a little painful or very painful; over responsive or under responsive
Modulation =
they can interpret things such as when something is a little painful or very painful; over responsive or under responsive
What is sensory modulation
the ability to derive affect or emotional meaning from sensory information
How are dysfunctions in sensory modulation identified?
- When a child over-responds, under- responds, or fluctuates in response to sensory input in a manner disproportionate to that input
there can be dysmodulation of any sensory system EXCEPT
- proprioception
- Proprioception is the great neutralizer… you can always do this when you are unsure
with sensory modulation disorder, children may demonstrate…
- sensory seeking (running into things)
- sensory avoidance
- poor (low) registration
- over-sensitivity to stimuli
*** children may experience one or more of these types of problems
What is sensory discrimination
- the ability to derive perceptual meaning from sensory information
- understanding perceptual meanings leads to conceptual understanding
problems with discrimination may also contribute to what?
problems with praxis
* praxis is really about learning how to do something (we address learning how to move)
2 types of sensory based motor disorders
- postural disorders
- dyspraxia
- May occur concurrent with other SPDs
Symptoms of postural disorder
- Praxis
- Dyspraxia
What is praxis?
- Knowing how to do
- often called “motor planning”
What does praxis refer to?
conceptualize, plan, and perform unfamiliar, skilled movement
What is dyspraxia
difficulty with:
- translating sensory information into physical movement
- unfamiliar movements
- movements that have multiple steps
* may see dysfunction in gross, fine, and/or oral motor abilities
3 potential effects of abnormal muscle, tone, weakness, and poor postural control on movement
- difficulty initiating movement to assume a body posture or to move an extremity in space
- difficulty sustaining the body or extremity posture
- difficulty transitioning out of one posture to another
Examination of Sensory Processing
- Sensory Integration and Praxis Test
- Infant-Toddler Sensory Profile
- Interview (typically was PTs use to identify then refer to OT)
