Treatment Sessions for Children with Sensory Modulation Difficulties Flashcards
Assessment process
- parent concerns - why are they seeking an OT assessment? what occupations do they want to see improved engagement?
- child developmental history
- standardized assessment (Sensory Profile, Sensory Processing Measure)
- clinical observations (observations in a clinic, observations in a natural environment, or engaging in tasks of concern
- develop an intervention plan
Goal writing
- MUST be related to improvement in engagement in occupation
- do not write goals for improvement in the sensory system, but for the occupation impaired by decreased sensory integration
- ex: Joel will get dressed without crying on 3/4 occasions in 3 months (NOT like this: Joel will decrease his sensitivity to tactile input 100% of the time in 3 months)
When working with children with SI differences
- address the underlying deficits-sensory modulation
- provide family, staff, or peer training
- create a sensory diet
- teach self-advocacy as soon as it is appropriate: teach the child about their senses
- adapt the task, materials, equipment or environment
- use cognitive and behavioral strategies
Provide sensory-rich activities to promote change
- consider the findings about sensory processing from the assessment
- How do you set up the environment to promote exploration and “just-right” challenges?
- What types of sensory activities do you provide?
- How do you alter the activity?
- consider all the senses
Teach people in the child’s life about the child’s sensory processing
- differences in sensory processing present as differences in behavior
- educating parents, teachers, and peers about differences in senses that makes them more understanding and compassionate about differences in behaviors
Sensory diets
- sensory-rich activities planned throughout the day to support an individual in maintaining a calm, alert state
Examples:
- jumping on a mini trampoline and tactile brushing prior to getting dressed
- jumping jacks before sitting at circle time at school
- holding an item at circle time
- crunchy foods at snack
- warm bath and lotion before bed
Teach self-advocacy
- teach the child about their sensory processing
- give them words to go with their feelings and behaviors
- help them develop appropriate strategies
- this can be done for all ages of children = begin as soon as possible
Modify or adapt
- the materials or equipment used
- the task
- the environment/routine
Cognitive interventions
- teach specific strategies or procedures to child to support successful performance
- picture or written schedules
- alert program
- Zones of regulation
- social stories
Alert program
- “How does your engine run?”
- too slow, too fast, just right
- child learns to identify alertness level and how to change alertness level using sensory strategies
Zones of regulation
- builds upon the work of the Alert program
- children learn to identify emotions as blue, green, yellow, and red
- learn sensory and cognitive strategies to self-regulate
- often used by entire schools
Social stories
- personalized story created for a child that depicts a child practicing cognitive strategies to attain goals
- developed for children with Autism, however; the strategies work for children with a variety of needs
Occupation-based interventions
- use engagement in ordinary daily activities or leisure activities to therapeutic agents
- horseback riding, yoga, gymnastics, swimming, martial arts, and dance
Example of a clinic-based session
1.) talk to the family about how the week had been, any challenging situations, talk about sensory diet, what was working and what was not
2.) address underlying sensory or motor issues
3.) teach child about sensory systems when able
4.) modifications to the room, sensory input, tasks as necessary for success
- use cognitive strategies
