Donna Klein & Associates
Pediatric Occupational and Physical Therapy
Sensory Integration
What is Sensory Integration?
The Sensory Integration theory was developed by Dr. Jean Ayres. Sensory Integration is used to describe certain processes that go on in our brain, allowing us to make sense of the information we get from our environment and act on it successfully. We interpret and organize information that includes sight, sound, smell, touch, movement, body awareness and the pull of gravity. All the tasks we perform in the 2 and 3 dimensional world require sensory processing. Adequate sensory processing is necessary for most aspects of daily living. Knowing where a child’s fingers are on his/her pencil, being able to put puzzles together, attending birthday parties while enjoying them and being with the group, and exploring one’s environment all require sensory processing.
Sensory processing and the ability to organize sensations affects our emotions, behaviors and feelings (i.e. a comfortable bear hug versus a light tickle or an exciting roller coaster ride versus a slow rocking on the front porch).
Does my child have Sensory Integration difficulties?
An inefficient sensory system can cause a child to have difficulty with those tasks others his/her age perform with ease. Disruptions in processing sensory information can interfere with self care activities, language skills, motor skills academic skills and social / emotional functioning. Some children demonstrate sensory seeking or sensory avoiding behaviors, problems in self regulation (activity / arousal level), and difficulties with praxis skills (the ability to conceive, organize and execute novel skills of all kinds).
Some identifiable concerns may be:
Taking a long time to learn a new task
Clumsy behaviors are observed or has frequent accidents
Can not keep up with his/her peers.
Has trouble with handwriting.
Does not play in the playground like his / her peers.
Teachers report some behavior problems at school.
Difficulty with transitioning from one activity to another.
Easily frustrated by or avoids fine motor or gross motor tasks
Repertoire of play skills is limited.
Difficulty in social situations especially new or highly stimulating ones (i.e. birthday parties).
Difficulty walking through the mall without bumping into people.
“Picky” eating behavior.
Difficulty with loud noises as observed by the child covering his/her ears.
PLEASE NOTE – Sensory integration difficulties are NOT identified by 1 or 2 of the items above but by standardized testing, clinical observations and by a thorough parent questionnaire. Please email us at info@donnakleinassociates.com for a free questionnaire to help you identify whether or not your child may have Sensory processing difficulties.
