SENSORY INTEGRATION AND SENSORY CIRCUITS COURSE LEADER JANE

SENSORY INTEGRATION AND SENSORY CIRCUITS COURSE LEADER JANE HORWOOD

UNDERSTANDING SENSORY PROCESSING

TO GAIN A BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF SENSORY PROCESSING TO RELATE SENSORY PROCESSING TO OURSELVES AND THE CHILDREN WE WORK WITH TO GAIN IDEAS AND INTERVENTIONS TO UNDERSTAND THE FORMULA OF SENSORY CIRCUITS AND HOW TO SET ONE UP AIMS

DR JEAN AYRES BRAIN BASED THEORY OF BEHAVIOUR CHILD DEVELOPMENT THE SOMETIMES TRAFFIC JAM AFFECTS US ALL THE WORLD IS A SENSORY PLACE THEORY OF SENSORY INTEGRATION

� UNTIL ABOUT 7 YEARS THE BRAIN IS DESCRIBED AS PRIMARILY A SENSORY PROCESSING MACHINE THE BRAIN SENSES THINGS AND GETS MEANING DIRECTLY FROM SENSATION A YOUNG CHILD DOESNT HAVE MANY ABSTRACT THOUGHTS/IDEAS ABOUT THINGS HE SENSES THEM AND MOVES IN RELATION TO THE SENSATION ADAPTIVE RESPONSES TO SENSATION ARE MOTOR THAN MENTAL FIRST 7 YEARS ALL ABOUT SENSORYMOTOR DEVELOPMENT THE BRAIN AS A SENSORY PROCESSING MACHINE

�WHEN THE CHILD EXPERIENCES CHALLENGES TO WHICH HE CAN RESPOND EFFECTIVELY HE HAS FUN! �IT IS PLEASURABLE TO ORGANISE SENSATION WELL AND RESPOND IN WAYS THAT ARE MORE MATURE AND COMPLEX THAN ANYTHING DONE BEFORE �A HUMAN BEING IS DESIGNED TO ENJOY INPUT THAT PROMOTES BRAIN DEVELOPMENT THEREFORE WILL SEEK OUT SENSATIONS THAT HELP ORGANISE THE BRAIN HAVING FUN

WHEN USING STANDADAISED SI TESTING SCORES SIMILAR TO THOSE SEEN IN CHILDREN WITH DYSPRAXIA DIFFICULTIES LOCALISING TACTILE STIMULI KNOWING WHERE THEIR HANDS ARE IF YOU CANT SEE THEM POOR MOTOR PLANNING SENSORY PROCESSING AND A. S. D.

OFTEN SMALL WINDOWS OF OPPORTUNITY WHEN IT ALL COMES TOGETHER THE BRAIN CAN REGISTER AND FILTER AND DEAL WITH SENSATION ONE DAY BUT NOT THE NEXT PROCESSING IS INCONSISTENT THIS IS TO BE EXPECTED SENSORY PROCESSING AND A. S. D.

CHILDREN LEARNING AND DEVELOPING THROUGH PLAY

EXTERNAL SENSATION FROM THE ENVIRONMENT TACTILE AUDITORY VISUAL GUSTATORY OLFACTORY SENSORY SYSTEMS

VESTIBULAR SENSE PROPRIOCEPTVE SENSE VISCERAL SENSATION FROM THE BODY

ORAL DEFENSIVE TACTILE DEFENSIVE CNS CANNOT ORGANISE SENSATION ON RED ALERT HIGH INVARIENT HEART RATE SLIGHTEST THING CAN OVERLOAD EVERYTHING RELATED TO SAFETY, DEFENCE, CONTROL, SURVIVE, DE MAND OUT OF STEP BABIES

AS AN INFANT IF OVERSTIMULATED YOU CAN SCREAM OR SHUT DOWN/FALL ASLEEP ARE OUR VERY QUIET BABIES PERHAPS IN SHUT DOWN? ARE OUR IRRATIBLE BABIES THAT DONT SLEEP TELLING US SOMETHING? THESE ARE WARNING SIGNS ALL IS NOT OK OUT OF STEP BABIES

SENSORY MODULATION DISORDERS UNDER/OVERRESPONSIVITY SENSORY BASED MOTOR DISORDERS DYSPRAXIA/POSTURAL DISORDER SENSORY DISCRIMINATION DISORDER VISION/HEARING/TOUCH/TAST/SMELL/ MOVEMENT/POSITION SENSORY INTEGRATION DYSFUNCTION

Not every child who is late at reaching milestones or behaves differently from peers has SPD affects everything in daily life it is all pervading REMEMBER

�BEHAVIOURS THAT ARE SENSORY IN ORIGIN ARE STILL BEHAVIOIRS AND TO EXCUSE UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOURS IS A MISTAKE �THE BEHAVIOUR CAN INTERFERE WITH AN INDIVIDUALS ACCEPTANCE AND INTERACTION WITH HIS ENVIRONMNET AND DEPRIVE THEM OF LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES OR PLEASURABLE EXPERIENCES IS IT SENSORY OR BEHAVIOUR

�BEHAVIOURS ARE OFTEN COMPLEX AND HAVE MULTIPLE CAUSES �MOST POSITIVE CHANGE OCCURS WHEN BEHAVIOUR AND SENSORY ISSUES ARE CONSIDERED TOGETHER �INDIVIDUALS OFTEN USE A SIMILAR STRATEGY TO COPE IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS EG IN EVERY OVERWHELMING SITUATION HE CRIES, THEN HITS OUT THEN FLEES! IS IT SENSORY OR BEHAVIOUR

�REMEMBER SENSORY BASED PROBLEMS OCCUR ACROSS MULTIPLE ENVIRONMENTS/SETTINGS �IF PURELY BEHAVIOURAL STRATEGIES ARE USED WITH SENSORY BASED BEHAVIOURS THEY ARE NOT VERY SUCCESSFUL! �BY TRYING TO LOOK AT THE CONFUSING OR UNUSUAL BEHAVIOURS THROUGH SENSORY GLASSES ORDER CAN BE CREATED AND A PROGRAMME DEVELOPED TO ADDRESS BEHAVIOURS IS IT SENSORY OR BEHAVIOUR

POSTURAL DISORDER

SENSORY MODULATION DISORDER

�SENSORY DEFENSIVENESS IS A CONSTELLATION OF SYMPTOMS RELATED TO AVERSIVE OR DEFENSIVE REACTIONS TO NON NOXIOUS STIMULI ACROSS ONE OR MORE SENSORY SYSTEMS �OVERREACTION OF THE NORMAL PROTECTIVE SENSES WITH PATTERNS OF AVOIDANCE, SENSATION SEEKING, FEAR ANXIETY AND AGGRESSION THAT ARE VERY INDIVIDUAL SENSORY OVERRESPONSIVITY OR SENSORY DEFENSIVENESS

�BOTHERED BY �TEXTURES/MESSY PLAY �CERTAIN FOODS/CRUMBS AROUND MOUTH �GROOMING/PERSONAL CARE �SMELLS/FRAGRANCE �NOISE �BRIGHTLIGHT/SUNSHINE �MOVEMENT/BEING UPSIDE DOWN SENSORY SYMPTOMS OF OVERRESPONSIVITY

�Aggressive or impulsive when overwhelmed by sensation �Irritable/Fussy/Moody �Unsociable/difficulty forming relationships �Excessively cautious/afraid to try new things �Upset by transitions/unexpected change �Monitors the environment constantly vigilant �Underlying anxiety �Anticipatory avoidance thought of something is enough! OVERRESPONSIVE BEHAVIOURS

Doesn`t cry when hurt Doesn`t notice touch Dislikes new physical activities Prefers sedentary activities Slow unmotivated re self help skills Unaware of what`s going on around him Uses vision to operate hands Unaware of hot/cold/hunger Sensory symptoms of underresponsivity

THE PAIN TEST INDIVIDUAL MAY APPEAR UNDERAROUSED, UNDERRESPONSIVE BUT IF THEY HAVE A DECREASED PAIN RESPONSE THEN MAY BE SENSORY DEFENSIVE/OVER RESPONSIVE PAIN IS SUPPRESSED AT HIGH LEVELS OF AROUSAL REMEMBER

�Passive. Quiet. Withdrawn. �In own world �Apathetic/tires easily �Slow to respond to directions/complete work �Little inner drive �Poor at social interactions/difficult to engage �Poor registration of sensory input e. g. doesn't react to name being called, oblivious to new people in room Behaviours re sensory underesponsivity

On the move constantly Crashing/banging/rough play Touches everything Excessive risks in play Excessive spinning/swinging/rolling Strongly flavoured food Chews/licks non food items Cant sit still Sensory seeking symptoms

Angry/explosive Intense/demanding/hard to calm Prone to create dangerous/”bad” situations May be excessively affectionate physically Often poor at self regulation with levels of arousal or attention that are inappropriate to the task/setting Resting Arousal level often too high Sensory seeking behaviour

Sensory seeking fun

Poor muscle tone Appears weak/cant pull/push Poor balance/falls over/bumps into things Poor endurance Slumps at the table/desk Bilateral problems Sensory postural disorders

Appear lazy Appear indifferent/unmotivated Appears weak/limp Tired most of the time Cant hold their own in rough and tumble play Sensory postural disorder behaviours

Uses vision to monitor hands/body Cant judge force and effort required in a task Hearing what is said against background noise Finding way around a building/environments Differentiating smells Recognising objects by their shape Sensory Discrimination Symptoms

Gets lost easily/cant follow directions Dislikes puzzles/visual games Frustration in noisy settings Needs instruction repeated Needs more time to perform a task Sensory Discrimination Behaviours

RECEPTORS IN INNER EAR BODY POSITION AND MOVEMENT POSTURAL TONE STABILISATION OF EYES DURING HEAD MOVE ALERTNESS AND SELF REGULATION VESTIBULAR SYSTEM

VESTIBULAR FUN FOR ALL

HYPOSENSITIVITY HYPERSENSITIVITY SENSORY BASED POSTURAL DISORDER VESTIBULAR SYSTEMS

Backward head movement Head up side down Visual cliffs e. g. stairs Challenge to balance/centre of gravity Movement through space Vestibular/Movement

Play and exploration of the environment Going in transport/buggy/vibration in vehicles Grooming e. g. hair washing Moving across uneven surfaces up and down steps and stairs/escalators Effects of vestibular difficulties

POSTURAL

PERCEPTION OF JOINT AND BODY MOVEMENT PERCEPTION OF POSITION OF BODY OR BODY SEGMENTS IN SPACE RATE AND TIMING OF MOVEMENT FORCE AND EFFORT SPATIAL ORIENTATION OF BODY PARTS PROPRIOCEPTIVE SYSTEM

BANGERS, CRASHERS, SHAKERS, MOVERS TIGHT CLOTHING BITES, CHEWS CAN HURT OTHERS GETS IT WRONG CAN BE CLUMSY DIFFICULTY WITH MOTOR SKILLS CYCLING, JUMPING JACKS SLEEPING, EATING PROPRIOCEPTIVE DYSFUNCTION

Weight bearing /difficulties walking on uneven surfaces on steps and stairs Weight bearing on arms and legs as an infant e. g. crawling, mobilising Using objects e. g. pushing/pulling lifting, holding on/holding a grip Chewing certain textures or consistencies Proprioceptive difficulties

HITTING GIVES ME GOOD PROPRIOCEPTIVE FEEDBACK!

PRIMARY SYSTEM FOR MAKING CONTACT WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD NOURISHED AND CALMED THROUGH TOUCH ROOTING REFLEX FIRST SENSORY SYSTEM TO FUNCTION IN UTERO MENTAL, PHYSICAL, AND EMOTIONAL BEHAVIOUR TACTILE SYSTEM

VIBRATION TOUCH PRESSURE PAIN TEMPERATURE LIGHT TOUCH TICKLE TACTILE SYSTEM

NEGATIVE REACTIONS TO TOUCH UPSET IN RAIN, WIND, GNATS BARBER, DENTIST, DOCTOR TEETH CLEANING, HAIR BRUSHING, NAILS CUTTING CLOTHES PAIN, OVER RESPOND, UNDER RESPOND, HYPERCHONDRIAC TACTILE DYSFUNCTION

Being touched by others/affection Grooming and hygiene tasks including showers/baths Wearing clothes/changing clothing/clothing that is tight in certain places or touches certain places Going barefoot Environmental exploration/touching objects/food/grasping Tactile difficulties

�Decreased pain awareness/hurts self/seeks out intense stimuli/dangerous situations �Over sensitivity even to the possibility of pain �Tooth brushing/dentist �Eating �Mouthing objects/chewing clothing �Speech certain sounds not articulated that pass air over tongue and lips e. g. mmmmm! Tactile Difficulties

Temperature Easily bothered by heat or cold Over dress or under dress for the temperature Oblivious to heat or cold Temperature of food Tactile Difficulties

SOCKS AND CLOTHES

SOUNDS CAN SOMETIMES BE NEAR AND THEN FAR AWAY FREQUENCIES OF SOUND PERSEVERATION OF SOUND IN THE HEAD MAKING YOUR OWN NOISE LANGUAGE IS NOT MEANINGFUL SOUND

Social interaction/sounds of some voices Vigilant to ambient noise/strong indicator of sensory defensiveness Sounds in the environment are noxious Affects environmental access and exploration Auditory processing difficulties

COLOUR PATTERN FLUORESCENT/BRIGHT LIGHT SEEING PART BUT NOT THE WHOLE VISUAL DISTORTIONS/VISUAL FIXATIONS VISION

Movement in ambient visual field/strong indicator of sensory defensiveness Visual cliffs i. e. stairs Movement towards face Eye contact Complex visual background/busy school settings/super markets etc Visual processing difficulties

Sharp odours are bothersome e. g. shampoos/perfumes Chemical odours e. g. cleaning products/laundry products Food smells All can effect environmental access and exploration Olfactory difficulties

Picky about taste Sharp tastes e. g. toothpaste a problem Seeks intense taste such as spicy or sour foods or non foods Can affect what is eaten in the diet Gustatory Difficulties

Can affect emotional stability Ability to self regulate Sleeping and getting to sleep New situations/places and people may be avoided All depends on the intensity /novelty/unpredictability/unexpected/natu re of the stimuli Multi sensory processing difficulties

A sensory diet is a strategy for developing an individual programme that is practical, carefully scheduled, predictable, consistent and based on the concept that controlled sensory input can affect functional abilities Sensory diets

To reduce or eliminate sensory defensiveness To promote the right levels of arousal, self regulation and behavioural organisation Careful planning is critical Activities should be incorporated into daily life Activities should be based on the individuals preferences if possible Aims of a sensory diet

Activities should include Activities to be engaged in at specific times of the day Suggestions for changes in routines/interactions/environment and leisure activities Sensory diet plan

The most powerful and long lasting activities include movement/deep pressure/joint compression and heavy muscle work Sensory motor activity must be repeated throughout the day to help the individual maintain an optimal level of organisation Sensory diet activities

Movement e. g. swinging, jumping, walking, running etc Rhythmic movement can be calming especially linear movement Fast changeable movement can be alerting Rotational movement needs careful monitoring Vestibular input can last 2 -6 hrs Sensory diet activity ideas

Deep pressure input Joint compression Heavy muscle work Activities that involve pushing, pulling, carrying, lifting and tugging Muscles working against resistance e. g. in weight training Sensory diet activity ideas

�Oral motor/sucking, blowing, biting, chewing and breathing activities �Auditory input/music and background sounds �Neutral warmth/warmth that just maintains body temperature without being too hot or cold �Olfactory/use of scents to affect arousal levels �Taste/sweet/sour/bitter and flavours all affect arousal levels Sensory diet activity ideas

Develop consistent routines for daily activities e. g. wake up , meal times. Be aware of the sensory qualities of daily events Increase the predictability of schedule and routine. Prepare for upcoming events or transitions Adaption's and changes to routines

Modify voice volume, voice tone, speed of speech Avoid light and unexpected touch Use firm touch Do hug Don't tickle Move or pick up children slowly and smoothly Be predictable in interactions Reduce the demand for eye contact Watch out for perfumes and other scents Accommodation of interactions

WHEN A PARTICULAR SENSORY SENSATION IS EXPERIENCED AS A DIFFERENT ONE TASTE IS SENSED AS SHAPE/COLOUR, NUMBERS COLD CAN FEEL WET EMOTIONS CAN BE COLOURS SYNAESTHESIA

A ATTENTION S SENSATION E EMOTIONAL REGULATION C CULTURE R RELATIONSHIPS E ENVIRONMENT T TASKS SENSATIONAL SECRETS

Attention/Sensation/Emotional regulation influence the individual internally Culture/relationships/environment and tasks contextual elements that influence the individual externally A sensational secret

YOU CAN BE SENSORY OVERRESPONSIVE/UNDERRESPONSIVE AND SENSORY SEEKING SPD/ADHD Connection SPD/ASD Connection SPD /ANXIETY Disorders/the sensory problems feed the anxiety and the anxiety feeds the sensory problems COMBINATION DISORDERS

SI Therapy uses play to present children with demanding but achievable goals that require the child to make an adaptive response Adaptive response is an action beyond the limit of what comes automatically/easily but the child can get there with the right support INTERVENTION METHODS

The SI approach looks at underlying deficits e. g. the child has poor handwriting Movement and proprioceptive input allows handwriting to progress Sensory interventions are not a reward for good behaviour Sensory interventions allow the brain and the body to be ready Sensory interventions

WHAT ARE SENSORY CIRCUITS HOW DID THEY EVOLVE WHO CAN BENEFIT EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE HOW DO THEY EFFECT SENSORY INTEGRATION AND SENSORY MOTOR DEVELOPMENT SENSORY CIRCUITS

THE FORMULA ALERTING ORGANISING CALMING THE RIGHT AND WRONG ORDER! SENSORY CIRCUITS

TRAMPETTES EXERCISE BALLS FINDING THE CORRECT SIZE SKIPPING ROPES, HOOPS, P. E EQUIPMENT PILATES EQUIPMENT BALANCE ACTIVITIES EQUIPMENT RESOURCES

TIMING HOW MANY STATIONS? SYMBOLS/VISUALS MUSIC HOW MANY TIMES A DAY? SENSORY CIRCUIT STRUCTURE

LETTER TO PARENTS TARGET SETTING PHYSICAL/SENSORY CHILDREN`S FEEDBACK CIRCUIT CERTIFICATES REVIEW AT LEAST TERMLY CONTROL WEEK VIDEO SENSORY CIRCUIT PAPERWORK

THE BEST CIRCUITS ARE WHEN THE STAFF ARE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IMPORTANCE OF CIRCUITS WITHIN THE SCHOOL INVITE PARENTS STAFF MEETING STAFF ROTA TO WATCH SENSORY CIRCUITS

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