Sensory Integrative
Dysfunction
Complete credit for this report goes to
Sensory Integration International
What are some signs of
Sensory Integrative Dysfunction?
Overly
sensitive to touch, movement, sights, or sounds
Under reactive to touch, movement, sights, or sounds
Easily distracted
Social and/or emotional problems
Activity level that is unusually high or unusually low
Physical clumsiness or apparent carelessness
Impulsive, lacking in self control
Difficulty making transitions from one situation to another
Inability to unwind or calm self
Poor self concept
Delays in speech, language, or motor skills
Delays in academic achievement
What is sensory
integration?
The senses work together. Each sense
works with the others to form a composite picture of who we are
physically, where we are, and what is going on around us.
Sensory integration is the critical function of the brain that
is responsible for producing this composite picture. It is the
organization of sensory information for on-going use.
For most of us, effective sensory
integration occurs automatically, unconsciously, without effort.
For some of us, the process is inefficient, demanding effort and
attention with no guarantee of accuracy. When this occurs, the
goals we strive for are not easily attained.
Sensory experiences include touch,
movement, body awareness, sight, sound, and the pull of gravity.
The process of the brain organizing and interpreting this
information is called sensory integration. Sensory integration
provides a crucial foundation for later, more complex learning
and behavior.
For most children, sensory integration
develops in the course of ordinary childhood activities. Motor
planning ability is a natural outcome of the process, as is the
ability to adapt to incoming sensations. But for some children,
sensory integration does not develop as efficiently as it
should. When the process is disordered, a number of problems in
learning, development, or behavior may become evident.
The concept of sensory integration comes
from a body of work developed by
A. Jean
Ayres, PhD, OTR. As an occupational therapist, Dr. Ayres was
interested in the way in which sensory processing and motor
planning disorders interfere with daily life function and
learning. This theory has been developed and refined by the
research of Dr. Ayres, as well as other occupational and
physical therapists. In addition, literature from the fields of
neuropsychology, neurology, physiology, child development, and
psychology has contributed to theory development and
intervention strategies.
Who has problems with sensory integration?
You may know
a child who, although bright, has difficulty using a pencil,
playing with toys, or doing self-care tasks, like dressing.
Perhaps you have seen a child so fearful of movement that
ordinary swings, slides, or jungle gyms generate fear and
insecurity. Or maybe you have observed a child whose problems
lie at the opposite extreme uninhibited and overly active, often
falling and running headlong into dangerous situations. In each
of these cases, a sensory integrative problem may be an
underlying factor. Its far-reaching effects can interfere with
academic learning, social skills, even self esteem.
Research clearly identifies sensory integrative problems in
children with developmental or learning difficulties.
Independent studies show that a sensory integrative
dysfunction can be found in some children who are considered
learning disabled by schools
(reference: Daems, Joan (Ed).(1994). Reviews of Research
in Sensory Integration. Torrance, CA: Sensory
Integration International)
Sensory integrative problems are not confined to children
with learning disabilities, however. They transect all age
groups as well as all intellectual levels and socio-economic
groups. Consider the following human problems:
Premature birth
- More and more premature infants survive today; they enter
the world with fragile, easily over stimulated nervous
systems and multiple medical complications. Parents need to
learn how to give their premature infant the sensory
nourishment their child requires for optimal development,
and how to avoid detrimental over stimulation .
Autism and other
developmental disorders - Although autism is
rare, it occurs more often than blindness. Severe difficulty
with sensory processing is a hallmark of the disorder.
Autistic children seek out unusual quantities of certain
types of sensations and are extremely hypersensitive to
other types. Similar traits are often seen in other children
with developmental disorders. Improving sensory processing
leads these children to more productive contacts with people
and environments.
Learning
Disabilities - As many as 30% of school-aged
children are estimated to have learning disabilities.
Research indicates that a majority of these children,
although normal in intelligence, are likely to have sensory
integrative problems. These children are also more likely
than their peers to have had a premature birth, early
developmental problems, and poor motor coordination. Early
intervention can improve sensory integration in these
children, minimizing the possibility of school failure
before it occurs.
Delinquency
and substance abuse - Numerous studies indicate that learning
disabled children are at risk for later delinquency,
criminality, alcoholism, and drug abuse. Repeated failure in
school opens the door to self-destructive activities. By
interrupting the vicious cycle of failure, intervention to
help children with sensory integration and learning problems
may also prevent serious social problems later in life.
Stress related
disorders - Sensory integrative difficulties
that appear in childhood often are not outgrown. When
sensory inefficiencies in adults do not allow them to
perform optimally in the workplace, stress can build up.
Additionally, there is mounting evidence that stress in
parents can lead to child abuse, violence in the home, and
problems that pass from generation to generation.
Recognition of the sensory processing component of these
problems contributes an important element in aiding people
to achieve greater satisfaction in their home life and
competence in their work.
Brain injury - Trauma to the brain from accidents and strokes
can have profound effects on sensory functioning. People who
suffer from these effects deserve treatment that will lead
to the best possible recovery. In order for this to occur,
their sensory deficits must be addressed by the health
professionals who serve them.
What steps can be
taken?
If a child is suspected of having a
sensory integrative disorder, an evaluation can be conducted by
a qualified occupational or physical therapist. Evaluation
usually consists of both standardized testing and structured
observations of responses to sensory stimulation, posture,
balance, coordination and eye movements. After carefully
analyzing test results and other assessment data along with
information from other professionals and parents, the therapist
will make recommendations regarding appropriate treatment.
If therapy is
recommended, the child will be guided through activities that
challenge his or her ability to respond appropriately to sensory
input by making a successful, organized response. Standards are
available from Sensory Integration International.
Training of specific skills is not usually the focus of this
kind of therapy. Adaptive physical education, movement education
and gymnastics are examples of services that typically focus on
specific motor skills training. Such services are important, but
they are not the same as therapy using a sensory integrative
approach.
One important aspect of therapy that uses a sensory integrative
approach is that the motivation of the child plays a crucial
role in the selection of the activities. Most children tend to
seek out activities that provide sensory experiences most
beneficial to them at that point in development. It is this
active involvement and exploration that enables the child to
become a more mature, efficient organizer of sensory
information.
Where can I learn
more?
The most
important step in promoting sensory integration in children is
to recognize that it exists and that it plays an important role
in the development of a child. By learning more about sensory
integration, parents, educators and caregivers can provide an
enriched environment that will foster healthy growth and
maturation.
For more
information:
Write to Sensory Integration International at: 1514 Cabrillo
Avenue, Torrance, CA. 90501-2817.
