Ida Zelaya ida@sensorystreet.com sensory street, inc.
President, sensory street, inc. Public Speaker / Consultant Sensory Coach Health Coach Practitioner of the Healing Arts
Consultant to: - Sensory Processing Disorder Canada - Sensational Futures, Inc. - Howard County Autism Society, Pathfinders for Autism, & more facebook page sensory street, inc. www.sensorystreet.com www.yourshiningpath.com
Everyone has their own unique sensory preferences or triggers What a sensory processing disorder looks like Strategies to help children with sensory processing disorders Creating sensory-safe environments
Hearing - auditory Vision - ocular Smell - olfactory Touch - tactile Taste - gustatory
Vestibular System Movement Tells us we are moving, surrounded by or on something that is moving Tells us up from down, side to side Connected to vision Receptors in inner ear Proprioceptive System Body Awareness Tells us where the body parts are without having to look at them Receptors in muscles, tendons, ligaments around joints
Vestibular System Movement Tells us we are moving, surrounded by or on something that is moving Tells us up from down, side to side Connected to vision Receptors in inner ear Proprioceptive System Body Awareness Tells us where the body parts are without having to look at them Receptors in muscles, tendons, ligaments around joints
How the nervous system recognizes, organizes & makes sense of incoming sensory information (input) Input from both outside & inside the body Creates an adaptive response or behavior
Typical Sensory Processing
Sometimes the brain does not appropriately process incoming information from the senses and triggers an atypical response to sensory input This is referred to as Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) or Sensory Integrative Dysfunction (SID), in some of the older literature
Problems getting the impulse to the brain Problem within the brain stem (filter) Communication between centers of the brain
Lucy Jane Miller 2006, SPD Foundation
1 in 20 people in the general population have some form of this neurological disorder Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation (www.spdfoundation.net)
1 in 6 people in the general population experience over-responsiveness in tactile or auditory senses
While not all children with sensory processing challenges have Autism... the vast majority of children on the Autism Spectrum do have sensory challenges, oftentimes quite severe
Dr. Stanley Greenspan & Serena Wieder found that 94 percent of children with ASD studied had sensory issues, while oversensitivities to noise or touch are easy to recognize, undersensitivities are less apparent
The Geneva Centre for Autism in Toronto found that... oversensitivities were common with ASD over 8 in 10 to touch & sound & had vision problems, one third to taste & smell
The most obvious sign is an out-of-proportion reaction to touch, sounds, sights, movement, tastes, or smells Lucy Jane Miller 2006, SPD Foundation
... when life is too much
Avoids messy things or getting dirty Dislikes being touched, hugged, cuddled Prefers to play quietly, watch others
Responds negatively to loud people or places, or to unexpected loud sounds Trouble concentrating in noisy places Hums, sings or makes other noises
Difficulty switching to new activities or places Trouble with changes in routine or schedule Difficulty separating from parent or caregiver
... when life is not enough
Constantly touches and rubs things or people Frequently putting non-food items in mouth Touches people to point of annoyance Enjoys knocking down towers Revels in gross motor fun
Trouble to sticking to one activity On the go more than peers Takes movement risks that compromise his safety
Created by Melissa Zacherl Free downloadable on sensory street s website Several versions
... is finding the right balance and the right therapy
Pediatric Occupational Therapist Sensory Integration and Praxis Test Sensory Profile Winnie Dunn www.sensoryprofile.com Sensory Processing Measure Diana Henry www.sensoryprocessingmeasure.com
Create a sensory diet of activities Attention span and alertness level Sensory processing skills Fine and Gross motor skills Activities of daily living / self-care tasks
Visual perception skills Handwriting graphomotor skills Assistive technology Low-tech devices (pencil grips) to high-tech equipment (computers)
Carefully designed activities that provide the sensory information a person s nervous system needs to help stay focused and organized throughout the day www.sensorysmarts.com/diet.html
Movement Muscle Mouth Touch Ear Eye Nose
Rocking, swinging slowly Bouncing on a therapy ball Sliding down a slide, mini-trampoline Play on stomach games, puzzles Running, dancing, spinning discs Air-filled cushions (for sitting time)
Pushing a tot-sized shopping cart Tug of war with a jump rope, climbing Squeezy stress balls or safe fidgets Wall pushups with arms or with back Weighted vests, toys, spoons, hats Bottle baby, wear a backpack
Healthy chewy or crunchy snacks: raisins, romaine lettuce, apples, pretzels Non-toxic chewelry (www.kidcompanions.com) Sucking applesauce through a straw Blow bubbles, or use straws to blow feathers Sipping water
Rolling pins deep touch pressure Quick temperature change go outside if it s cold or offer cold drink Play dough, clay, putty, finger paint Soft toy or blanket Position in line front or rear
Singing a familiar song during snack time or transitions Calming music during wind-down time, alerting music to prepare for tasks Soft noise makers maracas Allow for silent time Noise-cancelling headphones
Full spectrum light bulbs vs. flourescent Natural light Wear visors Minimize wall decorations X marks the spot for circle time, line markers for standing in line Marble raceways and mazes Bottle baby
Calming scents natural vanilla Alerting scents real lemons, oranges, peppermint leaves Sniff different foods Avoid chemical cleaners, hand-wipes Avoid perfumes, hand cream, scented soaps, air fresheners
With individualized intervention and maturation, sensory issues can diminish over time Sometimes it takes repeated exposure & ongoing reassurance to become comfortable eating certain foods or hearing the vacuum cleaner
With significant sensory issues, more often seen with ASD, there may always be a sensitivity to certain sensory experiences: A person may always become distressed by fluorescent lights, always feel uncomfortable wearing certain types of clothing, always avoid noisy parties and crowds Sometimes the sensitivities remain, hopefully less dramatically, but what does change is the individual s ability to cope with sensory issues and to use sensory strategies
Raising a Sensory Smart Child, by Lindsey Biel and Nancy Peske www.sensorysmarts.com SPD Foundation, Denver Colorado www.spdfoundation.net sensory street, inc. www.sensorystreet.com
Ida Zelaya www.sensorystreet.com sensory street, inc.