Originally posted by Susan Orloff, OTR/L, on Advance for Occupational Therapy Practitioners, March 26, 2012
The development of strong gross motor and balance skills, inclusive of but not limited to walking, running, crawling, sitting, jumping etc. is vital for all children. When a child has sensory integrative disorder these abilities can be severely impaired and intervention is needed to create more functional performances.
Physical therapy emphasizes remediation of impairments of movement that lead to functional limitations.
While the sensory-impaired child may have the functional capacities to run, hop, etc., the way in which they execute these movements are often significantly skewed.
What Is SI?
“Sensory integration is the organization of sensation for use.” (A. Jean Ayres, PhD, Sensory Integration and the Child).
Sensory integration:
- is an automatic function of the brain,
- organizes information from all the senses,
- gives meaning to experiences,
- allows for actions and reactions appropriate to the situation to occur, and
- is the foundation of academic learning and social behavior
Our senses give us information about our bodies and their relationship to the environment. The brain organizes both incoming and outgoing messages so that the individual can plan and act according to specific task demands.
Children experiencing sensory integrative disorder can be a puzzle because they “look OK” but then, for no overt reason, can become disruptive or have extreme reactions to everyday activities.
Manifestations of sensory processing disorder (SPD) can be varied, and its characteristics can be confusing. Five-year old “Johnny” is a mess. His teachers float between anger and frustration about him. He has few friends, and those he makes he cannot keep.
On the playground his awkward movements isolate him from his peers during group play. He sometimes walks on his toes with upper extremities in a flexed guarded position with hands fisted. Visual aversion is pronounced; he turns around and closes his eyes when balls, etc., are thrown to him.
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