Have you ever heard of Sensory Integration Disorder?

Question

For any occupational therapists that work with these children, or for preschool/primary teachers that may have or have had a student like this, I want to know more about it. What do you do for them? I've heard its like sending a child to speech therapy. It just works itself out. How long does it take usually?

Answer 1

My son was actually diagnosed with Sensory Integration Disorder when he was 3. He did receive OT to help us learn ways to help him. i.e. how to get him to accept a toothbrush into his mouth (we were able to massage his gums with our finger tips), how to get his hands dirty (we were so proud the first time he played with catsup), to allow us to brush his hair (he still doesn't like his head washed or brushed). Also for the oral part of it he used a medium hard rubber "hammer" which he would chew on. The OT gave us the hammer which he used often for about a year then began weining himself. Unfortunatly he began putting his fingers in his mouth. Similar to a man who decides he is going to quit smoking cigarettes but takes up "dipping" or cigars! By the way, he would not accept ANY type of pacifier as an infant (he would gag). We did many things with him like letting him lift heavy things(couch cushion) to help him relax. This was said to release some type of chemical in his body. We also had a special brush that we had to be trained to use. A soft squeeze ball. There are many options for these children to help them through. Treatment varies on the degree. He is now 6 and he has learned how to deal with much of it but still needs steered on occasions. One of the things he does now is pick up very small things to manipulate with his fingers. It may be a little micro sized Hot Wheel car, a pencil gripper, etc. Although he does seem drawn to things with certain textures. He is attracted to things that feel much like the "rabbit foot" key chains. There are also certain cat toys that he likes the feel of. (I know it sounds crazy!) Other concerns he has is the fact he can't stand the sound of certain things like loud cars and he doesn't like crowds of people. Even with immediate family like family gatherings such as cook out, birthday parties, Christmas, etc. The best way we have found to deal with this part is to arrive 15-20 minutes early at social gatherings. In restaurants we attempt to let him sit with his back to the crowd. He is a very bright little boy with no physical or mental concerns. He has been to preschool, kindergarten, and is now in the first grade. Each and every teacher has fallen in love with him!! I am very proud of my little angel.

Answer 2

I'm not an OT but I am a sped teacher with some students with sensory integration difficulties. Kids with SI probelms often find sounds, textures, colors or other things that seem normal to us unbearable. For whatever reason they cant stand the sound of the lights humming or the feel of long sleeves, or the color of the walls in a room. It's like nails on a chalkboard. These students can be overly sensitive to stuff, or under sensitive. One common way of treating this (or at least help kids cope with it) is a sensory "diet." Kids with tactile defensivness (dont like the feel of things) spend part of their morning having their extrtemities brushed with a surgical brush or some other rough-feeling object. Or they do special exercises where they roll on the floor or on a large ball. Every kid is unique and an OT would have to prescribe a specific regimen for each kid. I hope this helps. Happy new year.

Answer 3

I was a student in occupational therapy. Unfortunately there are many kind of sensory integration problems. Some sensory integration techniques include spinning, bouncing, and other types of movement. Also vibration and tactile stimulation such as using different textures to help the child. It really just depends on what the problem is but its usually really fun for the kids.

Answer 4

Sensory Integration Disorders are fascinating... some fantastic books are The Out-of-Sync Child and The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun by Carol Stock Kranowitz (can be bought on amazon.com). These books can really help you understand the needs of children with SID. Children who have problems regulating their sensory processing systems can receive "therapy" to help integrate their systems to have better responses to incoming stimuli. But, this is not a "cure-all" where the child will be "cured" of SID. These therapies can help a child to be able to respond appropriately to incoming stimulation, instead of having a hyper-sensitive reaction or hypo-sensitive one. Therapy often consists of deep pressure activities to help the proprioceptive system, and movement activities for regulating the vestibular system. Another great book for some ideas to try for children with SID is called Building Bridges. People deal with SI issues all their lives. I still can't go to a movie in the theater- the sounds and images are too much for my sensory system to handle, and I get nauseous to the point where I have to leave. Therapy can help, but it can not completely make your sensory system "normal". Read up on it, it is fascinating to learn about, and you will find all kinds of information that you can use with other "typically" developing children that can help.

Answer 5

It is also known by other names that you might want to search for including Sensory Integration Dysfunction and Sensory Defensiveness.

It doesn't necessarily work itself out. Occupational therapists can help you develop what is called a 'sensory diet' which will help improve sensory integration. It is not likely to just go away.

You also might want to read "The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder"

Here is a link to the book on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b/104-2164100-0795943?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=The+Out+of+Sync+Child

Answer 6

Unfortunately this disorder is something that affects many people. My daughter is one of those. Sensory issues are very often misdiagnosed as ADD or ADHD. I have been told that you need to incorporate things into their daily patterns when you see them having discomfort. Sometimes for my daughter it is something as simple as throwing a ball or blowing bubbles but she is only 4. Many times they don't just grow out of it but they adapt to it. I guess many adults have adapted over the years to their own problems with it before people understood what was going on with them. There is no estimate of time as to how long it can take because it is usually a lifetime disorder. Like I said just ask the child what you can do to help them. Give them different options like coloring, blowing bubbles, music, a quiet room, throwing a ball. Whatever it takes to help them. Good luck and hang in there as the beginning is hard to deal with.

Answer 7

Well, like 'baldis' said, it's a different regiment for every child, because it's not the same from child to child. Some kids have auditory defensiveness, some tactile, some with smells or tastes, some have visual defensiveness. Obviously the more defensiveness you have, the harder it will be to function, and the longer it will take for therapy to help.

The problem with these kids (I have three myself, two with autism, one without...as well, it's a blessing to know that *that* is my problem) is that the easiest way to deal with DSI is to give in to the overwhelming flow of adrenaline (the fight or flight instinct) as a means of coping. It often manifests as 'bad' behavior, because they don't KNOW what to do with all this energy created from defending yourself.

DSI never just works itself out. Kids will always have those issues. What therapy does is teach children to cope with those issues, to not freak out all at once, but save it for a time when you can relax and work through all of the energy. I am so blessed that my children all now can recognize when their emotions are being caused by DSI, how to adjust lifestyles to live with it, as well as cope long enough to engage in activities that they really desire but are difficult (shopping, skating, playing at the park, etc), and finally, to be able to find sensory activities to help cope and work through their energy (such as swings, trampolines, fidgits, etc)

How long it takes to get to this point depends on how severely the child has DSI, how much therapy they receive, how knowledgeable the therapist is, the access to supports, and consistency in training. For my daughter with severe autism, it's taken seven years, and she still has a long road. My son with mild autism, he's functional, but still working on accessing his own supports. My other daughter, has learned to avoid her issues, and it's taken about two years to learn to cope with unavoidable triggers.

Answer 8

I am an adult woman with a milder form of sensory integration disorder. I never figured it out until I had kids in my classroom who had it and then ... lightbulb! Some of the things I have problems with - crowds, big stores or museums or anything where there is too much choice or too much to look at, the hum that burgler alarms or drinking fountains make (too high for most people to hear!), music in the background (some kinds of music, like jazz, actually will make me sick to my stomach), any place where there're multiple sounds going on, like people talking on cell phones and tv and music at the same time (the airport is hell for me) I also can only wear flip-flops and can't wear long sleeved shirts. I have long hair, but have to wear it up in a ponytail instead of around my face. A lot of people just learn to cope - like if I'm going to a party I will take a book and just know that at some time during the evening I'll have to duck into an empty room for time out. I only pick up about ten things at a time at the grocery store and mostly shop for other things online. I recently discovered Keens sandles - I can wear them with socks in the snow. If I have to be in a crowd I try to put something between me and them - for example, I like attending a big women's music festival every year for a while and I chose to be a worker because I could sit behind a table. And I camped in my station wagon because it shut out more than a tent. Also, if I have to go to a class or lecture I take my knitting because doing something with my hands helps me focus on the speaker instead of looking out the window.

Some things that I've seen in preschool students - trouble changing from summer to winter clothes and vice versa, averson to having sun screen put on, (I mean, you practically have to hold their heads under your arm) afraid of being outside (because of the space and noise) Often these are kids who can't bear clothes with tags or can only wear certain socks or shoes. Sometimes, like me, if a lot of things are happening or if there is a lot of noise they have a hard time picking out what's important to follow. So, if you're talking to the class they are equally attracted to the music in the background or the dripping faucet. One thing I always made sure my classroom had was a private place where only one or two children could play at a time to block out stimulation and I never had background music going. My friend had a nephew with Asperger's syndrom and when he was small and was coming to a family gathering his mother would ask the hostess to prepare a small private space in a closet where he could retreat. When I was teaching and we were doing messy things like fingerpainting I alway had popcycle sticks and toothbrushes on the table so these kids could approach them cautiously. I also had all kinds of things in the sensory table - kids who couldn't bear sand or water might be able to stand straw or pine shavings (hamster bedding) for which tongs could be provided.

And, even though from this I sound like a freak, most people don't even know there is anything wrong. They just think I'm a nice, functional woman with an unusually large collection of flip flops!