Lucy in the sky with diamonds.
What is Sensory Processing?
This is taken from a Fact Sheet provided to me by Knox Community Health Service
*Children recieve a plentitude of information about the world around them through their senses.
There are 5 external senses including sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch. There are also two main internal senses (vestibular and proprioceptive) that tell us about movement and body position.
*Sensory Integration is the ability to take in, sort out, process and make use of sensory information. When it happens normally, it allows children to make an appropriate response to the demands of their environment.
*Sometimes the brain has difficulty effectively sorting, understanding and organising sensory messages. When this happens, sensory information becomes jumbled - it is like a traffic jam within the brain. This is termed Sensory Integration Dysfunction.
*When a child is having difficulties processing sensory information, we primarily see it through their behaviour. Common indicators of sensory integration dysfunction include sensory seeking, sensory avoiding, difficulties with coordination, difficulties of daily living and difficulties with learning (eg, attention and concentration).
Sensory seeking children look for extra sensory information from one or more senses which helps them remain alert. Sensory seekers are often 'on the go' and have difficulty settling for quieter activities. They may be excessively fidgety, put objects in their mouths, touch excessively, make noise for noise sake and seek out intense sensations like crashing their bodies into furniture or objects.
*Sensory avoiding children are overly sensitive to incoming sensory information. They are generally more anxious and may become distressed by light or unexpected touch, dislike hair brushing and washing, dislike certain noises like the vacuum cleaner or trucks and be particularly fussy with food.
*Sensory avoiding children have a tendency to become overwhelmed and will often hit out, withdraw, retreat or become overly emotional.
*It is common for children who have sensory processing difficulties to seek out some sensory information and avoid others.
What can be done?
Plenty! Paediatric occupational therapists diagnose sensory integration dysfunction and provide individual treament to address these issues. They will also suggest modifications to educational environments such as preschool and school, to help your child learn more effectively in these settings.
The earlier intervention takes place for sensory issues, the better the outcomes.
Last edited by Nelle; January 23rd, 2011 at 08:28 PM.
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Question for anyone who knows: is it possible for a child to have a sensory issue that causes him to hate certain fabrics? He doesn't talk yet, so we don't know, but this kid HATES having his clothes on. To the point where he will absolutely scream the house down til he manages to rip them off...
Lucy in the sky with diamonds.
ABSOLUTELY.
Wool can feel like STEEL wool, socks can make them feel off kilter and the tags inside the clothes can be a massive culprit.
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*Lightbulb switches on*
Shanks for the LuluI guess until he starts talking it'll be trial and error, but I didn't wanna mention anything to the mumma til I knew it was possible.
Lucy in the sky with diamonds.
Just mention you know another kid that hates various fabric and tags and leave her to it. He may just be extra sensitive...
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Ahhh... tick, tick, tick
Thank you!
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Yes if you could forward me this please i would be eternally grateful
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If you google something like 'understanding your child's sensory difficulties', there's a bit around that explains bits and pieces, I just found this, if it helps. http://www.autismnsw.com.au/publicat...soryIssues.pdf
If you see/will see an Occupational Therapist, they should be able to provide you with heaps of info too. xo
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There's DD2 right there!Sensory seekers are often 'on the go' and have difficulty settling for quieter activities. They may be excessively fidgety, put objects in their mouths, touch excessively, make noise for noise sake and seek out intense sensations like crashing their bodies into furniture or objects.
So many times I've wished I could ask your idea's on this Lulu.
Thanks for the info. The school has picked up that Bri may have visual & auditory processing disorders.
On the road for a diagnosis...
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[QUOTE=~clover~;2707958]
DS has been told he has Auditory processing disorder, where he cant conserntrate if there is too much noise, cant be given more than three instructions at one time, even then he has to have them in order you want them done or he cant do any... He have always been very mouthy, ( yes even now and he is almsot 11 ) chews everything, has eaten his finger nails and toes down to the bone, he even eats the skin around his nail... I didnt realise that there was a name for any of this... maybe there is, he is having such a hard time at school, the school is currently testing him so i think they also think something isnt quite right with my boy...
There are only bits here and there in the above that ring true... maybe in the end he will just be what he is my speical little guy...
Miss you Lu
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Each child is so different though New Dawn.
We have to get hearing, eye sight, speech assessments all done to rule out the many other things that could be up, then see an OT.
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Yeah I know Ds has glasses already, has speech issues as well, they thought he might have been dislexic but ruled that out, he has ADD but not badly, but still something isnt quite right... I just wish there was more I could do for him... School kids can be so nasty...
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I know
DD had speech issues, but since starting school she has improved 100%. She was seeing a speech therapist for about 6 months before she started & they never got past the first sound 'C/k'
See if you can see an OT. I've been told you don't need a gp referral? Or maybe its that a speechy or CHN or someone can refer you...
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Come join the chat in the SPD/Autism and Asperger's thread! Its a good way of sorting through the issues.
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