WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

ABOUT THE SENSORY CHILD

Rebecca Schatz, M.S., OTR/L
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Rebecca Schatz& Associates Inc.
2000 N. Racine Suite 3600
Chicago, IL 60614
Voice: 773-404-2665
[email protected]
 WHAT IS SENSORY
INTEGRATION?

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 Definition

“SENSORY INTEGRATION IS THE NEUROLOGICAL

PROCESS OF ORGANIZING THE INFORMATION WE GET
FROM OUR BODIES AND FROM THE WORLD AROUND US
FOR USE IN DAILY LIFE. IT OCCURS IN THE CENTRAL
NERVOUS SYSTEM, WHICH CONSISTS OF COUNTLESS
NEURONS, A SPINAL CORD, AND AT THE “HEAD”- A
BRAIN.” The Out-of Sync Child, Kranowitz, 1998

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OUR SENSES

The Far Senses The Near Senses

 Seeing  Tactile Sense

 Hearing  Vestibular Sense

 Smell  Proprioceptive Sense

 Taste

 Touch

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 WHAT IS SENSORY PROCESSING
DISORDER?
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SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER

 Ineffective processing of tactile, vestibular and or proprioceptive

sensations
 Occurs in the central nervous system
 Interaction between sensory input and motor output is disrupted
 Neuronal connections in the central nervous system are not effective
 Sensory neurons do not send messages effectively into the central
nervous system to produce an adaptive behavioral response OR
motor neurons do not send messages effectively out to the body to
produce an adaptive behavioral response
 May occur before, during or after birth

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 WHAT DOES SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER
LOOK LIKE IN THE CLASSROOM?

 Over-sensitive to touch, movements, sounds or sights

 Distractible, sensitive to loud noises
 Avoids certain textures, clothes, foods, playground play
 Under-reactive to sensory stimulation
 Child seeks out intense sensory experiences such as falling, crashing,
bumping
 High or low activity levels
 Coordination difficulties
 Delays in academic achievement or daily self help skills
 Poor organization of behavior- impulsive, distractible, lack of planning to tasks
given, difficulties adjusting to new situations, easily frustrated or withdrawn
 Poor self-concept- May appear lazy, bored or not motivated 7
WINNIE DUNN’S SENSORY PROCESSING
FRAMEWORK

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SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER SUBTYPES

 Registration/Bystander
 Sensory Seeker
 Sensitivity/Sensor
 Sensory Avoiding/Avoider

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THE REGISTRATION/BYSTANDER CHILD

 Student with high thresholds, passive  Student may not respond when being
self-regulation called
 High ability to focus on something  Student’s attention drifts during
 Student may appear uninterested, activities

apathetic, withdrawn and self absorbed  Student has difficulties completing

 Student has difficulties detecting tasks in a timely manner

incoming sensory information and  Student fails to notice possibilities for

therefore needs a lot of sensory info to action (socialization and exploration)
get a response  Student may appear as withdrawn,
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harder to engage or self-absorbed
SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER SUBTYPES

 Registration/Bystander
 Sensory Seeker
 Sensitivity/Sensor
 Sensory Avoiding/Avoider

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THE SENSORY SEEKING CHILD

 Student with high thresholds, active  Student is working to obtain more

self-regulation sensory input from their environment

 Student has a high ability to generate (touching things, tapping pencils or

ideas and responses chewing on things)

 Student may initiate socially
 Student notices and enjoys all the
unacceptable or unsafe behaviors
activity in the environment
 Many of the symptoms seen in
 Student is fidgety, excitable,
sensation seekers may be easily
continuously engaging , impulsive
confused with Attention Deficit
 Student may appear as a “bumper”,
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
“crasher” or “jumper”
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SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER SUBTYPES

 Registration/Bystander
 Sensory Seeker
 Sensitivity/Sensor
 Sensory Avoiding/Avoider

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THE SENSITIVE CHILD

 Student with low threshold,  Student may demonstrate strong

passive self-regulation
reactions to loud or unexpected
 Student lets things happen and noises
then reacts  Student may notice changes in their
 Student is very particular- e.g. environment/surroundings much
picky eater quicker and therefore become more
 Student is highly vigilant easily distracted

 Student is distractible and

 Student may be interrupted from

extremely active finishing tasks in a timely manner

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SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER SUBTYPES

 Registration/Bystander
 Sensory Seeker
 Sensitivity/Sensor
 Sensory Avoiding/Avoider

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THE AVOIDANT CHILD

 Student with low threshold, active  Student is resistant to change

self-regulation  Student is frequently bothered by

 Student has a high ability to design sensory input so they choose to

and implement structure move away from activities or work

alone
 Student enjoys routines

 Student is reliant on rituals

 Student can be very rigid with

regards to routines and structures

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SCHOOL COMPANION SENSORY PROFILE 2
(WINNIE DUNN, 2014)

 Provides information about a child’s level of responsiveness to

stimulation in the classroom environment
 Identify how the response to sensory stimulation affects classroom
behavior and performance
 Helps teacher to plan effective strategies within the classroom
 Profile is organized into different sensory sections
 Takes approximately 15 minutes to complete

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SENSORY PROCESSING MEASURE
(ECKER & PARHAM, 2010)
 Home form
 School form

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SENSORY PROFILE SCHOOL COMPANION
SECTIONS

A. Auditory

B. Visual

C. Movement

D. Touch

E. Body Position

F. Oral Sensory

G. Behavioral Section- conduct, social-emotional, attentional

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QUADRANT 1- CLASSROOM STRATEGIES FOR
THE REGISTRATION CHILD

 Provide information in written format or in pictures

 Present directions in short, concrete segments with one step of instruction at a
time
 Make visual cues bolder or highlighted
 Have child change positions
 Vary where child sits in the classroom
 Have child explain or repeat information back to make sure directions have been
processed correctly
 Have instructions posted on board or wall so child can refer to them as needed
 Utilize computer support strategies
 Decreasing predictability of routines
 Increasing the contrast of stimuli
 When trying out a new motor movement or activity, physically assist the child by
guiding them through the movement
 Utilize visual cues to highlight spatial boundaries and environment 20
QUADRANT 2- CLASSROOM STRATEGIES FOR
THE SENSORY SEEKING CHILD

 Incorporate movement in activities

 Have child pass out materials within the classroom
 Send child on errands throughout the day
 Have child move or put chairs away
 Have child help in rearranging desks in the classroom
 Have child carry heavy books or boxes
 Help gym teacher move mats or hand them out
 Engage child in physical activity before a challenging work task
 Vary where child sits in the classroom
 Playing background music when completing table work
 Seating alternatives (mov’in sit, howda hug, stool)
 Snack options
 Push lunch cart or carry lunch bin to the cafeteria 21
QUADRANT 2- CLASSROOM STRATEGIES FOR
THE SENSORY SEEKING CHILD CONTINUED

 Staple paper onto bulletin boards

 Sharpen pencils with a manual sharpener

 Stack chairs

 Take exercise breaks

 Cleaning desks and tables

 Chair push-ups

 Resistive bands under chairs

 Step out to get a drink of water, climb stairs

 Velcro under desk

 Therapeutic listening program

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 Camelbak water bottle
QUADRANT 3- CLASSROOM INTERVENTIONS
FOR THE SENSITIVE CHILD
 Limit the amount of steps when teaching a new movement activity
 Provide written instructions or pictures to complement verbal information
given
 Reduce the volume of auditory stimuli for the child
 Encourage participation in group activities to attempt to keep child focused
 Provide feedback to the child when attention difficulties are apparent
 Reduce visual distractions in the classroom
 Designate areas on the board for frequently occurring information
 Look at the intensity of lights in the classroom
 Provide a quiet corner in the classroom
 During the day provide a variety of calming activities for the whole class
 Apply firm steady touch pressure through the shoulders
 Allow the child to sit at the beginning or end of a line
 Help the child learn to communicate their sensitivities to touch and their need
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for personal space
QUADRANT 4- CLASSROOM STRATEGIES FOR
THE AVOIDANT CHILD

 Limit the amount of information or steps given to the child at one time
 Reduce the volume of auditory stimuli
 Provide written directions or pictures to supplement verbal information
 Use a frame or window to cover all material except that which is to be
copied
 Designate a specific work area or seat with minimal visual and auditory
distractions
 Incorporate the need for personal space/distance from others during
seated activities
 Establish a comfortable and supportive routine for the child
 Maintain consistency to reduce disruptions in set routines
 Limit large group exposure
 Acknowledge the child’s unpleasant feelings regarding reactions to
movement 24
 EVALUATING EFFECTIVENESS OF
SENSORY TOOLS IN THE CLASSROOM
 Attention/focus
 Regulation

 Completion of tasks

 Engagement/participation

 Social

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 COLLECTING DATA
 Which sensory tool?
 Frequency?

 Time of day?

 Effectiveness? Looking at attention, regulation and task

completion
 Does the frequency remain the same?

 Are changes in behavior and attention still present?

 Do you need to change the tool as it is not effective for

this student?

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SUMMARY
Observe the student who is having difficulties and ask yourself:
 Is it sensory based?
 Take a look at the School Companion Sensory Profile 2 – Does your student score
differently in some of the categories?
 Look at the four sensory processing subtypes - Does your student seem to fit one or
more of these profiles?
 If yes, what classroom changes (environmental) can be implemented for this student?
 What sensory tools can I use for this student?
 Can I break tasks down for this student?
 Are there activities that I can give the student to organize them before sitting down to a
challenging activity such as writing or reading?
 Does the sensory tool help this student to regulate, focus, attend, complete task and
engage with class?
 When is the ideal time for the student to take a sensory break?
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 Can I reduce the frequency of sensory breaks?
CASE STUDY #1: DAVID

 David, age 5, in Kindergarten

 Mornings at home: Difficulties getting dressed and eating
 Chooses the same activity for free play each day at school
 Frequently bumps into other kids when in line on the way to another class
 Cannot sit still during circle time and is constantly seen to move around,
touch other kids and have a hard time listening and staying quiet
 During snack, David is seen to eat very quickly without stopping
 Structured activities by tables are difficult and David does not participate
in them
 In gym class, David is seen to run around and have difficulties following
directions
 At home, David is frequently running around, getting into trouble with his
younger brother, jumping on beds, crashing from couches
 David has difficulties with bedtime routines (bath, getting into pajamas)28

 David has difficulties falling asleep and it can take up to 1 ½ hours to fall
asleep
ANALYSIS OF DAVID’S SENSORY
PROCESSING

Questions
 What sensory subtype does David fit into?
 What type of threshold and self regulation do you think David is
experiencing?
 What are some sensory strategies for the classroom?
 How might you structure tasks for David differently?
 How might you help David navigate socially?

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CASE STUDY #2: ISABEL
 Isabel is a 2nd grader
 She often appears tired and lethargic
 Difficulties waking up in the morning, getting out of bed and starting
her day
 Isabel needs frequent reminders to get dressed even though her
clothes are in front of her and she has been asked several times
 Messy eater-does not notice food on her face
 Difficulties paying attention in school
 Spaces out when class is doing silent reading
 Difficulty completing homework
 Isabel does not show much interest in social interactions, chooses to
sit by herself for lunch
 Isabel is under-reactive to pain or injury
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ANALYSIS OF ISABEL’S SENSORY
PROCESSING

Questions
 What sensory subtype does Isabel fit into?
 What type of threshold and self regulation do you think Isabel is
experiencing?
 What are some sensory strategies for the classroom?
 How might you structure tasks for Isabel differently?
 How might you help Isabel socially?

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