Understanding the sensory needs of young...
Transcript of Understanding the sensory needs of young...
Individualization
Understanding the sensory needs of young children
By: Tracy Becerra, OTR/L, MPH, PhDc
Individualizing
• Performance Standards require that learning experiences in Head Start be individualized.
• For who? For all children. • Children who are advanced in development • Challenging behaviors • Children with disabilities • Children with different learning styles
Children learn through senses
1) Tasting 2) Smelling 3) Seeing 4) Touching 5) Hearing
2 other senses! 6) Vestibular 7) Proprioceptive
Vestibular sense
The ability to perceive movement due to the inner ear being activated and the position of the head being changed
Vestibular sense
Proprioceptive sense
Information from inside our body from muscles, ligaments, and joints sends information to our brains.
Our brains then process this information and provides us with a sense of body movement.
Propriocep)ve/Movement sense
Sensory Processing
• the way the nervous system receives messages from the senses and turns them into appropriate motor and behavioral responses.
e.g. Whether you are biting into a hamburger, riding a bicycle, or reading a book
Sensory processing, aka “Sensory Integration”
Ayres, A.J. (1980). Sensory integration and the child. Los Angeles: Western Psychological Services.
Sensory Integration
Children play to experience sensation, and when they experience sensations they learn to play • In EHS and HS, we are in the business of supporting
new skills and behaviors to get ready for school.
Ayres, A.J. (1980). Sensory integration and the child. Los Angeles: Western Psychological Services.
Sensory Rich Experiences
Why? MOTIVATE children to explore and engage
PROMOTE the ability to try new experiences and meet new challenges.
ENHANCE attention.
Tactile Experiences
Helps promote...
Fine Motor Skills
Vestibular Experiences
Helps promote...
Posture & Gross Motor Skills
Calming Experiences
Sense Properties
1. TASTING Warm, bland, soft texture
2. SMELLING Low odor
3. SEEING Dark, “softer” colors, not too many colors
4. TOUCHING Soft
5. HEARING Rhythmical, low pitch
Sense Properties
6. VESTIBULAR Rhythmic swaying/swinging, rocking back and forth
7. PROPRIOCEPTION heavy work e.g. creeping/crawling, jumping, pulling/pushing,
Calming Experiences
Alerting Experiences
Sense Properties
1. TASTING Sour, sweet, spicy, salty, crispy, cold
2. SMELLING Strong odor, artificial smells
3. SEEING Bright lights, bold colors, many colors
4. TOUCHING Rough, sticky, slimy
5. HEARING Loud, High pitch
Sense Properties
6. VESTIBULAR Up/Down Circular/Spinning
7. PROPRIOCEPTION none
Alerting Experiences
Sensory Integration
• Sensory Integration honors unique differences
• We all process sensory information differently, therefore we behave and perform differently in our everyday lives
• A clue into intrinsic motivation to learn
How is YOUR Sensory Processing?
Instructions: 1) Answer 60 questions about yourself
When presented with the opportunity, do you:
1 = Almost Never (AN): 10% or less of the time 2 = Seldom (S): about 25% of the time 3 = Occasionally (O): about 50% of the time 4 = Frequently (F): about 75% of the time 5 = Almost Always (AA): 90% or more of the time
Dunn, W., & Brown, C. E. (2002). Adolescent-adult sensory profile: user's manual. Psychological corporation.
How is YOUR Sensory Processing?
Instructions, cont: 2) Transfer your answers (raw score: 1-5)
to the Quadrant Grid.
CAUTION: it skips around!
3) Add up your raw scores for each quadrant = Quadrant Raw Score Total.
Dunn, W., & Brown, C. E. (2002). Adolescent-adult sensory profile: user's manual. Psychological corporation.
How did you score?
Quadrant Raw Score Total
Much Less Than Most
People
Less Than Most
People
Similar to Most
People
More Than Most
People
Much More
Than Most People
1. Low Registration
15 – 18 19 – 23 24 – 35 36 – 44 45--
2. Sensation Seeking
15 – 35 36 – 42 43 – 56 57 – 62 63--
3. Sensory Sensitivity
15 – 18 19 – 25 26 – 41 42 – 48 49--
4. Sensation Avoiding
15 – 19 20 – 26 27 – 41 42 – 49 50--
What does it mean? Low Registration
Missing or slowed response to stimuli “I don’t get jokes as quickly as others”
Sensation Seeking
enjoyment, creativity, and the pursuit of sensory stimuli
“I add spice to my food”
Sensory Sensitivity
noticing others’ behaviors, distractibility, and discomfort with sensory stimuli
“I’m afraid of heights”
Sensation Avoiding
deliberate acts to reduce or prevent exposure to sensory stimuli, and efforts to make exposure more predictable
“I only eat familiar foods”
Dunn, W., & Brown, C. E. (2002). Adolescent-adult sensory profile: user's manual. Psychological corporation.
NeurologicThreshold
Behavioral Response/Self-Regulation
Passive Active
HIGH (it takes MORE for you to sense)
Low Registration Sensation Seeking
LOW (it takes LESS for you to sense)
Sensory Sensitivity Sensation Avoiding
How this relates to neurology and behavior
con)nuum
Individualizing
1) Offer Sensory Rich experiences
2) Honor unique differences – i.e. create a successful experience
3) Adapt and gently challenge – i.e. offer the “just right” challenge
1) Offer Sensory Rich Experiences
Sensory Schedule: Begin: Motion break (Vestibular) Tactile Play
Middle: Heavy work (Proprioceptive)
End: Retreat (Calming Experiences)
Low Registration: Honor unique differences
• Accommodate by: • Increasing stimuli (visual, auditory, tactile
vestibular) in the environment. • Decrease the predictability of routine
Dunn, W. (2002). Infant/toddler sensory profile: user's manual. Psychological Corporation.
Sensation Seeking: Honor unique differences
• Accommodate by: – Incorporate needed sensory input into
daily routines • Observe the sensations they are craving (i.e
sound, visual, touch, vestibular movement)
Dunn, W. (2002). Infant/toddler sensory profile: user's manual. Psychological Corporation.
Sensory Sensitivity: Honor unique differences
• Does not need any more arousal and alerting activities – Tactile: Firm touch, not light touch – Vestibular: linear movement (swings, not
slides or merry-go-rounds) – Predictable visual and auditory cues
Dunn, W. (2002). Infant/toddler sensory profile: user's manual. Psychological Corporation.
Sensation Avoiding: Honor unique differences
• Honor their need to reduce sensory input
• Avoid power struggles
• Carefully construct activities to gently and gradually add something new to an already established routine
Dunn, W. (2002). Infant/toddler sensory profile: user's manual. Psychological Corporation.
Sensory Experiences in the Home, Community, and Center
• Tactile: Messy play, playing with soap during bath, bubbles, finger paint, playing in the sand-pit, play-doh!
• Proprioception: Every activity that requires movement has a proprioceptive quality. If the child has trouble with using the appropriate speed or the appropriate force, then add other cues like verbal, touch, or vestibular cues.
• Vestibular: Swinging, riding a scooter/bike/wagon, twirling, bouncing on ball, crashing
Sensory Experiences in the Center
Acknowledgements • Pediatric Therapy Network,
Early Head Start
• Jean Ayres
• Winnie Dunn
Thank You