We are a practice with extensive skills and experience in assessing, diagnosing, and treating Sensory Processing Disorder or SPD. Our Therapist Brinda Mehta is a Sensory Integration and Praxis Test (SIPT) certified therapist.
WHAT IS SENSORY INTEGRATION?
We see many children in our caseload who have sensory difficulties. This may present as over or under responsiveness to certain stimuli like Auditory, Visual, Gustatory (Taste), Tactile (Touch), Vestibular (Balance & Movement), Proprioceptive (Muscle & Joint sense). We also see children with challenges modulating their responses to sensory input or who have challenges with multi-sensory processing. Sensory Processing challenges can exist in isolation with no other developmental concerns or coexist with numerous other conditions.
SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER (SPD) is a complex neurological condition that impairs functional skills. People with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) misinterpret everyday sensory information, such as touch, sound, and movement. They may feel overwhelmed by sensory information, may seek out sensory experiences, or may avoid certain experiences.
SENSORY INTEGRATION is the term developed by Dr. Jean Ayres to describe ‘the neurological process that organizes sensations from one’s own body and from the environment and makes it possible to use the body effectively within the environment” (Ayres, p11, 1989).
- Sensory Integration is the body’s ability to:
- Receive or take in sensory stimuli/information
- Interpret the stimuli/ Analyse the information
- Process the stimuli into a response; and
- Adaptively respond to the stimuli
The sensory system takes information from the surrounding environment through touch, smell, sound, vision, taste, movement, and gravity. It processes or interprets these sensations together to make sense of the environment. The process of sensory integration lays the foundation for the efficient operation of the nervous system and other parts of the body that respond to the signals sent by the nervous system. The child then responds to these sensory inputs and makes appropriate responses to perform the skills required.
HOW CAN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY HELP?
We use play as the tool to both improve your child’s ability to process and respond appropriately to sensory stimuli as well as making accommodations or modifications to the task or environment to allow success. We also use graded desensitization as a tool, along with various modalities to improve tactile, auditory, visual, vestibular, taste, smell, or movement sensitivity and processing. The aim of sensory integration therapy is to help the child integrate sensory inputs from the environment to maintain appropriate arousal and attention and respond and behave appropriately. Contact us to discuss your child’s needs.