A New Integrative Approach that Benefits Children with Developmental Disabilities by using the Five Senses.

What is this new therapy?

Children with developmental disabilities are characterized by having delays in motor milestone attainment, sensorimotor performance deficit, and perceptual dysfunctions, in addition to significant limitations in both intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior. 

By Occupational Therapists using Sensory Integration Therapywith these children, it is proven to be effective. Using this type of intervention could improve behavioral, functional, social, educational, and well-being outcomes for children and well-being outcomes for family caregivers.

Children and their families benefit from receiving treatment informed by a more vigorous evidence base, whether or not sensory integrative therapy is effective. Interventions based on this approach use planned, controlled sensory input in accordance with the needs of the child and they are characterized by an emphasis on sensory stimulation and active participation of the child and involve client-directed activities. 

What do Occupational Therapists do for these children?

This sensory integration therapy works by having the Occupational Therapist evaluate the child for a number of things but two in particular: 

●    One focus is on sensory defensiveness, which is a negative reaction to one or more types of sensations (such as touch, movement, sound, taste/texture, or smell). 

●    The other focus is on sensory cravings, which is when children tend to be constantly moving, crashing, bumping, and/or jumping. These children may “need” to touch everything and be overly affectionate, not understanding what is “their space” vs. “other's space.” 

The Occupational Therapist then uses a number of different tests, as well as observations and interviews with the caregivers of these children. 

Sensory Diets

Occupational Therapists will develop a sensory diet for children with developmental disabilities. A sensory diet consists of carefully designed, personalized activity plan that provides the sensory input for a child who may need to stay focused and organized throughout the day.These sensory activities help children to feel calm and organized, which then helps them to obtain an optimal state for learning, attention and behaving appropriately.

Treatment usually takes place in a setting outfitted with specialized equipment, called a sensory gym. A sensory gymcombines a range of stimuli to help individuals develop and engage their senses. These rooms are located within a safe environment that allows the child using it to explore and interact without risk. 

A sensory environment can be highly absorbing, providing a moment of comfort and calm for overactive and distressed children, and this improves focus and prevents children from getting the urge to ‘act up’.

Benefits from these rooms include:

●   Sensory stimulation and encourage the child to engage and explore the environment.

●   Positive effects on their ability to react and interact with the larger world around them.

●   The children can enhance learning through play.

●    Sensory stimulation can engage different areas of the brain, helping children absorb and retain more information and better meeting the needs of the individual. 

●   These rooms can help improve balance, movement and spatial orientation and help develop users visual processing abilities as well as help children with their fine and gross motor skills.

●    The most important benefit is that these rooms tackle problems with behavior. 

Sensory Integration Implemented in Schools

Occupational therapy services in schools use an evidence-based approach to enhance a child’s performance and participation in the school routine. When working collaboratively with educators and other members of the team, children start to  demonstrate the distinct value of occupational therapy for students in general education and special education. Several cases and research has demonstrated the use of evidence-based strategies in school-based occupational therapy for children with developmental disabilities and sensory processing difficulties. 

There is a need to implement the following evidence-based evaluation and intervention procedures:

●    Conduct a comprehensive evaluation that includes screening of all areas of occupation

●     Record review, interviews, observations during natural routines, and assessment tools (when they are applicable).

●    Use evaluation findings to hypothesize why participation challenges occur.

●    Work with a team to identify the student’s needs and create collaborative student IEP goals.

●    Provide occupational therapy services that reflect the distinct value of occupational therapy in school settings.

Additional Information

More information on Sensory Integration Therapy: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-jqtlwfw5M

Podcast about Sensory Diets:

https://player.fm/series/the-sensory-project/sensory-diets

Sofia Albano is a Movement Science major at Westfield State University with a concentration in Sports Medicine & a minor in psychology. Her current research is on How a Sensory Integrative Approach in Occupational Therapy Assists Children with Developmental Disabilities. Sofia can be contacted by email at salbano3563@westfield.ma.edu. 

References

Bissell J, Roley SS. (2013). Applying Sensory Integration Framework in Educationally Related OccupationalTherapy Practice Am J Occup Ther 2003;57(6):652–659. 

Champagne, T. (2010). Sensory modulation & environment: Essential elements of occupational (3rd. ed., rev.). Sidney,Australia: Pearson Assessment.

Chang YS, Owen JP, Desai SS, Hill SS, Arnett AB, Harris J, et al. (2014) Autism and sensory processing disorders: shared white matter disruption in sensory pathways but divergent connectivity in social-emotional pathways.PLoS One.;9:e103038