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Sensory Integration
Sensory experiences include touch, movement, body awareness, sight, sound, smell, taste and the pull of gravity. The process of the brain organising and interpreting this information is called Sensory Integration (SI) — a crucial foundation for later, more complex learning and behaviour. For most children, SI develops in the course of ordinary childhood activities, and motor planning ability and the ability to adapt to incoming sensations are natural outcomes of this process. But for some children it does not develop as efficiently as it should, and problems in learning, development and behaviour may become evident.
Signs that may indicate sensory integration difficulties
Not all children with learning, developmental or behavioural problems have underlying sensory integration difficulties. There are certain indicators, however, that can signal that such difficulties may be present:
- Overly sensitive to touch, movement, sights, smells, tastes and sounds — irritability or withdrawal when touched, avoidance of certain textures of clothes or food, distractibility, or fearful reactions to ordinary movement activities like swinging or spinning.
- Under-reactive to sensory stimulation — seeking out intense sensory experiences such as whirling or crashing into people and objects, or seeming oblivious to pain or body position.
- Unusually high or low activity level — constantly on the move, or slow to warm up and easily fatigued; some children fluctuate between the extremes.
- Coordination problems — unusually poor balance, or great difficulty learning new tasks that require motor coordination.
- Delays in speech, language, motor skills or academic achievement — sometimes despite normal intelligence.
- Poor organisation of behaviour — impulsive or distractible, with a lack of planning; frustration, aggression or withdrawal when encountering failure.
- Poor self-concept — a child who "does not quite feel right", who may present as bored, lazy or unmotivated, or develop strategies to avoid hard or embarrassing tasks.
Look behind the behaviour
When a problem is difficult to understand, parents and children may blame themselves, and family tension, poor self-concept and a general feeling of hopelessness may prevail. An important thing to remember when dealing with children is: look at what the behaviour is trying to tell you, rather than looking at the behaviour as being negative or "bad".
Sensory Integration therapy can make a profound difference to your child.
Wondering if this is right for your child?
Email our team and we will help you understand the options, answer your questions and arrange an assessment with our psychiatrist.