The document discusses sensory integration and strategies to address sensory needs for students with autism. It provides background on sensory integration theory developed by Jean Ayres and explains the seven senses. Research has found atypical sensory processing in individuals with autism which can impact behaviors, learning, and daily living. Sensory strategies aim to help maintain an optimal state of arousal, attention, and motor skills for tasks.

1. Megan Ackerman
ED 535
June 2013
Meg Ackerman

2. (Interacting with Autism Project)

3. Obtain basic knowledge of sensory integration and the
sense systems
Obtain awareness and the use of different strategies
to address sensory needs
Gain skills and competence in meeting these needs for
students

4. The ability in which we
are able to take in
information through our
sense systems and
effectively utilize the
information to respond
to the environmental
demands.

7. DO YOU KNOW ME?

8. Jean Ayres developed her work on
sensory integration in the 1960’s and
70’s and was an Occupational
Therapist for many years. Because of
her explanation of sensory integration
theory people began to understand
Sensory Integration as a neurological
process that helps to organize sensory
information that the body takes in
from all the seven senses.

9. 1.___________________________
2.___________________________
3.___________________________
4.___________________________
5.___________________________
6.___________________________
7.___________________________

10. We have 5 familiar senses that respond to
sensory input from outside of our body.
 Auditory (sound)Auditory (sound) -Information through the ears
 Gustatory (taste)Gustatory (taste) -Information through the mouth
 Olfactory (smell)Olfactory (smell) -Information through the nose
 Visual-(seeing)Visual-(seeing) -Information through the eyes
 Tactile (touch)Tactile (touch) -Information through the hands &
skin

11. Play-Doh
Straw
Rubberband
Fabric
Rough Sponge
Smarties
Lolipop
Gum
Mints
 Pipe Cleaner
Balloon Filled with Rice
Pipe Cleaner
Water

12. We have 2 hidden senses that respondWe have 2 hidden senses that respond
to sensory inputto sensory input insideinside our body.our body.
VestibularVestibular – Information about movement and– Information about movement and
sense of balance through the inner earsense of balance through the inner ear
ProprioceptiveProprioceptive - Information about space and- Information about space and
proximity from muscles, ligaments, and jointsproximity from muscles, ligaments, and joints

13.  Sense of Touch
 Provides information about texture, size and
shape of an object
 Strategies:
 Velcro Strips on side of desk
 Squishy Balls
 Stress Balls
 Bean Bags
 Shaving Cream

14.  Sight
 Deciphers what we see
 Strategies:
 Sunglasses
 Remove from flickering lights
 Bright Colors
 Lights
 Organization
 Sound
 Quality, direction and perception of sound
 Strategies:
 Headphones
 PVC Pipes
 Ear Plugs
 Tennis Balls on Chairs
 Tone of Voice
 Minimize Sound

15.  Sense of Taste
 Strategies:
Mouth Tools
Chew Bracelets
Straws
 Sense of Smell
 Strategies:
Beware of Scented
Perfumes and
Colognes
Odors Awareness

16.  Awareness of the
body’s position and
movement
 Strategies:
Velcro Strips on side
of desk
Squishy Balls
Stress Balls
Bean Bags
Shaving Cream
 Ensures body positioning
and equilibrium.
 Strategies:
Trampoline
Exercise Balls
Swings
Teeter Totters

18. •Professionals and parents have frequently observed
that individuals with ASD process sensory
information in atypical ways
•Increased Prevalence
•Sensory processing disorders in children with ASD
•Impact on Daily Living and School Environments

19. • Case-Smith and Bryan (1999)
Play and social interaction behaviors of preschool aged children with Autism
Children with ASD can commonly have behavior change while participating in intervention using a
sensory integration approach
•Wiggins, Robins, Bakeman, and Adamson (2009)
More atypical responses
(tactile sensitivity, auditory filtering, and taste and smell sensitivity)
• Tomchek and Dunn (2007)
Found that children with ASD have different domains of sensory processing
(tactile, auditory, oral-sensory, sensory seeking)
Behaviors are significantly different compared to typically developing children
95% of the sample of children with ASD demonstrated some degree of sensory processing
dysfunction

20. To establish and validate the importance specific
sensory integration interventions in relation to
sensory processing for children with ASD
Sample Sizes
Demographics
Population
Timelines
Experimental Design

22. YES….because learning requires
 The child’s behavior and alertness to be in an
optimal state to maintain attention to tasks.
 The child’s motor skills to be in an optimal state
to perform and learn new tasks successfully.

23. YES…
 When sensory input is confusing or upsetting, the
child may actively avoid the situation, become
upset or have an emotional outburst .
 When the child does not register enough
stimulation he may seek it out by constantly
moving, chewing, humming, or flapping or he
may seem tired, uninterested and passive.

25.  A personalized
schedule of sensory
activities that gives a
child the sensory fuel
their body needs to
get into an organized
state and stay there.
 Provides the sensory
input necessary at
regular intervals
throughout the day to
maintain appropriate
arousal and sustain
attention for each
desired activity.

26.  Often we get caught up
trying to manage
behavior without
understanding it. When
observing a child’s
behavior we should pay
particular attention to
the four A’s.
 Arousal
 Attention
 Affect
 Action

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32. Malfunction in sensory system
Children with ASD have atypical sensory systems
Self-regulation and The Four A’s
 Arousal/alertness
 Attention
 Activity
 Affect
behavior response