The document discusses sensory processing disorders and their treatment. It begins by explaining how a typical sensory system works and the process of sensory integration from infancy to childhood. It then defines sensory processing disorder and describes four main categories. Symptoms are outlined for each sense. Treatment focuses on providing the right level of sensory input through activities involving movement, touch, and deep pressure. Case examples demonstrate how brief sensory-based interventions can improve self-awareness, body perception, and functioning for individuals with sensory processing disorders.

1. IMPLICATIONS AND TREATMENT
OF SENSORY PROCESSING
DISORDERS
Sandy Droster, OTR

2. Objectives:
Participants Will Learn About:
 Normal Sensory Systems
 Sensory Processing Disorders (SPD)
 How To Identify SPD
 How To Interact With Individuals Who Have
SPD

3. How A Normal Sensory
System Works:
 A normal sensory system takes in
information through the senses of
touch, movement, smell, taste, vision, a
nd hearing and combines the resulting
perceptions with prior
information, memories, and knowledge
already stored in the brain in order to
derive coherent meaning to be able to
effectively respond to our environment.

4. The Process Of Sensory
Integration:
 Sensory
Systems
Begin in
Utero
 Fetal Life is
Rich in
Sensations

5. Sensory Integration In
Infancy:
 Baby Introduced
to Intense
Sensory
Experiences at
Birth
 Depends on
Caregivers for
Regulation of
Systems

6. Sensory Integration In Early
Childhood:
 Begin Self Regulation
 Engage in Sensory Exploration
 Learn how to Make Things
Happen
 Improve Body Movement

7.  What Happens When The
Sensory Processing System
Does Not Fully Mature?

8. Sensory Processing Disorder:
 A neurological disorder causing
difficulties with processing information
from the five classic senses
(vision, auditory, touch, olfaction, and
taste), the sense of movement
(vestibular system), and or the
positional sense (proprioception).

9. Sensory Processing Disorder:
 Sensory Information is Sensed
Normally, but Perceived Abnormally
 May Cause Distress or Confusion
 Affect Learning, Social
Interactions, Task
Performance, Everyday Activities
 Can Lead to
Motor, Emotional, Psychological, Social,
Communication or Behavior Problems

10. Sensory Processing Disorders
Are Associated With:
 Mental Retardation (Severe, Profound)
 Autism
 Pervasive Developmental Disorders
 Attention Deficit Disorder
 Learning Disabilities

11. Causes Of Sensory Processing
Disorders:
 Functional/Structural Abnormalities
 Trauma to/Defect in Sensory Receptors
 Brain/Head Trauma
 Biochemical Abnormalities
 Sensory Deprivation
 Genetic Disorder
 Prenatal Drug/Alcohol Abuse
 Physical/Sexual Abuse

12. Four Categories Of Sensory
Processing Disorder:
 Sensory
Defensiveness
 Sensory Modulation
Disorder
 Sensory Registration
Disorder
 Sensory Integrative
Disorder

13. Sensory Defensiveness:
 Aversive or Defensive
Reactions to Non-Noxious
Stimuli Across One or
More Sensory Modalities
 Characterized by
Overresponding to One
or More Sensory Systems
 Has an Overriding
Negative Emotional
Response

14. Sensory Modulation Disorder:
 Over/Under
Responding or
Seeking Sensory
Stimulation
 Characterized by
Fearful/Anxious
Response
 Negative/Stubborn
Behaviors
 Self-Absorbed
Behaviors

15. Sensory Registration Disorder:
 Process by Which
the CNS Attends to
Stimuli
 Characterized by
Over, Under, or
Inconsistent
Response to Stimuli
 May Appear
Lethargic

16. Sensory Integrative Disorder:
 Difficulty
Responding as a
Result of Cortical
Organization
 Characterized by
Fight, Flight, or
Fright
 Impaired
Agility, Coordination,
Visual Motor
Skills, and

17. Symptoms Of Sensory
Processing Disorder:
 Vision
 Hearing
 Touch
 Vestibular (Movement)
 Taste/Smell

18. Vision:
 Delayed/Inconsistent Responses, Eyes
Dull/Out of Focus, Gaze Aversion, Avoids
Bright/Direct Light, May Startle to Unexpected
Approach, Excessive
Blinking, Hypervigilance, Poor Visual-
Perceptual Skills, Poor Visual –Motor
Skills, Poor Visual Attention

19. Hearing:
Inconsistent/Unable to
Localize Sounds,
Delayed Response, Startles to Sound, Intolerant
to Certain Sounds, Vocalizes Loudly in Noisy
Environments, Upset by Loud Noises, Distracted
by Background Noise, Doesn’t Tolerate Loud
Environments, Covers Ears, Hits Side of Head

20. Touch:
Inconsistent Response, Stereotypical Behaviors,
Self-Abuse, Avoidance or Fixation on Oral
Stimulation, Limited Acceptance of Food
Textures, Avoids Hand Use, Allows Touch by
Certain People, Toe Walks, Strips/Completely
Covered, Brief Grasp of Objects

21. Vestibular (Movement):
Lacks Protective Reactions,
Fearful of Movement,
Resists Imposed Position Changes, Becomes Motion
Sick, Aggressive/Upset if Balance is Disturbed, Avoids
Change in Head Position, Avoids Playground
Equipment, Seeks Certain Movements

22. Taste/Smell:
 Sensitive to Many Odors
 Limited Range of Foods/Fluids
Accepted
 May Act as if All Food Tastes
the Same
 Strong Preference for Spicy
Foods

23. Four Principles For
Intervention
 Just Right Challenge
 Adaptive Response
 Active Engagement
 Child Directed

24. Just Right Challenge
The Child Must be Able to Successfully
Meet the Challenges That Are Presented
Through Playful Activities

25. Adaptive Response:
The Child Adapts His Behavior With New
and Useful Strategies in Response to the
Challenges Presented

26. Active Engagement:
The Child Will Want to Participate
Because the Activities are Fun

27. Child Directed:
The Child’s Preferences Are Used to
Initiate Therapeutic Experiences Within
the Session

28. Sensory Intervention:
 Designed to Stimulate and Challenge All
of the Senses by Engaging the Child in
Activities That Provide Vestibular
(Movement), Proprioceptive (Sense of
Position), and Tactile (Touch)
Stimulation

29. Vestibular:
 Input From Inner
Ear Receptors
 Relationship to
Gravity
 Can Alert or Calm
the Nervous System
 Follow with Tactile
or Proprioceptive
Input

30. Proprioceptive:
 Input From Major
Weight Bearing, Neck
and Jaw
Joints, Tendons, Muscle
s
 Key Roll in Remediation
of Sensory Modulation
Problems
 Provides Sense of Body
Contents, Mass, and
Presence

31. Tactile:
 Input From Skin and
Internal Tissues
 Provides Sense of
Boundaries and
Self/Non-Self
 Establishes Body
Image in
Conjunction With
Proprioception
 Better Accepted
When Self-Imposed

32. Hyposensitivity Vs.
Hypersensitivity
 Hyposensitivity: Children With Lower
Sensitivity. May Be Exposed To Strong
Sensations.
 Hypersensitivity: Children With
Heightened Sensitivity. May Be
Exposed To Peaceful Activities.

33. Examples Of Activities For
Hyposensitive Kids:
Land Activities: Stroking With Brush, Exercise Bikes,
Walking, Trotting/Running, Swinging, Jumping,
Resistive Pushing, Carrying Weights, Back/Shoulder
Rubs, Chores Using Large Muscles, Structured Rough
Housing, Self Applied Vibration, Resistive Sucking,
Chewing, Pressure Sandwiches, Modeling Clay
Manipulation, Finger Painting

34. Examples Of Activities For
Hyposensitive Kids:
Water Activities: Riding the Magic Carpet
(Rapid/Unpredictable), Kicking, Splashing,
Jumping Into Water, Toy Manipulation
(Textured), Squirt Toys

36. Examples Of Activities For
Hypersensitive Kids:
Land Activities: Scents (Natural), Things To
Squeeze or Fidget With, Music, Comfort Sounds
(Birds/Running Water), Mild Vibration, Quiet
Rooms, Soft Colored Lights, Gentle Rocking,
Cover With Blanket, Deep Pressure Activities,
Slow/Deep Breathing, Low Toned Music Bars

37. Examples Of Activities For
Hypersensitive Kids:
Water Activities: Riding the Magic Carpet
(Slow/Rhythmical), Floating on Floatation
Device, Gentle Movement With Action Songs
Sung With Soft Voice, Self-Imposed Toy
Manipulation, Supported Movement Through
Water

39. Precautions:
 Physical
 Environmental
 Interpersonal

40. Physical Precautions:
 Joint Instability
 Postural Instability
 Misaligned Joints
 Painful Joints
 Fragile bones
 Poor Protective Response
 Diminished Sensation

41. Environmental Precautions:
 Visual Stimuli
 Auditory Stimuli
 Touch/Proprioception
 Smells

42. Interpersonal Precautions:
 Avoid Offending Sensory System
 Follow Client’s Lead
 Provide Sensation If It Helps
 Monitor Non-Verbal Communication
 Offer Choices
 Provide Consistency
 Individualize Proximity To Others
 Be Aware Of Unfamiliar People
 Use Appropriate Teaching Styles
 Monitor Tone & Volume Of Voice
 Be Conscious Of Body Language
 Use Appropriate Touch
 Be Predictable
 Use Eye Contact, Facial Expression
 Monitor Hair, Scent, Clothing

43. One Size Does Not Fit All:
 Kids With Sensory Processing Disorder
Have Their Own Unique Set Of Sensory
Responses
 You Must Accommodate Based On How
They Respond

44. Case Study:
 Child With Sensory Registration
Disorder
 CNS Under Responding to Sensory
Stimulation
 Poor Body Awareness
 Difficulty Discriminating Specific
Sensations

45. Activity:
 Child Asked To Draw A Picture Of Herself (A)
 One Week Later Asked To Draw Herself Again (B)

46. Intervention:
 Done Immediately Following Her Drawing of
the Second Picture
 5 Minutes in Duration
 Intervention Included:
 Heavy Muscle Work and Proprioception (Pushing
Against Staff Person)
 Deep Pressure Strokes Down
Extremities, Back, and Head With Body Part
Labeling
 More Pressure and Labeling Done on Left Side Due

47. Activity:
 Asked to Draw Herself Again Immediately After
Intervention

48. Observations:
 Detailed Outline of Self (Including Head, Hair,
Eyes, Mouth, Arms, Hand Fingers, Legs, Foot,
and Bones)
 Colored-In Drawing Indicates Wholeness of
Self
 More Awareness of Body Parts and Their
Position
 Greater Detail On Side That Received Deep
Pressure and Labeling

49. Conclusion:
 5 Minutes of Sensory Input
 Improved Discrimination Between Senses
 Improved Body Part Identification &
Position
 Improved Sense of Self
 Improved Alertness
 Improved Function & Relationships

50. The End:
Questions???