Transcript American Library Association Annual Conference June 25, 2011 Background and Contact Info  Allison LeBouef, LOTR  Pediatric Occupational Therapist  Co-owner of Pediatric.

American Library Association Annual Conference
June 25, 2011
Background and Contact Info
 Allison LeBouef, LOTR
 Pediatric Occupational Therapist
 Co-owner of Pediatric Therapy and Learning Center,
LLC in Lafayette, Louisiana
108 Energy Pkwy, Lafayette, LA 70503
(337)504-4244
[email protected]
www.pediatricTLC.com
Review of Sensory Integration
Theory
 Developed by A. Jean Ayres, PhD
 Initially developed from research on children with
learning disabilities
 Later applied to children with Autism Spectrum
Disorders (ASD)
Review of Senses
 External Senses
 Tactile
 Auditory
 Visual
 Taste and Smell
 Internal Senses
 Proprioception: muscles and joints
 Vestibular: movement, balance, and coordination
Types of Tactile Input
 Alerting Inputs: activates the Autonomic Nervous
System (ANS)/“fight, flight, or fright”
 Light touch:
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feathers
tickling
sand
glue
cotton balls
various fabric textures
Types of Tactile Input (cont)
 Calming Inputs: blocks light touch from activating the
ANS
 Deep pressure:
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hugs
weighted blankets
massage
working putty or play dough
sitting in bucket of beans/rice/dry noodles
Types of Proprioceptive Input
 “Heavy Work”: Use of the muscles and joints during a
resistive activity
 Pushing
 Pulling
 Jumping
 Carrying weighted items
 Result of Heavy Work
 Calming
 Organizing
 Focusing
Types of Vestibular Input
 Generally Calming
 Vertical linear

Pogo stick, trampoline
 Angular
 Playground Swing
 Frontal linear
 Gliders
 Generally Alerting
 Rotational

Spinning
 Orbital
 Merry go round
What Sensory System is disrupted?
 Tactile System
 Increased activity level
 Avoidance of tactile activities
 washing hands or face
 gluing or finger painting
 Fabric textures
 May act out aggressively if touched
 May not be aware of when he is touched
 Poor fine motor skills
 Difficulty manipulating fasteners such as buttons, zippers, etc
 May have an awkward pencil grasp
 Difficulty with scissors
What Sensory System is Disrupted?
(cont)
 Proprioceptive System
 Decreased muscle tone: may appear floppy, lean on
objects when in unsupported sitting

Can also be seen as extreme “double jointedness”, also known
as joint laxity
 Decreased body awareness
 May run into peers
 May fall out of desk
 May be clumsy
 Difficulty grading pressure
 May break things easily
 Often described as a “bull in a china cabinet”
What Sensory System Is Disrupted?
(cont.)
 Vestibular System
 Slumped posture while seated
 Poor balance
 Decreased awareness of the non-preferred side of the body (ex: does not support paper
while writing)
 Has difficulty using eyes together (convergence; may express double vision)
 Avoids movement activities

Dislikes riding in the car or becomes carsick
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Becomes anxious if feet leave the ground
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Avoids playground equipment
 Constantly seeking out movement

Rocking (on legs of chairs; in the seat; etc)

Spinning self
Therapeutic Activities related to
Disruptions in the System functions
Proprioceptive System
 Proprioceptive activities are generally regulating for all three systems
mentioned
**Hint: these are GREAT to do before seated activities!
 Jumping
 Mini-trampoline
 Hop over pillows in modified leap frog
 Jump down from crate or small chair
 Pushing/pulling activities
 Push chairs to edges of the room or place them on the table
 Play “seated” tug of war
 Wall push ups: have students push down walls
 Chair push ups: have students raise themselves off the seat of the chair
 Attach rope to crate of books with fidgets; have student pull the rope to retrieve items
from crate
 Theraband
Therapeutic Activities related to
Disruptions in the System functions
Proprioception (cont)
 Pushing/pulling activities
 Push chairs to edges of the room or place them on the table

Play “seated” tug of war

Wall push ups: have students push down walls

Chair push ups: have students raise themselves off the seat of the
chair

Attach rope to crate of books with fidgets; have student pull the rope
to retrieve items from crate
Therapeutic Activities related to
Disruptions in the System functions
(cont)
 Crawling/Climbing

Crawl through play tunnels

Crawl through lycra tube (available at most fabric stores)

Crawl over pillows of various sizes

Make obstacle course with chairs, tables, pillows
Therapeutic Activities Related to
Disruptions in the System functions
(cont)
 Tactile System
 Use of proprioceptive activities
 Deep pressure

Weighted blankets
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Weighted vests
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Weighted animals
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Bean bags
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Bear Hugs

Wilbarger Brushing Protocol
Therapeutic Activities Related to
Disruption in the System Functions
(cont)
 Vestibular System
 Combination of proprioception and vestibular
***Child must ALWAYS be in control of the amount of
movement provided
 Sit-n-spins

Disc-o-sit or partially inflated beach balls

Theraband
Resources on Sensory Processing
Disorders
What are Sensory Processing Disorders?
 Sensory Integration and the Child: 25th Anniversiary
Edition, by A. Jean Ayres
 The Out of Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with
Sensory Processing Disorder, by Carol Kranowitz and
Lucy Jane Miller
 Sensational Kids: Hope and Help for Children with
Sensory Processing Disorder, by Lucy Jane Miller
 Sensory Integration Theory and Practice, by Bundy,
Lane, and Murray
Resources (cont)
Activities to Assist Children with Sensory Processing
Disorders
 The Out of Sync Child Has Fun: Activities for Kids with
Sensory Processing Disorder, by Carol Kranowitz
 Building Bridges Through Sensory Integration: Therapy for
Children with Autism and other Pervasive Developmental
Disorders, by Paula Aquilla, Shirley Sutton, and Ellen Yack
 Answers to Questions Teachers Ask About Sensory
Integration: Forms, Checklists, and Practical Tools for
Teachers and Parents, by Jane Koomar, Carol Kranowitz,
Stacey Szklut, and Lynn Balzer-Martin
Resources (cont)
Tools to Assist Children with Sensory Processing
Disorders
 www.funandfunction.com
 www.therapyshoppe.com
 www.southpawenterprises.com
 www.integrationscatalog.com
Resources (cont)
Finding a Sensory Integration Therapist
 www.wpspublish.com
 Search SI certified therapist
 www.spdfoundation.net/