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Sensory Integration Week on BabyShrink
I’m devoting a great deal of time, space and energy on BabyShrink this week to sensory issues in your child’s development. It’s a topic that effects many families around the world, and I think this week you’ll find some great tips to try out with your own kids (and maybe even yourselves).
Young children are a work in progress, neurologically. New connections are made every day, connecting the body and bodily sensations with the brain. Sight, sound, smell, touch, taste, the vestibular sense (the sensation of the body’s position in space) — all of these sensations are bombarding your child’s brain with new information. How can the brain sort it all out? How can the brain “filter in” and “filter out” certain information? For instance, in a noisy room, how can your child pick out YOUR voice, when he’s hearing several? It’s a complicated neurological process that develops slowly, throughout childhood.
Children differ in how they process sensory information. They can be over- or under-sensitive in any (or several) of the senses. This can be overwhelming for the child and result in frustration and behavioral problems.
Our Children, Ourselves
I don’t know about you, but I certainly have my own sensory preferences. If there’s a lot of background noise, I find myself extra-tired at the end of the day. Conversely, my husband likes background noise and is calmed by having the TV on while we sleep. (I hate it!) These are normal variations in temperament and biological constitution. We all have our preferences. If we understand those preferences in our children, and ourselves, we can work with them better and have more comfortable lives.
Some children have sensory differences that are stronger than usual. Occupational therapists, specially trained in pediatrics and sensory issues, can be extremely helpful with detecting what those differences are and what to do about them.
Questioning the Legitimacy of Sensory Integration
There is some controversy over whether sensory integration issues are “legitimate”, from a medical standpoint. Many pediatricians will dismiss the topic as unfounded or irrelevant. Studies are ongoing as to the efficacy of treatment approaches. But while these studies continue, many parents are finding these approaches extremely helpful. In my practice, I have seen exceptional progress made in cases with sensory issues, and I work closely with OTs who provide invaluable assistance to families. I do often recommend that an OT conduct an evaluation of a child with behavioral difficulties.
An Important Topic for BabyShrink Readers
Many of BabyShrink’s regular readers work with OTs and find the exercises extremely helpful for their kids. I have learned a great deal about myself and my family’s sensory preferences, and I have modified things in our everyday lives to maximize what I have learned. It works for us! (But of course, your child’s pediatrician should be involved and consulted at every stage of the process.)
It should be an interesting week on BabyShrink. As always, your participation in the discussion is welcome.
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- Jul 19, 2008: babyshrink.com » Blog Archive » Can Dad Decide the Color of Baby’s Room?
Well, I do believe I showed up to your site just in time (two weeks ago). Tomorrow, I’m taking my daughter (almost 4) to an OT for a second evaluation for sensory and feeding issues. We started working with professionals just after she turned 2, but it took a long time to get there. I’m interested to hear about any developments in sensory integration treatment methods, establishing its legitimacy, and long-term prognosis.
HI AMY,
Do you mind telling our readers a bit more about what made you seek an OT eval. in the first place? What were your concerns about your daughter, specifically? I’d like more people to understand this in “Mom’s Terms”, as opposed to the clinical language I sometimes slip into. And then over the course of the week we’ll all learn more about this complex…but IMPORTANT subject. Thanks!
I think this is more than just causal and intermittent. I’ve noticed in my own daughter that stimulus makes a huge difference. It happens to all of us. I know when I was in college, I couldn’t study AT ALL if the radio or TV was on. I know women are supposed to better multi-tasking, but it just tends to overwhelm me.
I don’t think our kids are any different. And I think it’s SO important to know how each of your children reacts to stimulus. This is SO important to helping parents find the center with their child and know what does and doesn’t work to create an environment that helps them cope.
I am SO passing on this information to amalah.com. She has an adorable WONDERFUL child with sensory problems.
Please give your input parents with this issue… I think it could really help ALL parents!
KATIE KAT:
I’m counting on parents like you to help me get the word out; this is a complex issue, but SO SO important to all of us! I predict that one day, some of the simple exercises prescribed by OTs will be standard things that we will all learn to do, as parents.
DGM and I are busily editing the interview with Nancy Peske of RAISING A SENSORY SMART CHILD; it should be up SOON! She has really valuable experience and suggestions for us all. Check out her book or website for a preview, I’m posting the link here:
http://www.sensorysmarts.com
Sorry it took so long to get back! The eval was today, and it was exactly what we needed, though it stressed my daughter out for the remainder of the day. I will try to keep this focused and brief, but it likely won’t be. Sorry!
My daughter (4 years in June) was born at 35 weeks, weighed 3.5 lbs. She had feeding problems from the get go, but they really surfaced when we introduced solids. At 16 months old, she was still on purees while her daycare buddies were eating chunks of broccoli and chicken. This severe preference for only crunchy foods or completely smooth liquids (NO fruit chunks in the smoothie, PLEASE!) continues to this day. The work to help her expand her diet has been tough. For instance, it has taken almost two years to add chicken nuggets and french fries to her diet. It took all of last summer before she’d eat any shape of pretzel other than the square grid kind.
Her reactions tend toward anxiety and panic (including projectile vomiting), so we started working with a clinician who specializes in infant/child mental health almost two years ago. We worked on coping skills, which has helped my daughter tolerate the sight of food on the table and in front of her. We also worked on helping her get okay with the sight and/or touch of spills or messy things.
Last summer we had an eval for Sensory Integration, which came back mixed. She doesn’t land squarely in that group, but she definitely scored borderline in the tactile, proprioceptive, and vestibular categories. She also showed a delay in Gross Motor Development. Following that, we worked with our clinician on improving her sensory diet at home, and that helped, but not enough.
Today’s eval was primarily for feeding issues. Her Gross Motor Delay isn’t really a delay, as much as she has Motor Planning problems. She also has - and I don’t know how we missed this - a significant Oral Motor Delay. We start work with the OT this week, and after watching my daughter interact with this OT, I’m hopeful we’ll see some results.
What is hard about watching your child struggle with something sensory is, of course, watching them struggle and lag behind their peers. What is equally as hard is dealing with how far behind society is lagging on this issue. Even my husband doesn’t believe sensory integration (or even milder sensory issues) exists. My family thinks I’m a sucker who is getting walked on and ruled by my daughter and that ultimately I’m to blame for any existing problems.
Can you imagine what my family thinks when we show up to Thanksgiving dinner with food packed for my 3.5 year old? And that all of that food is either liquid or, essentially, kibble - cereal, crackers, pretzels? It is disheartening at the least to spend the meal running interference so my daughter can eat without hearing a running criticism of her diet throughout.