Understanding Sensory Modulation

pinkoddy

12 years ago

We receive lots of information through all our senses. They tell us what we can hear, feel, see, smell, which way up we are and movement. We then filter out which bits of information we need to make sense of things, and to tell us how to behave. Sometimes we all can struggle with this – such as someone tapping a pen whilst we listen to someone else. But people with sensory integration disorder (or sensory processing disorder) have trouble registering and organising the information, making it difficult for them to learn and function in the World.

There are times when the child is over aroused and needs calming down, or maybe the child is too calm and needs arousing, and it is also normal to switch between the two.

Calming

Oral

Chewing on hard sweets e.g. as wine gums
Sucking on hard sweets
Crunchy and chewy foods e.g. pop corn, cut up hard vegetables
Blowing bubbles
Sucking thick liquids through a straw (e.g. milkshake)

Proprioception

“Heavy Work” meaning input to muscles, tendons and joints
Wheel barrow walking, monkey bars, climbing frames, pulling and pushing furniture, carrying heavy equipment, tug-o-war, digging in the sand pit or garden
Cleaning the black board

Touch / Tactile

Fidgeting or squeezing play dough, putty, stress balls
Deep pressure tactile input through firm prolonged touch to the body especially around the shoulders, chest and hips
“Hot Dog” game – wrap up in a blanket and “squash”, deep “bear hug” or massage
Warm bath or wrapping up in a warm blanket
Playing with resistive equipment such as play dough or clay