Understanding Sensory Processing - Occupational Therapy Activity Ideas and Programme for pupils Information is taken in through our sensory systems and processed. This begins to develop our understanding about the world and how we relate and integrate within it. We have seven sensory systems through which information about our self and the environment is obtained; Vision Hearing (auditory) Taste (gustatory) Smell (olfactory) Proprioception (body awareness) arises from receptors in our muscles and joints Vestibular sense (movement) - responds to changes in head position and movement through space. Arises from receptors in our inner ears. Tactile (touch) - arises from receptors layered in our skin Sensory information is received from our body and surroundings and interpreted in the brain to make the body effective within its environment. The brains ability to combine and organize all this incoming information, and respond effectively is called sensory integration. We use and manipulate sensory experiences not only to further develop our motor skills but to maintain or change our alertness or level of arousal. Our responses will depend on our developmental history and our ability to regulate our arousal and attention. Difficulty using and processing this information may make it challenging for a person to selfregulate and control their arousal level. Sometimes too much information can be taken in and not filtered; at other times too little. Children with difficulties with sensory processing can be over-responsive or underresponsive to sensory information. Sensory Processing Disorders may include problems with motor coordination, discrimination and/or sensory modulation. Each child has a unique set of sensory needs. Generally, a child whose nervous system is on high trigger/too wired / fight / flight needs more calming input, while the child who is more sluggish/too tired / or in freeze needs more arousing input. The great news is that the effects of a sensory diet are usually immediate AND cumulative. Activities that perk up your child or calm him down are not only effective in the moment; they actually help to restructure your child s nervous system over time so that he is better able to: tolerate sensations and situations he finds challenging regulate his alertness and increase attention span limit sensory seeking and sensory avoiding behaviors handle transitions with less stress General strategies may be implemented within daily routines including the classroom; overall benefitting learning. If there are more complex sensory attachment difficulties which are having an impact of your child s ability to participate in every- day life then further assessment from a sensory attachment approach may be required. Intervention and a more specific individualized program may be provided by the Occupational Therapist. Page 1
Sensory Activity Ideas. Calming and Regulating Activities. Proprioception is one of our body s senses. Just as our eyes and ears send information about what we see and hear to the brain, parts of our muscles and joints sense the position of our body and send these messages to the brain as well. We depend on this information to know exactly where our body parts are and to plan our movements. Proprioception also has a calming & regulating effect on our central nervous systems. Proprioception is achieved from active use of the muscles e.g. pulling, pushing, and carrying. It is also obtained from active movement (that is propelled by child) e.g. running, climbing, jumping. Try to incorporate proprioceptive activities regularly during the school day e.g. before a table top or sedentary activity. Table/ Wall pushes (these are good to do within class) Hanging from a pull up bar Carrying a box or bag (heavy) of toys or work for next activity Moving/Chair, rearranging furniture. Sitting on an air cushion e.g. Movin Sit Cushion or therapy ball. Pushing/pulling boxes with heavier items in (you could make box into a car or ship with rope to pull along) Riding vehicles e.g. tricycles, bicycles & scooters Jumping on trampette (could have in corner of classroom or soft area). trampolines Sitting bouncing on therapy ball with feet flat on the floor and/or support from adults at hips Using a space hopper Using playground equipment such as swings and climbing frames Swimming. Gardening. For older children gym work, rock climbing, martial arts, boxing. Tug of war (can be done in sitting or high kneeling) Calming Sensory Ideas. Some touch sensations have a calming effect on our sensory systems. Deep touch or deep pressure tends to be calming; light touch tends to be alerting or excitatory. Page 2
Deep pressure - Lay the child on his tummy on a soft surface, e.g. the carpet or a mat, and place a large cushion/ bean bag/ therapy ball or therapy roll, on top of the child. Press the cushion etc. firmly down over the child, applying deep even pressure all over body parts. - Let child apply deep pressure to self by squeezing a soft stress ball or similar squidgy toy! Swaddling - Roll or wrap a child in a soft towel, blanket or mat very snugly (do not cover the face) for as long as the child will tolerate. Gradually increase the time the child will tolerate being wrapped This can be made to be a game called hot dogs in which the child is the hot dog wrapped in a roll and condiments can be added such as sauces and onions. Talk quietly to the child whilst patting and squeezing him firmly over his arms, legs and body. Encourage the child to close his eyes to induce relaxation. Soothing music can be played in the background or the room can be very quiet. Wearing a backpack with some weight to it or using a Bear Hug Jacket - will give the child deep pressure sensation and can be worn to give the child additional sensory information whilst a child is working. Make a sandwich out of your child between couch cushions. Gently add pressure as you pretend to put on pickles, cheese etc. Vibration can help relax some children. There are cushions available that vibrate when squeezed or hand held massagers. Vibration may produce a calm/quiet and even sleepy state after several minutes of use. Please note that it is important that the child is able to control the amount of vibration that they receive in order to avoid discomfort. Gentle slow swinging or rocking movements in a comfortable position such as on a therapy ball/ swing/ rocking in a chair or sitting on the floor in long sitting can induce a nice calming response. Calming Environment - Having a safe space a quiet space where a child can go to calm and have some time out to regulate. (sometimes tents and screened areas are used. - Lying in a ball pool buried under the balls (keep head free) can also induce relaxation for some children. (There are bean bags and duvets available which use the same principle as ball pools). - Quiet, soothing music, such as relaxation tapes that are commercially available may also be helpful, e.g. Relax Kids available from www.relaxkids.com - Certain aromatherapy oils can also induce calmness when used with appropriate advice. Foods and drink. dried fruit (mango is best as it provides the most resistance), Page 3
Yoghurt drinks or smoothies with a straw or in tubes/pouches). Warm toast with fresh bread and sweet topping is calming and comforting. Peeling oranges, or make a hole at the top and squeeze and squash juice out Freeze juice bottles in summer so child has to squeeze and suck the ice as it melts Allow child to chew gum, eat chewy or crunchy foods Drink thick liquids (thick milkshake, smoothies or yoghurt drinks) through a straw. The thickness of the straw and the thickness of the liquid can be varied to change the degree of heavy work required. Sports bottles provided sucking resistance. Alerting Sensory Activity Ideas For children who need more sensory stimulation to wake up their system use more active proprioceptive activity ideas. Movement (vestibular sensation) can help to raise a child s level of arousal or alertness. Make sure that the child is in control and as active as possible, Some children benefit from lots of other sensory stimulation e.g. noise and visual stimuli, where as other find this overwhelming. Observe and monitor the child to see what helps or doesn t. N.B All activities should be as child led as possible so they are in control of the sensory input they receive. Encourage choices & stop an activity if the child doesn t like it. Activities could include. Bouncing on a trampoline. Jumping/ working against gravity. Crunchy strong tasting foods. Climbing running Movement breaks, message to office, moving furniture, setting up the lunch hall, PE. It is essential that regulating activities are integrated into the school day at regular intervals. There are not rewards and should be regular according to need. The sensory time table demonstrates how this can be done. Page 4
Sensory Timetable Please see below an example of how activities can be incorporated into a school day. Time Before school. First Session. Five minutes breaks structured periodically within this session. Play time. Observe behaviour when returning from play. Use calming activities as he comes in. Second Session. Five minutes breaks structured periodically within this session. LUNCH Encourage calming activities as he comes in. Sessions after lunch. Same structure should be encouraged for the afternoon sessions. During PE. (see attached booklet)/ Activity Ideas (See attached booklets for further ideas). A hanging bar, ball to sit on whilst having breakfast. Walking hands over ball. Trampoline/trampette Wearing a back pack to school. Chewy food are regulating, (hot toast, bread, dried fruits etc) Sucking on a water bottle, tubes of yoghurt or fruit. Books to the office Draws from tray. Chair press ups Movement breaks. Use of proprioceptive snacks and drinks, chewy and sucky foods such as bread dry fruit etc are regulating. Please see attached booklet. Use traction; (anything that is pulling pushing), tug of war, chair/ wall press ups. Stress ball in pocket Theraputty. Regular movement breaks when in table top activity (see above and in booklet). If fidgety try a move and sit cushion, or bunji rope or theraband (enclosed) around legs of the chair Use of proprioceptive snacks and drinks, chewy and sucky foods such as bread dry fruit etc are regulating. Please see attached booklet. Use traction; (anything that is pulling pushing), tug of war, chair/ wall press ups. Theraputty. Message to the office Draws from tray. Chair press ups Movement breaks. Encourage climbing, hanging off equipment, swinging. Activities which include movement and planning, dance, ball skills etc. Home time. Have a set routine with some regulating activities included. Wearing a back pack home Chewy food regulate have snacks wither on way home or as get through the door, (hot toast, bread, dried fruits etc) A hanging bar, ball to sit on whilst watching TV. Walking hands over ball. Trampoline/trampette, yoga, This is a working program. Please monitor s behaviour before and after the activity. And make a note of patterns. Page 5