Sensory integration (sometimes called sensory processing) is a vital part of a person’s well-being. The term refers to the process of understanding the world around us through the senses. The brain processes and organizes this information to help us understand our environment. This helps us know what we have to do to navigate it safely and effectively.
For most people, this is an automatic process that develops as we do. However, some children are less able to process and integrate sensory information. This is known as sensory integration disorder or SPD. It can be linked to conditions such as autism and ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder).
Sensory integration and occupational therapy have a close relationship. Occupational therapy is about helping people learn or re-learn everyday activities. This means it can play an important role in helping with sensory issues. Here, therapeutic activities help children react appropriately to stimuli. This enables them to perform everyday tasks with confidence.
In this article, we’re going to learn more about sensory integration. We'll also understand how occupational therapy can help children with SPD.
How Does Sensory Integration Work in the Body?
Sensory integration is the brain's ability to process the information it receives from the senses.
The five basic senses are:
- Touch
- Hearing
- Taste
- Smell
- Sight
You also have three sensory systems:
- The vestibular system. Centered in the inner ear, this system gives us a sense of balance and spatial awareness.
- The proprioception system. This refers to the process where information received from your body's movements helps you make sense of its location.
- The interoception system. This system is about what’s going on inside your body and helps you understand sensations such as hunger and thirst.
This data from all these senses and systems combined allows the brain to understand your experience of the environment.
When this system is working well, a person responds effortlessly and appropriately to sensory triggers. For example, they pull their hand away if they touch something hot or filter out background noise with little effort. During the early years, this process enables children to grow as expected and hit developmental goals.
However, children with sensory integration disorder may process sensory stimuli in unexpected ways. They might get stressed in noisy environments, bump into things, or appear to have a high pain threshold.
These children can benefit from sensory integration therapy to refine their responses to stimuli. To do this, their therapist will create a tailored treatment plan to help them manage these challenges.
What Are the Benefits of Sensory Integration Therapy?
The aim of sensory integration therapy is to improve the symptoms of SPD through targeted activities and exercises. It offers many benefits. The primary aim of sensory integration therapy is to help children learn new ways of processing information from the senses.
As a result, patients understand more about how their senses work and how to regulate information about them. This means that children learn to adapt inappropriate responses and improve essential skills. These changes can be seen on both an emotional and physical level.
These include communicating and interacting with others. For example, a child will find ways to express their likes and dislikes of sensory input in a more appropriate manner. Focus and attention improve. This gives children the chance to absorb more information and enjoy greater success at learning new skills.
Therapy helps to develop motor skills — for example, walking, running, or standing. It can also help children with proprioception so that they have a better sense of their body’s location. This can be of great benefit to children who have a tendency to be clumsy and accidentally injure themselves.
Overall, therapy helps improve the way children affected by SPD process and react to sensory information. This, in turn, helps them respond appropriately to their environment.
How Does Occupational Therapy Address Sensory Issues?
Occupational therapy offers targeted techniques to address a range of sensory issues.
Therapy starts with an assessment of the child to understand their response to sensory inputs. Then, an appropriate program is prescribed with a goal of improving the child’s sensory dysfunction symptoms.
This can include techniques such as stimulating the individual senses. For example, a therapy session may include exploration of the sense of touch through arts and crafts. Here, the child is offered a selection of materials with different textures and encouraged to use them to create a work of art.
Or the therapist may focus on a child’s proprioception system. Activities include playing with a ball or exploring a tunnel to learn where their body is in relation to objects around them. The therapist may prescribe exercises to improve the child’s motor skills. These can include hand therapy and activities to improve hand-to-eye coordination.
Occupational therapists have many tools and techniques available to help children with SPD. Because each child is unique, the therapist will seek to create a personalized program to match their individual needs. This will enable them to set tailored goals to empower the child to reach their full potential.
Why Choose JAG Physical Therapy for Sensory Integration Services?
JAG Physical Therapy offers specialized occupational therapy services for sensory integration issues. Our focus is on building the skills and confidence to enable children to live their fullest lives.
We do this through personalized therapy programs with a holistic approach, considering the child as a “whole person.” This means we take time to assess and understand their unique needs. Once these are identified, we create a unique therapy program with focused goals.
This could include physical exercises to help with movement, balance, or spatial awareness. Or a unique “sensory diet” — a series of physical activities tailored to respond to your child’s specific issues. No two children are the same, so each therapy program is unique and created with care to address your child’s needs.
Transform Lives with JAG Physical Therapy's Sensory Integration Services
If your child is affected by sensory integration issues, why not explore JAG Physical Therapy’s services? Our occupational therapists are here to help your child with a targeted program to build their confidence and skills.
Contact us to learn more about our sensory integration services. Or schedule an appointment for a personalized consultation at one of our locations close to you.