Sensory Integration
Understanding Ourselves & How We Work

by Rhona Feldt-Stein, B.Sc. (O.T.) C., Occupational Therapist

Sensory Integration, or ìS.I.î, is the organization of information in the brain which allows us to know where we are in space, how to move around our environment and organize and feel comfortable with our bodies.  The information we receive from our basic senses of: touch, vision, movement, balance, hearing and taste all feed the brain unconsciously so we can respond in an appropriate manner.

There are 3 sensory systems that can be affected by an SI dysfunction:
a) the vestibular system which gives the sensation of movement;
b) the tactile or touch system; and
c) the proprioceptive system which provides information to our brain about where our arms and legs are and how they are working.

The vestibular system automatically coordinates the movement of ones eyes, head and body.  It is the foundation for orientation of the body in relation to the surrounding space.  This system also assists in maintaining muscle tone, holding the head upright and coordinating the two sides of the body.  Difficulties in this area may result in difficulty looking up at the blackboard and down to the paper without losing your place.  You may also have problems with direction, balance, may get overexcited with only small amounts of movement, stand too close to someone and so on.  Some of the research has shown considerable language improvement with vestibular stimulation.

When the proprioceptive system is working well our body position is automatically adjusted to prevent us from falling.  This system provides the information needed to go into our joints so we know how much pressure to use in relation to an activity.  For example, the proprioceptive system helps us judge how high to lift our legs when using the stairs, decide whether to hold objects firmly or lightly, decide how much pressure to use when throwing a ball, and to plan our movements efficiently.

The tactile or touch system plays an important part in protection from danger and feeling safe and
comforted.  It differentiates between kinds of textures, pain and temperature.  Children who do not discriminate touch well may be very distracted by the touch of their clothing.  Some children may stay on the outside of groups to avoid being touched thus decreasing social interactions. These children may also avoid holding objects, or  playing with sand or paint due to extreme over sensitivity to touch.

All of these areas can cause anxiety, distractibility, fearfulness and exaggerated behaviours in children who are experiencing poor sensory processing.

The treatment of these children is as individual as the children themselves.  It is therefore essential that an assessment be performed by a qualified occupational therapist.  The therapist will use standardized and informal assessments and observations which will provide you with a profile of your childís sensory processing abilities and relate these to his/her daily functional activities.  Recommendations for activities that will best suit your childís needs will be provided.  Some of the therapy techniques, however, must be started in a controlled setting using specialized equipment in order to see and judge a childís response.

The following are some activities which can be used to help a child with sensory integration difficulties:
- slow rocking in a rocking chair while reading,
- simple obstacle courses,
- jumping on a rebounder and catching a ball,
- finger painting,
- printing letters in sand,
- kicking a beach ball while swinging at the park, and
- using charts to help organize the sequence of an activity or the day.

No matter what the area of concern is, we must remember that we are all ìsensoryî beings with individual strengths and weaknesses.  We must therefore as professionals and parents work together to maximize our childrenís potential so they can learn to work, play and socialize in harmony with themselves and one another.

Rhona Feldt-Stein is an occupational therapist in private practice in Richmond Hill, Ontario