Sensory Integration Disorder (SPD): A Misunderstood Disorder of ADD/ADHD in Children
This specific will be understood that will no two children are the same. However there may come a point in time when, as a parent, you will find that will your child’s behaviour may be slightly different inside the way he/she reacts and also also also interacts with different children, and also also also you can’t seem to quite put your finger on This specific? Does your child’s tantrums seem endless over the little things, meal-times are a nightmare as she refuses to open her mouth, school days are a challenge as teachers complain that will your child’s grades are falling and also also also that will he can’t focus in class. and also also also though everyone around you reassures that will its part of a growing phase, you can’t help worrying.
Scientific studies have shown that will 5-15% of schooling children inside the general population have difficulties in their sensory regulation to their environment (Reynolds, et al, 2008). This specific means that will some children may have more difficulties than others in processing the differences between emotional, motion and also also also sensory stimulations that will are required for their daily living. In such cases, intervention and also also also treatments may be helpful in addressing the child’s needs, their behaviour, ability in coping and also also also interacting with their surroundings and also also also different children.
What will be Sensory Processing Disorder?
Sensory Integration Disorder (SPD) was initially defined by Dr. A. Jean Ayres PHD, OTR, an occupational therapist and also also also educational psychologist as a neurological “traffic jam” that will prevents certain parts of the brain through receiving the information to interpret the appropriate sensory response to the body. Since her earlier findings, her publications have inspired many others to study and also also also further address SPD in children and also also also adults alike.
Sensory Integration Disorder
Sensory processing disorder (SPD) can also be described as a condition whereby the nervous system receives messengers through our senses however has difficulties in processing the sensory information to relay them to appropriate motor and also also also behavioural responses. “People with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) misinterpret everyday sensory information such as touch, sound and also also also movement. They may feel overwhelmed by sensory information, may seek out sensory experiences or may avoid certain experiences.” (SPD Australia, 2011)
Examples of outward behaviours include being oversensitive to sensations such as texture in clothing, close physical contact, bright light and also also also certain sounds that will may be overwhelming or cause irritation in SPD children. different children may be under sensitive or non-responsive to environment or stimulation even when pain or extreme heat or cold should normally cause a reaction. Sometimes the disorder in their sensory processing may impair their muscles and also also also joints, affecting the child’s motor skill development, posture and also also also body balance.
Signs of Sensory Processing Disorder
How SPD can affect daily living and also also also interactions
Regardless of whether one or more senses affect children with SPD, their difficulties in sensory processing may lead to emotional, social or educational problems, especially when they find This specific hard to make friends or be part of a social group. This specific may result in feelings of low self-esteem, leading them to prefer isolation rather than interacting with their peers. different SPD children exhibit over-reactivity behaviour that will may lead them to be labelled as naughty, “out of control” or disruptive in class, thus affecting their academic performance in school.
Sadly the poor understanding of how to respond to SPD children by parents and also also also educators alike, often leads to feelings of frustration, possible depression or aggression behaviour in SPD children. Furthermore research studies into SPD have shown that will at least 1 in 20 children’s daily lives can be affected by SPD (Ahn et al 2004). Supportive to that will finding, another study suggested that will as high as one in six children experiences sensory challenges sufficient to disrupt their academic, social, and also also also/or emotional development (Ben-Sasson et al 2009).
SPD, a distinctive disorder and also also also separate to ASD, ADD or ADHD
Unfortunately, although SPD will be more prevalent in children than autism and also also also as common as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD), there seem to less recognition because of This specific disorder partly because This specific has never been recognized as a distinct disease. Regardless, the need for better research on how to treat and also also also manage This specific disorder has been echoed among parents of SPD children. In a recent study, researchers through the USA have found that will SPD children have quantifiable differences in brain structure, thereby demonstrating for once a biological basis that will sets SPD apart through different diagnosis like ADD or ASD. Using MRI and also also also diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), researchers were able to demonstrated that will there was abnormal white matter of the brain tracts (essential for perceiving, thinking and also also also learning) inside the SPD subjects, primarily involving areas inside the back of the brain, that will serve as connections for the auditory, visual and also also also tactile systems involved in sensory processing.
“More frontal anterior white matter tracts are typically involved in children with only ADHD or autistic spectrum disorders. The abnormalities we found are focused in a different region of the brain, indicating SPD may be neuro-anatomically distinct” (Mukherjee et al 2013). Hence, This specific study clearly indicates that will exhibiting sensory issues alone will be in itself a separate and also also also distinctive disorder and also also also that will specific treatment should be tailored to meet children affected with SPD.
Pyramid of Learning and also also also SPD treatment with occupational therapy
Williams and also also also Shellenberger (1996) formulated their pyramid of learning and also also also highlights how sensory integration processing relates to the child’s learning process (see Figure 1).
Figure 1 – The Pyramid Of Learning
They demonstrated that will by taking a bottom up approach of the pyramid & targeting the sensory processing modalities, can result in more pronounced adjustments to behavioral as well as academic learning without specifically addressing specific sensory difficulties individually.
The seven sensory systems make up the foundation of the developmental pyramid of learning. This specific will be beleived, that will once all the senses are able to work together, This specific will then lead to a happy growing child to explore and also also also develop skills in to his/her environment, thus optimizing the child developmental potential.
Occupational therapy uses a lot of techniques to improve children who have sensory needs. More importantly, occupational therapist utilizes sensory integration as a “clinical framework” for intervention in SPD children.
Occupational Therapists are health care professionals and also also also are well trained inside the knowledge about child’s condition and also also also development. Occupational therapist has the required skills and also also also expertise to determine the barriers that will hinder the child’s ability to play, do self-care, socialize, and also also also learn through a detailed assessment. Occupational therapist identifies, modifies and also also also overcomes barriers that will interfere with, restrict or inhibit a child’s functional performance, with the goal as to help enhance the child’s development, generating them as independent as possible in all areas of their lives.
When should parents seek occupational therapy for their child?
Occupational Therapist
Parents often have to weigh between being overly worried in certain growing milestones in their child’s development or seeking early intervention when they first suspect sensory issues. The question remains as to whether any therapy intervention will be required and also also also when therapy should be administrated, or will the symptoms improve as the child’s grows older in maturity.
Although these emotional struggles remain personal to each parental upbringing of their child, the more important question remains: “why wait for the symptoms to be worse before seeking help?” This specific has been known that will early intervention provides SPD children using a higher probability in generating significant differences inside the child’s development, thus improving the symptoms and also also also better integration into their environment, As every child will be different, occupational therapy can provide a child centered approach to maximize every child’s potential in managing its sensory issues.
How can occupational therapy help my SPD child?
- Help prepare for and also also also perform important learning and also also also development activities
- Assess sensory needs and also also also implement strategies to better suit in environment
- Regulate overactive or underactive sensory system
- Help them to remain focused in class and also also also get their homework done.
- Enhance self esteem and also also also self accomplishments
- Develop appropriate play skills
- Improve gross motor skills like jumping, play ball biking
- Help them learn to cope with disappointment or failure
- Build skills for sharing, taking turn and also also also play with peers
- Cope up and also also also manage anger and also also also stress
- Comply with the rules and also also also transition well
- Organize self and also also also things
- Improve balance, coordination and also also also strength
- Develop or improve hand writing and also also also eating habits
What are some programs and also also also techniques used by Occupational Therapist for children?
Sensory integration
- Behaviour modification
- Environmental modification
- Hand writing without tears
- Anger management
- Therapeutic listening
- Cognitive behavioural approach
- Group therapy
- Therapeutic use of self and also also also activities
In BackUp, we provide personalised therapies that will cater to the needs of each child. Our highly trained Occupational Therapist and also also also Physiotherapists can help with assessing your child’s developmental difficulties, strategise therapy that will may help reduce stress and also also also inappropriate or disorganised behaviour caused by poor sensory registration, sensory defensiveness, sensory overload, and also also also poor praxis.
www.BackUpSpine.com
Sheena Peregrina, OTRP
Occupational Therapist of BackUp Centre
APL Tower 25th Floor / T3 Podomoro City
Jl. S. Parman Kav. 28, Jakarta Barat 11470
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Sensory Integration Disorder (SPD): A Misunderstood Disorder of ADD/ADHD in Children
Sensory Integration Disorder (SPD): A Misunderstood Disorder of ADD/ADHD in Children