What is Sensory Processing?

In the midst of the Kindermusik Spring, Summer, Fall planning and registration, web-site updating, and TWO weeks of various children in my house with 104 to 105 degree temps, I’ve fallen off the blogging radar.

But, it’s relatively quiet today, so I’m going to begin again. I’ve been wanting to blog about my personal experiences with my sensory-child, but every time I sit down to do so, it produces such a hurt in my heart (thinking of all we’ve been through), that it’s just plain hard to start. However, a recent blog by one of my friends has re-inspired me, so I shall wipe away my tears and just do it.

I thought it would be good to start with a simple explanation of what Sensory Processing (sometimes called Sensory Integration) is.

Sensory Integration is the process where all the parts of your nervous system take in the information detected by your senses (sight, touch, hearing, taste, smell, proprioceptive and vestibular) and organize that information for your use.

When this process happens smoothly, you can climb a ladder, eat a piece of pie, build with blocks, interact well with other people or do a forward roll. (Maybe NOT at the same time, though!) This leads you to be happy, well-adjusted and secure.

Sensory integration is an unconscious process of the brain – we don’t think about it happening. Learning and behavior are the visible aspects of sensory integration. Reading, writing, and math require a great deal of sensory integration, and make very complex demands on the brain. If sensory integration is working well, children learn as we intend them to, and the process of learning is very satisfying to them. (There are other reasons for learning difficulties as well, but good sensory integration is necessary).

All children need sensory input and experiences in order to grow and learn. Sensations are “food for the brain”. They provide the knowledge needed to direct the body and mind.

Behavior problems such as inability to cope with stress or change, negative self-concept, fussiness or not enjoying play with other children or family members can be a result of poor sensory integration. Physical symptoms of poor sensory integration include: hyperactivity (sometime misdiagnosed as ADHD), distractability, poor coordination and muscle tone. Speech and language depends on many sensory integrative processes, so delays in speech and language or articulation problems are often indicators of sensory integration problems.

Research by the Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation indicates that 1 in every 6 children experiences symptoms of Sensory Processing Disorder that are significant enough to affect their ability to participate fully in everyday life.

If you see yourself or your child in these “symptoms”, please don’t panic! Only an Occupational Therapist or like trained professional can properly diagnose Sensory Processing Disorder. And, as Rob’s OT explained to me, everyone is somewhere on the sensory scale. Everyone, at some point, has difficultly processing sensations. Perhaps you don’t like the sound of a shovel scraping against a rock? You don’t like the feel of scratchy clothing tags against your skin? The auditory and physical sensations of taking the cotton out of a vitamin bottle?

-posted by Miss Analiisa, who promises to begin at the start of her journey’s story a bit later this week.