• Autism And Vision -"Kyle And The Ripple Effect"
• Autism College Slide Show: Vision and Deriving Meaning
• Report from Sensory Integration Quarterly.
• Roberto's Story - A Parent's Report.
• Temple Grandin Speaks About Vision Problems in Autism.
• The Role of Optometry in Early Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorders.
• Vision Therapy and the Autistic Child.
• When Children Can't Process Stimuli.

When Children Can’t Process Stimuli

From ABCNEWS.com; Reprinted with Permission.

July 21, 2002 For most children, the exploration of new sights and sounds is exhilarating.

But for 5-year-old Tanner, noise can be painfully overwhelming, setting him off on a temper tantrum. Even his own mother’s touch can be traumatic for him.

 

“There were times when I couldn’t understand how upset he would get,” says his mother, Karen. “It didn’t seem just behavioral to me. It seemed something else was going on.”

 

In fact, there was something else going on. After years of searching for answers, Tanner was diagnosed with Sensory Integration Dysfunction, abbreviated DSI (Dysfunction in Sensory Integration, so as not to be confused with Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, SIDS).

What Is the Condition?

DSI is a complex neurological disorder, manifested by difficulty processing sensations. DSI causes children to process sensation from the environment or from their bodies in an inaccurate way, resulting in “sensory avoiding” patterns. Children with DSI can also have “sensory seeking” patterns or “dyspraxia,” a motor planning problem.

 

Children with sensory seeking patterns do not always process that sensory input is coming in to the brain, so they may seek out more intense or longer duration sensory experiences. Those with sensory avoiding tendencies have nervous systems that feel sensation too easily or too much. They are overly responsive to sensation, so certain sounds and touches may feel painful, making them respond with aggression or withdrawal. Children with dyspraxia have difficulty with fine- and gross-motor skills and trouble with balance.

 

Like Tanner, 6-and-a-half-year-old Emma Reinhardt is overly sensitive to sensation.

“Things that can be just simply annoying to the rest of us, can actually be painful to her,” says her mother, Terri Reinhardt.

 

For example, Emma’s head is extremely sensitive to touch and she finds the sound of running water painful, so washing her hair generally involves kicking, screaming and crying. The size and feel of a bathtub also frightens Emma, so she usually takes a bath in a small bucket in the kitchen. Whenever her brother plays the violin, she screams, and clipping her toenails is an ordeal.

Improving Quality of Life

Though Sensory Integration Dysfunction can often go undetected or be misdiagnosed, it can be treated. Occupational therapy can facilitate the development of the nervous system’s ability to process sensory input in a more normal way.

 

In Emma’s case, an occupational therapist works with her to confront the sensation she fears. To change her reaction to sound, she is encouraged to blow a toy whistle while she swings an activity that calms her. To learn how to cope with her sensitivity to touch, the occupational therapist strokes her arms with brushes.

 

“If we can find these kids early, we can prevent them from losing self-esteem,” says Lucy Miller, Ph.D., an occupational therapist who directs the Sensory Integration Dysfunction Treatment and Research center at The Children’s Hospital in Denver. “We can prevent school failure, we can prevent all kinds of family problems.”

 

While therapy is not a cure, some experts speculate that it may actually change the way the brain experiences sensations, so that the child can begin to respond in a more normal way.

 

For Tanner, such therapy has made all the difference.

 

“Therapy for Tanner has completely given him quality of life back,” his mother says. Her son is happier, has fewer outbursts and gets along better with people.

 

And now the loving touch of his mother no longer leaves Tanner shouting in pain.

 

Q&A: Sensory Integration Dysfunction

What kind of behavior might indicate this condition?

Children with sensory seeking patterns may be hyperactive, unaware of touch or pain, touch others too often, engage in unsafe behaviors, such as climbing too high, or enjoy sounds that are too loud. Those with sensory avoiding behaviors may respond to being touched with aggression or withdrawal, be overly cautious or afraid to try new things, uncomfortable in loud or busy environments, or overly sensitive to smells. With children who have dyspraxia, some behaviors that can be observed are difficulty with fine- and gross-motor skills, clumsy and awkward movements and trouble with balance.

How is Sensory Integration Dysfunction diagnosed?

Sensory Dysfunction is usually diagnosed by an occupational therapist, a speech and language pathologist or by a physical therapist. The primary standardized assessment tool for children ages 4 through 8 who may have learning, behavioral or developmental delays is the Sensory Integration and Praxis Test, which can be administered by a therapist who is SIPT certified. Therapists also use clinical observation and parent-teacher interviews to assess sensory integration dysfunction.

How is Sensory Integration Dysfunction treated?

Occupational Therapy is used to treat the condition, with the goal of enabling children to take part in the normal activities of childhood. For example, therapists may evaluate how a child perceives sensation and how that affects his/her emotions, attention, motor skill or learning abilities. Treatment, which usually occurs in a sensory-enriched gym with tactile, visual, auditory and taste opportunities, can facilitate the development of the nervous system’s ability to process sensory input in a more normal way.