Treatment for Sensory Processing Problems

Sensory Processing (also referred to as Sensory Integration) is the way the nervous system receives information from the senses about the body and the environment, and uses this information to make appropriate motor and behavioral responses. No matter what activity or task we are doing, accurate information from our senses and efficient processing of that information is needed.

Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is present when sensory signals are not detected, are misinterpreted, or do not get organized into appropriate responses. Children with SPD struggle to “make sense of their senses”, and have difficulty processing and acting on sensory information to relate to others and engage in normal activity. Atypical responses to sensation create problems with motor skills, social skills, behavior, and self-regulation. SPD can affect just one sense or multiple senses, so SPD presents differently for every child.

Children with Sensory Processing problems might experience:

  • motor planning (praxis) and postural challenges
    • clumsiness
    • difficulty imitating actions
    • difficulty completing new and multistep tasks
    • poor posture
  • oversensitivity to input such as clothing, touch, light, sound
  • under-reaction to input, lack of awareness
  • craving for input that cannot be satisfied, continually “on-the-go”
  • strong reactions to food taste, temp, or texture
  • decreased participation in daily life activities
  • internalizing problems (anxiety, depression) – four times more likely
  • externalizing problems (aggression, behavior issues) – three times more likely
  • difficulty functioning at school (academic problems, physical or emotional control)
  • decreased social skills
    • difficulty interacting with peers, or making and keeping friends
    • poor play skills – need help playing constructively, struggle to follow others’ lead
  • difficulty with self-regulation, poor frustration tolerance
  • poor self-concept or self-esteem
Vestibular Processing

Our sense of movement that is received whenever our head position changes or our body moves through space. It provides our sense of equilibrium/balance, helps us to feel secure while moving, and to react quickly when we start to fall.

Proprioception

This sense is obtained through receptors in joints, tendons, and muscles. It provides us with information about where our body is in space, and how it is moving (fast, slow, hard, soft). Proprioception enables us to move safely and use appropriate force for a task.

Tactile Processing

Our sense of touch, which is necessary to identify the boundaries of our own body, and to assist with the brain’s “map” of the body. It is important for exploring the environment and identifying properties of objects that are touched. Appropriate processing of tactile input is also important for developing emotional bonds with others.

Auditory Processing

Our sense of hearing, and our ability to process and respond to sound accurately. We also use sound to inform us about where we are in space.

Visual Processing

Our sense of sight, and how we process light and space, and discriminate between objects. This is also an important sense involved in balance.

Gustatory and Olfactory Processing

Our senses of taste and smell.

Interoception

Our sense of internal body functions, such as hunger, thirst, and fullness of bowel and bladder.

How do we treat Sensory Processing Disorder at Children’s Theraplay?

Therapists at Children’s Theraplay are well-versed in the treatment of Sensory Processing Disorder. Our clinical director, Maggie Lesher, is the only occupational therapist in Minnesota to receive advanced training through intensive Level I and Level II mentorships at the STAR Institute for Sensory Processing Disorder, under the direction of Dr. Lucy Jane Miller, world-renowned author, occupational therapist, and SPD researcher. Three of our therapists are certified in the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT). All of our therapists have ongoing continuing education that centers around sensory processing challenges. Our clinics’ sensory motor gyms meet The Ayres Sensory Integration Fidelity Measures for Physical Space. Therapists tailor treatment plans to the individual child’s sensory, motor, and other needs, focusing on self-regulation and relationship development to support sustained interaction and engagement in activities. Ayres SI principles are applied in specialized therapeutic spaces, creating the “just-right challenge” with a focus on play-based intevention. A bottom-up emphasis on foundation skills is paired with a top-down approach to help children acquire functional skills used in everyday life.

Learn much more about SPD at the STAR Institute for Sensory Processing Disorder!

What does research tell us about Sensory Processing Disorder?

Recent studies show that SPD affects between 1 in 6 and 1 in 20 children, depending on how they are identified. Children may have SPD, or may have SPD in conjunction with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Anxiety Disorder, or other condition. While SPD is not yet identified as a stand-alone medical diagnosis, brain research involving specialized imaging techniques show clear differences in areas of the brian related to tactile (touch) and auditory (sound) processing for children with SPD symptoms. The areas of the brain affected by SPD are not the same as areas affected by ADHD and ASD. Children with SPD symptoms also show significant differences in their physiological responses to sensory input.

See our Resources page for the latest research on Sensory Processing Disorder.