SENSORY PROCESSING

STRATEGIES AND INFORMATION

HOW TO FIX YOUR STUDENTS ATTENTION & BEHAVIOR

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L
PROBLEMS BY MEETING THEIR SENSORY NEED
 OBJECTIVES

1. PLAN SPECIFIC ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES TO ACCOMMODATE SPD IN

STUDENTS
2. RELATE BASIC STRATEGIES TO PROVIDE OPTIMAL SENSORY INPUT
3. RECOGNIZE SIGNS OF SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER IN STUDENTS

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L

 SENSORY SYSTEMS

AUTONOMIC NERVOUS
SYSTEM Heart rate
SYMPATHETIC Respiration and blood
PARASYMPATHETIC pressure
Muscle activation
Environmental awareness
Sweating
Pupil dilation

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L

 SENSORY SYSTEMS

Self regulatory balancing system: Allows the infant to balance other subsystems
and calm themselves
First seen at 32-36 weeks of gestational age.
Common infant calming behaviors:
Hand to mouth Foot clasping
Grasping
Hand clasping Trunk tucking
Sucking
Foot bracing
Turning away from visual stimuli
Falling asleep/shutting off the environmental stimuli Staring

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L

 SENSORY SYSTEMS

SOMATOSENSORY SYSTEM
5 REGULAR SENSES
TACTILE, AUDITORY, VISUAL, GUSTATORY, OLFACTORY
2 INTERNAL SENSES
PROPRIOCEPTION, VESTIBULAR

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L

 Low High
Response
Poor Sensation Seeking
Hig Registration
-Enjoy and generate extra
h sensory input for themselves
-Notice sensory stimuli
much less than others; -Continuously engaging and
Threshold -Seem uninterested, self excitable
absorbed and miss cues -Interventions provide
-Interventions increase more opportunities for the
the intensity of desired sensory input
sensory input

Sensitivity to Sensation Avoiding

Stimuli
-Bothered by input
-Detect more input more than others
than others -Engage in
Low -Appear distractible, behaviors to limit the sensory
hyperactive and can be input, Rituals provide a
Richard Hagen, MOTR/L
complainers familiar sensory input and
-Interventions provide limits unfamiliar input
structured input -Interventions decrease input
 SENSORY DISORDER POSTULATES

1. Learning is dependent on the ability to take in and process sensation and

use it to plan and organize behavior
2. Individuals who have a decreased ability to process sensation also may
have difficulty producing appropriate actions, which, in turn, may interfere
with learning and behavior.
3. Enhanced sensation improves the ability to process sensation, thereby
enhancing learning and behavior.

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L

 TACTILE
EXPERIENTIAL
DESCRIPTIVE:
TOUCH, SKIN IS LARGEST TACTILE RECEPTOR. BEGINS IN UTERO
1. PROTECTIVE
1. FIRST SENSORY SYSTEM TO BECOME FUNCTIONAL IN FETUS AND MOST MATURE SENSORY
SYSTEM AT BIRTH
2. DISCRIMINATIVE/EXPLORATORY
1. WHAT IS THE EARLIEST TACTILE DISCRIMINATOR IN THE INFANT?
2. WHERE ON THE BODY IS THE HIGHEST DENSITY OF DISCRIMINATIVE RECEPTORS IN BODY

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L

 SIGNS OF TACTILE DYSFUNCTION
HYPERSENSITIVE (AVOIDING): (TACTILE DEFENSIVENESS)
Demonstrates excessive emotional reactions or behavioral problems to being touched
(aggressive after unexpected or light touch)
Drying at bath time, Diaper changes, Clothing changes
Prefers smooth, hard objects
Dislikes messy hands, doesn't play in food as an infant
Oversensitive pain response to normal bumps or falls, Over reacts to light touch, e.g., breath
on neck
Doesn't mouth toys to explore
Attempts to escape situations that impose tactile input
Motor withdrawal, arching, angry, waving arms/legs
Eats only certain textures, Accepts liquid from only certain nipple, Accepts only a certain
shape, firmness of pacifier
Avoids crowded groups for fear of accidental physical contact
Richard Hagen, MOTR/L
 SIGNS OF TACTILE DYSFUNCTION

HYPOSENSITIVE (SEEKING)
Lacks normal response to pain (under processing of tactile information)
Excessive tactile seeking behaviors, continues to mouth after 2 years Overstuffs
mouth
Unable to locate touched or lightly touched area quickly (without vision)

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L

 TACTILE INTERVENTION

INTERVENTION
PROVIDE ENJOYABLE TACTILE SENSORY EXPERIENCES (CHILD-DIRECTED)
DEEP PRESSURE (BLANKETS, SANDWICH)
SENSORY INTEGRATION TRAINING

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L

 AUDITORY

EXPERIENTIAL
AUDITORY FULL

AUDITORY ISOLATED

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 AUDITORY

DESCRIPTIVE
Auditory sensory processing begins in utero. By the second trimester, the fetus
may respond to an external sound. The initial responses are avoidance reactions.
Avoidance responses decrease as the auditory system develops. Sensory
structures are fully developed at 20 weeks post conception.

Auditory stimuli can cause an actual physiologic response

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L

 SIGNS OF AUDITORY DYSFUNCTION

HYPERSENSITIVE (AVOIDING): (AUDITORY SENSORY DEFENSIVENESS)

Distracted by more than one noise
Covers ears to certain sounds Cries to sounds
Avoids parties, groups of people, because of noise Increased activity level to noisy
environment

HYPOSENSITIVE (SEEKING)
Delayed response to verbal requests
Seeks loud vibratory noises
Under responds to noises
Makes a variety of unusual noises
Richard Hagen, MOTR/L
 AUDITORY INTERVENTION

INTERVENTION
No reliable intervention (evidence has shown Auditory Integration Training-AIT- to
be ineffective and not recommended by ASHA, AAA, AAP, EAA)
Mostly environmental adaptations (headphones, etc), reduce noise (especially
unpleasant to child) replace with soft, soothing (gentle rhythm, relaxing)
Richard Hagen, MOTR/L
 VISUAL

EXPERIENTIAL

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 VISUAL

EXPERIENTIAL

OVERLOADED

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Richard Hagen, MOTR/L
 VISUAL

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 VISUAL

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 VISUAL

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 VISUAL

DESCRIPTIVE
Most of the eye structures are developed before 28 weeks post conception.
*Visual sensory processing interacts with the vestibular system closely.
The least mature sensory system at birth.

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L

 SIGNS OF VISUAL DYSFUNCTION

HYPERSENSITIVE (AVOIDING)
Squints frequently
Prefers dark to normal room illumination
Easily overstimulated to complex visual stimuli

HYPOSENSITIVE (SEEKING)
Lacks interest in books after 12 months
Doesn't appear to follow people after 6 months
Can't concentrate easily, overstimulated to visual input
Can't point to objects or PICTURES ON PAGES OF BOOKS

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L

 VISUAL INTERVENTIONS

INTERVENTION
IDENTIFY PROBLEM, ADAPTATIONS (REDUCE CLUTTER, ETC)

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 PROPRIOCEPTIVE

EXPERIENTIAL
DESCRIPTIVE
Body position in space
Proprioception is important for refining movement patterns, speed, timing, and
accuracy. It is the basis for motor memory, and is critical to motor planning.
The vestibular and proprioceptive systems work closely together, input is rarely
able to be separated.
Labyrinthine head righting, moro response, and fractional responses occur from
vestibular and proprioceptive input.

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L
Richard Hagen, MOTR/L
 SIGNS OF PROPRIOCEPTIVE DYSFUNCTION

HYPERSENSITIVE (AVOIDING)
Avoids weight bearing activities
Fists or hyperextends fingers in crawling or weight bearing activities Rocks back on heels in standing
Toe walkers

HYPOSENSITIVE (SEEKING)
Head banging
Excessive jumping
Crashing into objects and people
Excessive force when using tools, pencils, crayons
Assumes body positions that place joints in extreme ends of motion, e.g..extreme hip internal or external
rotation in sit or stand, W sitting, frog sitting

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L

 PROPRIOCEPTIVE INTERVENTIONS

INTERVENTION
HEAVY WORK
ALSO CAN BE IN TEETH (CHEWING)
JOINT COMPRESSION
WILBARGER PROTOCOL
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 PROPRIOCEPTIVE INTERVENTION

HEAVY WORK
SENSORY IDEAS LIST
HEAVY WORK ACTIVITIES (PRINTOUT FOR TEACHERS).DOCX

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L
 VESTIBULAR
EXPERIENTIAL
DESCRIPTIVE
EQUILIBRIUM, MOVEMENT, POSITION
SEMICIRCULAR CANALS IN EAR

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L

 SIGNS OF VESTIBULAR DYSFUNCTION
HYPERSENSITIVE (AVOIDING)
Prefers sedentary tasks; moves slowly
and cautiously; avoids taking risks
Afraid of heights, even the height of a
curb or step
Fearful of feet leaving the ground,
walking on stairs or uneven surfaces
Loses balance easily and may appear
clumsy
Avoids rapid, sudden or rotating
movements
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Avoids being held in certain
positions
Avoids play equipment that
challenges balance
Dislikes/expresses distress
reactions to changes in head/trunk
position
Dislikes swinging, roughhousing,
riding in car, riding on escalator or
elevator
Demonstrates autonomic nervous
system responses to movement,
 SIGNS OF VESTIBULAR DYSFUNCTION
HYPOSENSITIVE (SEEKING)
Inability to sit still and has a tendency to rock ones body or
shake ones leg while sitting
Likes fast, spinning and/or intense movements like
being tossed in the air
Is always jumping on furniture, trampolines, spinning or
getting into upside-down positions
Is always running, jumping, hopping, etc., instead of walking
Likes sudden or quick movements

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L

 VESTIBULAR INTERVENTIONS
Avoiding:

Seeking:

INTERVENTION
HYPERSENSITIVE (AVOIDING)
Slow swinging, slow rolling on therapy ball, Balance activities, trampoline (up & down), rocking
chair (slow, repetitive, rhythmic movements), Firm pressure (hugs, compression)
HYPOSENSITIVE (SEEKING)
OBSTACLE COURSE
RIDE BIKE
SPIN
TRAMPOLINE
Richard Hagen, MOTR/L
SWINGS
 ENVIRONMENTAL STIMULI
CALMING EXCITATORY
Subdued, cool colors Brighter, warm colors

Larger room Smaller room

Fewer objects, furniture, and More furniture, objects and pictures

pictures Regular/bright lighting
Dim lighting Distinct odors-stronger cooking
Pleasant odors-mild soap spices, cleaning agents, stronger
perfumes

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L

 ENVIRONMENTAL STIMULI
CALMING
Low level of noise and confusion
ADJUSTMENT OF SENSORY INPUT: Repetitive,
Steady, Gradual, Slower, Rhythmic
Firm Touch
Maintained Pressure (Snug swaddling,
Gentle/firm pressure to child)
Objects have less complex shapes, no design
or muted design
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EXCITATORY
Usual household activity
ADJUSTMENT OF SENSORY INPUT: Intermittent,
Changing, More brisk, Faster, Lighter touch,
Pressure-re I ease sequence
light touch (nuzzling, stroke fingers)
Objects have more complex shapes and are
painted in warm, bright colors with a design.
One or more objects make an intermittent
sound.
 GUSTATORY/OLFACTORY
EXPERIENTIAL
DESCRIPTIVE
TASTE:
Majority of taste development occurs after birth.
Taste is transmitted by the nerves of the mouth and tongue
straight to brain
Breast milk is a rich source of flavor experiences,
OLFACTORY SYSTEM:
Smell occurs when chemicals stimulate olfactory receptors in the
nasal cavity. Two ways: inhalation or travel to the nasal cavity
during suckling/ chewing and swallowing.
Richard Hagen, MOTR/L
 SIGNS OF GUSTATORY/OLFACTORY
DYSFUNCTION
HYPERSENSITIVE (AVOIDING)
Gagging/vomiting to certain smells and tastes
Crying to certain smells and tastes
Inability to concentrate due to certain smells Increased activity level to certain tastes
or smells
The child may exhibit the following affect: Withdrawn and difficult to engage and/or
self-absorbed
*don't confuse with true allergies

HYPOSENSITIVE (SEEKING)
Acts like all food tastes the same
Doesn't react to noxious smells Seeks spicy, hot, sour, strong tastes

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L

 ORAL MOTOR INTERVENTIONS

INTERVENTION
SENSORY
ORDER OF FOOD PRESENTATION

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L

 PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Take a few minutes to go through list of kids you currently see, and decide if
any of them may benefit from sensory strategies, including environmental
modifications
Questions?

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L

 HANDOUTS/RESOURCES

HTTPS://OTASCENT.WEEBLY.COM/
HTTPS://OTASCENT.WEEBLY.COM/UPLOADS/1/0/1/3/101312016/IDEAS_TO_PROMOT
E_SENSORY_RICH_EXPERIENCES_4-1-17_7.PDF

HOW DOES YOUR ENGINE RUN

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L

 THANK YOU

Richard Hagen, MOTR/L