Sensory 101

I've been reading a really great book by Carol Stock Kranowitz, M.A. called "The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun - Activities for Kids with Sensory Processing Disorder." In this book, she breaks out activities to do based on developmental age and by what sense the activity helps (proprioceptive, vestibular, tactile). These activities are what she calls "SAFE" - standing for Sensory-motor, Appropriate, Fun, and Easy - and are designed to help develop and organize a child's brain and body, while keeping things safe. SAFE activities encourage the development of sensory systems and physical, cognitive, language, social, and emotional skills.

Before she gets in to the specific activities, she has several chapters on sensory processing basics - and comments and suggestions from other "sensory moms", which I am finding extremely helpful.

She defines sensory processing as "the normal neurological process of organizing sensations for our use in everyday life. Typically, our brains receive sensory information from our bodies and surroundings, interpret these messages, and organize our purposeful responses. As we climb the stairs, our brains sense that we're moving upward, forward, and from side to side. Usually without conscious effort, we make adaptive responses. We flex and extend our legs, alternate our feet, slide our hand along the banister, maintain our balance, keep upright, and watch where we are going. We are probably not even aware that our bodies are making these adjustments."

She goes on to say that "Sensory Processing Disorder is a complex problem. It may affect children's development, behavior, learning, communication, friendships, and play. It may affect one or all of their sensory systems. Children with SPD often do not feel safe. When they attempt to meet ordinary challenges, their responses may be ineffective and clumsy. Try as they might to be careful and to succeed, they frequently fall short. Unfortunately, children do not grow out of SPD; they grow into it, finding compensatory ways to cope with confusing, unpredictable, and threatening sensations. They do what they must to survive, playing it safe as necessary."

A child with SPD may walk into a spider web (the sensory part) and not know what to do in response to it (the motor part). We would brush the web off, but a child with SPD would not be able to respond efficiently and instead become very anxious and upset. This is why it is so hard for me to determine what sets Raquel off. Sometimes it's just impossible to tell - especially if I'm in the other room.

One mother in the book explains SPD to others by referring to a bee saying, "You know that feeling you get when a bee almost lands on you? Your heart races or jumps? That's a fear response. Kids with SPD get that fear response from things we don't - very loud noises, echoes, people sitting too close, visually busy walls, etc. Therapy helps overcome this as it 'teaches' their nervous system."

The author recommends doing the SAFE activities outside whenever possible, stressing the importance of moving and playing outdoors and being able to inhale the fresh air. Fresh air encourages healing and happy chemicals (endorphins). She also says to watch what your child likes to do - that sensory seekers often make it quite clear what their sensory systems need.

It will be interesting to see how these activities effect her.