Environmental modifications and initial sensory strategies :
Signs of atypical sensory processing
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Environmental modifications and initial intervention strategies
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Proprioception :
Child may:
• Grasp objects too lightly or loosely
• Be un aware of changes in the body position
• Be clumsy and break toys
• Seek activities in which he has to jump, push, hit, pull, or bump.
• Grind his or her teeth
• Chew on non-food items such as toys
• Seems weak
| • Use heavy toys to provide more proprioceptive feedback
• Perform activities that require weigh tbearing, pushing and pulling, resistance joint traction and compression.
( playdoh, moving heavy objects, tug of war, weighted vest, heavy blankets, theraputty, theraband, backpack, etc.)
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Tactile discrimination/ Hyporesponsiveness :
The child may :
| • Provide activities that require localization of tactile input and discrimination
• Suggested activities : ball bath, finding objects in sand or other textures, brushes, bubbles
• Observe motor skills – see motor planning
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Tactile modulation :
Child may :
| Modify your social interaction with the child:
Modify the physical environment:
Pressing child between two large pillows, rolling down an incline, rolling a child inside a blanket or sheet, and brushing body
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Vestibular system : modulation
• Be fearful of movement, going up and down stairs, playground equipment
• Get nauseous or vomit after movement experiences such as riding in a car
• Avoids having feet off the ground or balance activities such as walking on curbs
• Dislike being moved backward in space even when trunk support is provided
• Move very carefully
• Avoids jumping off a step or other surfaces
• Appear fearful when lifted up in space or when moved in space
| • Respect the child’s fears. Do not force movements
• Give the child control over his/her movements in space
• Treat near the ground
• Provide activities that require proprioception
• You may start by providing the child with the opportunity to experience linear vertical input (sitting on a wide based platform swing placed near to the floor)
• Start with antero-posterior movement of the trunk before you move to lateral and rotational movements
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Vestibular - Hyporesponse:
• Seek large amount of movement experiences such as spinning, rocking, and twirling
• Not get dizzy when other children do
• Have difficulty with balance and protective reaction
• Tend to lean on hands when performing table top activities
• Have difficulty with tasks that require maintaining a stable visual field
• Have difficulty with activities that require bilateral motor coordination such as riding a bicycle or tricycle
| • Provide opportunities for movement experiences
• Provide activities that promote extension against gravity and proximal joint stability in the neck and the shoulder girdle area. Examples include swinging in prone while propelling on the floor or by pulling a rope, working in prone on the mat, etc.
• Work on maintaining stable visual field while moving(e.g., swinging and hitting a target)
• Activities that promote bilateral motor coordination
• While on the swing, pull on rope or providing an equipment to bump on, to change direction, speed and tempo of the swing’s movements.
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Other daily activities (For propriocepion
and vestibular hypo) :
} Try having your child do some activities such as
reading, playing a game, or coloring, while lying on his stomach and propping
himself on his elbows.
} Encourage activities that require balance, such as
cycle riding, bike riding, kicking and so on.
} Include
“bilateral” or two-sided activities, such as jumping rope, swimming, rowing,
playing a musical instrument and so on.
} Try activities that involve coordination of movement
of the eyes, head and hands, such as target games, catching, throwing, ping
pong, tennis, and so on.
For hyper
responsiveness
} Adding weight ( for example, wrist or ankle weights
or a backpack filled with bags of beans or rice) can help a child feel more
secured when climbing or moving
} If your child is fearful when walking up stairs, try
holding him at the hips and applying gentle pressure. This may help him to feel
more secured than when holding his hands.
} Allow increased time for your child to explore and
attempt activities that seems scary
For motor planning:
} Play games like “ follow the leader “ help child to
be able to plan actions based on watching and copying your/peer actions.
} Encourage games that involve simple verbal
directions to plan actions such as “Simon says” to help a child to plan actions
without visual cues.
} Ask child to help in activities like cleaning and
arranging rooms, arranging items, unpacking, packing, wrapping a gift etc.
