dules are based upon the availability of OT For Kidz clinician, the parent and the mandated sessions on the child's IEP and RSA. If your child is a preschooler, then you do not need an RSA, however, you must contact your child's district for them to send OT For Kidz an electronic authorization in the form of a transmittal. Once, we receive this authorization, we will contact the parent to start the process rolling. The scheduling process is all the same.
12. What are sensory systems and how do it relate to my child?
As human beings we all have internal senses (brings in information within the body) and external senses (brings in information from the environment). All senses bring information to the central nervous system (the brain & spinal cord). Always keep in mind, the brain controls all that we can and can't do. External senses are supporters of the internal senses and all must individually work well and work collaboratively together in order to acquire and optimize skills. If the central nervous system have difficulty processing info from ALL of these sensory systems the most obvious dysfunction is in the areas of behavior and social-emotional (i.e. poor interaction, eye contact, focus, impulsiveness, etc), although, it will also affect motor skills, language skills and cognitive skills. If the central nervous system have difficulty processing info from only one or some sensory systems then it affects the quality of skills in the area of sensory discrimination issues (see below). It takes a clinician with specialized training and experience in sensory integration to appropriately test, analyze and interpret results and to then determine an effective therapeutic plan of action with appropriate recommendations such what our clinicians do here at OT For Kidz.
13. What does a child look like with a sensory discrimination issue? Here are some examples:
- Difficulty with grasping skills - Difficulty Reading and Comprehension - Poor Crawling
- Difficulty writing; copying - Difficulty with Labeling forms & Memory - Clumsy Balance Issues - Difficulty forming letters/shapes - Difficulty following instructions - Difficulty with bicycling
- Difficulty with scissor skills - Slushy speech/oral motor skill - Immature reflexes
- Difficulty coordinating right and left -Weakness - Poor sitting/standing
- Poor whole body coordination - Difficulty in sequencing skills - Difficulty w/climbing
- Difficulty with construction play -Poor ball skills - Difficulty w/sports
- Hugs too hard - Moves/Plays too rough - High pain tolerance
- More, more, more....
14. Is there any research that support sensory processing disorders and SPD treatment?
The Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation (SPD Foundation) amongst others helps to expand knowledge, foster awareness and promote recognition of Sensory Processing Disorder. Click Here for Research on sensory processing disorders.
15. What about Auditory Processing Disorders?
Auditory Processing is a type of processing disorder. Depending on where the breakdown is within the central nervous system will determine what type of auditory processing disorder your child may have which is determined by an audiologist specializing in auditory processing disorders. To clarify, the ears are receptors which takes in auditory information. The brainstem allows the auditory, visual and motor systems to work together. That information then travels to the various parts of the brain that is responsible for recognizing the tone of the message, decode it clearly, remember the sequence of the information and leads to understanding language. If there are auditory deficits at the peripheral, brainstem, or cortical levels, the ability to process what is heard is impaired. Because auditory must also work with other sensory systems it is very rare that an auditory processing deficit exists alone. It is generally part of a larger picture, a Sensory Processing Disorder. Click Here to read the research published in the "ADVANCE for Occupational Therapy Practioners" a professional magazine, which includes the use of sound therapy as