Visual Dysfunction: More than Meets the Eye

I know what you’re thinking: My child can see perfectly. I can skip this blog. But there’s more to vision than just seeing. Children with sensory integration dysfunction often have problems processing visual information, even though they can “see.” (If you have concerns about your child’s basic ability to see properly, click here.) I often notice that my son Kyle will put objects close to his eyes when he’s playing or thinking. Kyle has normal vision but I believe he is under-sensitive to visual stimuli. That means he craves visual input, and so he watches video clips repeatedly, creates movement … Continue reading →

Where Is My Body in Space? Proprioceptive Dysfunction

“Proprioception” is a word we probably don’t hear very often. But it refers to body placement, and the ability to sense where our bodies are in space. For most of us, through the many receptors in our muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints, we are able to sense what our body is doing, and whether we are crouched, standing, turning, sitting, or moving. We can tell how close we are to something else, and can sense our bodies, through the pull of gravity, even when sitting still. But for some children with special needs, this “body position sense” is weak. Children … Continue reading →

“Stop Touching Me!” Symptoms of Tactile Dysfunction

Our skin is covered with microscopic receptors that send information to our brains. This is our sense of touch, or tactile sense. We use our sense of touch to experience all kinds of things from itching, to tickling, pressure, hot and cold, pain, vibration, and movement. The “tactile sense” is necessary for all kinds of activities such as walking up steps, writing on a chalkboard, hugging someone, getting dressed, or testing water temperature. From infancy we require tactile stimulation to meet nearly all of our physical and emotional needs. We even need our tactile sense to develop good social skills. … Continue reading →

FUN with FOODS for Sensory Integration Dysfunction

Is your child a picky eater? Creative food play might help. In San Antonio, Texas, a group of families who have children with Sensory Integration Dysfunction (DSI)–and other eating disorders– get their kids together for a special kind of play group once a month. They appropriately named their program “FED UP.” Each “Fed Up” meeting not only provides a social opportunity for the preschoolers and toddlers involved, but it’s based around a theme. On one gathering, the theme was “balls and circles.” The children began their socializing in a ball pit in a tent to warm them up to the … Continue reading →

What is Your Child’s Sensitivity Profile?

When we have a better understanding of our child’s sensory reactivity levels, we can decode some of his or her puzzling behaviors. Many children with disabilities of all types struggle with sensory integration disorder (DSI), and have oversensitivity or undersensitivity to normal stimuli. By getting in tune with how your child manages the sensory input from his environment, you can improve your interactions. This knowledge can give teachers, therapists, and doctors a head start in relating to your son or daughter, and break down barriers to learning. By making careful observations while your child goes about her day, you can … Continue reading →

Solve Your Child’s Eating Problems

There are many reasons why children with special needs may be picky eaters. Sensory Integration Disorder, which accompanies a wide spectrum of disabilities, may cause hypersensitivity to taste, textures, temperatures, and smell. Or, conversely, it may cause the lack of sensitivity to texture, taste, and smell, which can make eating a mundane, tedious task. Motor difficulties can prevent problems with chewing and swallowing. Or children with attention deficits can become too distracted to stay seated and finish eating. With my son Kyle, I encountered a strange issue with his eating habits. He absolutely loved apples, to the point that I … Continue reading →

Sensory Integration Dysfunction: Just What Exactly Is It?

Imagine you’re a child, and the sweater your mother dressed you in feels like sandpaper chafing your skin. The sensation of the threads rubbing across your arms is so irritating, you can barely concentrate on anything else. You grunt and whine in frustration, trying to convey your feelings, but you can’t put them into words that make sense. You throw a tantrum, and finally your mother removes your sweater. Then she casually turns on the dishwasher. The buzzing of the motor rings terribly loud in your ears. You run into the corner of the room, covering your head and moaning. … Continue reading →