Autism Society of Larimer County

DOES MY CHILD HAVE SENSORY INTEGRATION DISORDER? Have you ever been in a crowded place and suddenly you feel you just can't take it anymore? Have you had to wear clothes that are too tight, too scratchy or uncomfortable? How about having to endure an outing somewhere that has a terrible smell? Have you switched off your car radio because the song that's playing feels like noise in your brain? What if you couldn't get relief from these things? How long do you think you would be able to hold it together? How long do you think a child would be able to hold it together? It's common to mistake sensory challenges for bad behavior. But how do you know the difference? Is a child behaving poorly or overwhelmed with sensory stimuli? When people read this list, they typically say "Hey, I have that too." But usually they don't. We ALL have sensory preferences. But that does NOT qualify as Sensory Integration Disorder. The sensory challenges need to be severe enough to impede a child's ability to function in everyday life. The following is a checklist of some common symptoms of sensory integration disorder. If your child exhibits many of these symptoms to a large degree, it's a great idea to contact a good Occupational Therapist who will create a sensory diet for your child. Hypersensitivity (Tactile Defensiveness)  Does not like to be held or cuddled  Does not like to be touched lightly  Hates having hair brushed  Overreacts to small cuts or scrapes  Avoids touching certain textures  Prefers loose clothing and resists jeans, collars, seams in socks etc.  Aversive to messy play such as glue and finger painting  Doesn't like cutting nails or brushing teeth  Likes to walk on toes or barefoot Hyposensitivity (Not Responsive Enough)  Craves touch and touches everything and everyone  Mouths inedible objects  Unaware of strength and might hurt children or pets while playing  Shows no distress if cut or bruised  Loves messy play and doesn't mind being dirty  Prefers spicy, sweet or sour foods to bland food Poor tactile Perception  Has difficulty doing crafts such as cutting or tracing  Poor fine motor skills such as zipping clothes and unscrewing tops from jars  Might not be able to identify which part of their body was touched if they are not looking  Unable to identify items by feeling the shape Hypersensitivity to Movement  Terrified of heights  Afraid of falling  Feels wobbly walking up or down stairs  Hates slides, swings and spinning playground equipment  Comes across as insecure as this child often clings to his parent Hyposensitivity to Movement  Overactive and can't sit still  Loves spinning  A dare devil at amusement parks  Loves swinging fast and high  Loves jumping – on everything  Fidgety when sitting – taps foot, raps knuckles or bounces in chair Poor muscle tone and coordination  Poor gross motor skills like jumping and climbing  Difficulty opening and closing jars, windows, doors etc.  Appears floppy and often thought of as lazy  Gets tired easily  Clumsy  Poor in coordinating movements  Appears to have no strength   Sensory seeking behaviors (What parents and teachers often notice first)  Chews on everything – clothes and objects  Falls down intentionally  Crashes into things on purpose  Pushes and bumps other children  Spins in circles  Enjoys banging objects  Loves bear hugs and being tucked tightly into bed  Jumps up and down  Kicks feet while seated  Flaps hands   Hypersensitivity to sounds  Afraid of hair dryers and vacuum cleaners  Covers ears with loud sounds  Cries or acts out in noisy places like a mall  Dislikes people because of their voice  Hears everything from a ticking watch to a car turning a corner at the top of their street Oral and Olfactory Sensitivity  Very picky eater and will only eat certain foods because of the smell, taste or texture  Will only eat certain textures and might not mix foods on the same plate  Dislikes or gags with toothpaste  Chews or mouths inedible objects  Either craves sweet and spicy foods or only eats bland food  If a recipe varies even slightly, it will be tasted and the food discarded  Refuses to enter a place because of the way it smells Self Regulation  Doesn't calm down easily if upset  Needs help falling asleep such as rocking or car rides  Wakes easily and has trouble falling back asleep  Frequent mood swings  Can't tell when hungry or thirsty. Eats or drinks too little or too much   One of the best things about sensory integration disorder is that there are so many fun activities to help. Thank you to all the Occupational Therapists who help our children conquer these challenges.   Don't forget to check out these two links for some great sensory items. Sensory Equipment http://www.nlconcepts.com/autism-pps-all.htm   Sensory Toys http://www.nlconcepts.com/autism-toys.htm FOR MORE GREAT RESOURCES VISIT http://www.nlconcepts.com   By Jené Aviram This article is property of and copyright © 2003-2010 Jené Aviram of Natural Learning Concepts. Reference of this article may only be included in your documentation provided that reference is made to the owner - Jené Aviram and a reference to this site http://www.nlconcepts.com Jené is an accomplished author and developer of education materials for children with autism and special needs. She is a co-founder of Natural Learning Concepts, a leading manufacturer for special education materials and autism products. Visit the Natural Learning Concepts website at http://www.nlconcepts.com or call (800) 823-3430