Tips for Teachers

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	So many of us face troubles in the school system trying to get services and explain to a teacher who doesn't know or understand Autism Spectrum Disorders why our children do the things they do and how of the more subtle things are different then the typical behaviors of the rest of the children. Here is a site I came across that hopefully you will find helpful to print out and share with your child's teachers each year. http://www.thegraycenter.org/tips_for_teachers.htm Tips for Teachers Working with Children with ASD (See below for links to other web sites that contain information for teachers.) By Laurel A. Hoekman "I've come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom... As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous... In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or de-humanized." - Haim Ginott  1. Be a team player.  Recognize that you are an important part of the team of people working with this child, along with his or her parents, past and future teachers, administrators, therapists (occupational, physical, and/or speech and language), social workers, psychologists, and physicians. Just as a basketball player cannot play or win a game alone, so this team of professionals needs to share knowledge, inspiration, dedication, patience, creativity, and open-mindedness in order to help the child to succeed. 2. Be flexible. Be willing to make adaptations in your schedule, room arrangement, routines, classroom environment, and expectations, to accommodate the abilities and needs of this child. Do not view this as an imposition; rather, recognize that as it creates an opportunity for this child to succeed, it will also help the other children in your classroom to be more successful. Do not confuse “fair” with “equal.” Each child does not need to receive the same time, materials, opportunities, etc.  Each child’s needs and abilities differ from another child’s, so your methods of accommodating them will also differ. In particular: Teach “socially appropriate” eye contact (for greetings and asking questions), but do not insist that the child look at you. Most of these children find it difficult, if not impossible, to look at another person’s eyes. Instead, after you have given instructions, ask them what they are going to do next (to monitor comprehension). Use concrete language (no sarcasm or figurative language), and give plenty of explanations for your actions and expectations. Consider the child’s sensory needs when planning activities and your classroom environment. For example, the child may require a quiet corner to sit in, need to stand at the back of the line, or need assistance prior to being able to finger paint. Don't forget that the child may need assistance outside your classroom: in the hallways, on the playground, in the cafeteria, and walking to the bus. 3. Be a good role model. The children in your class, as well as other parents and professionals, will be looking to you to see how you handle having a child with “special needs” in your classroom. You have an excellent opportunity to teach others that these people are wonderful assets to any community, including the classroom. Find opportunities to allow the child to use his or her abilities (tutoring other children, fixing the computer when it’s broken, taking responsibility for the classroom pet, or helping to plan a unit on an area of special interest), and do not tolerate bullying. Deal with problems when they arise by getting help from your other team members, but do not gossip about the difficulties with other teachers or parents. Take your knowledge and appreciation of persons with autistic spectrum disorders and pass those along to others. It is especially important that you provide adequate training for paraprofessionals, volunteers, and peer mentors who interact with the child. Make sure that they are aware of the child’s needs and preferences, and are given tools for working effectively with that child. In addition, remember that the child is a person deserving of respect and honor. Be careful to include the child in your discussions, and to avoid talking about the child as though he or she is not there. 4. Continue to educate yourself.  Research and experience are continually changing our perceptions of autistic spectrum disorders. Knowledge is power, both for you and for the child in your care. Read books, research the Internet, attend conferences and seminars, and network with parents and professionals who have connections to autism. Do not be afraid to admit when you encounter something about which you know little or nothing. Instead, be open to learning and trying new things. 5. Accentuate the positives. Find ways to appreciate the child. Look, and give meaningful praise, for accomplishments both big and small. The Sixth Sense II (Replaces Taming the Recess Jungle, with additional and updated information). $6.00 (23 pages) This is a wonderful lesson plan for promoting understanding and supportive social climates for children with autism spectrum disorders. "Students (peers) will be better equipped to include a classmate with unique behaviors when provided with accurate social information. Using their five senses as a frame of reference, this lesson plan introduces students to their sixth (or social) sense via activities and discussions." My Friend With Autism   By Beverly Bishop   $6.95 (paperback)   This is a unique children's book, intended to be used to introduce individuals (family members, care givers, classmates, and others) to autism. It highlights the many strengths of those with autism, while also showing how and why their behaviors may differ from those around them. It can be used as a coloring book! Is there a teacher in your life who has taken the time to get to know you and your child, and has the flexibility and understanding to meet the unique needs of someone with ASD? If so, please take a moment to publicly acknowledge that special person! Links to additional information for teachers: Temple Grandin's tips for teachers of children and adults with ASD: http://www.autism.org/temple/tips.html Teaching Tips for Children and Adults with Autism Temple Grandin, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA (Revised: December 2002) Good teachers helped me to achieve success. I was able to overcome autism because I had good teachers. At age 2 1/2 I was placed in a structured nursery school with experienced teachers. From an early age I was taught to have good manners and to behave at the dinner table. Children with autism need to have a structured day, and teachers who know how to be firm but gentle. Between the ages of 2 1/4 and 5 my day was structured, and I was not allowed to tune out. I had 45 minutes of one-to-one speech therapy five days a week, and my mother hired a nanny who spent three to four hours a day playing games with me and my sister. She taught 'turn taking' during play activities. When we made a snowman, she had me roll the bottom ball; and then my sister had to make the next part. At mealtimes, every-body ate together; and I was not allowed to do any "stims." The only time I was allowed to revert back to autistic behavior was during a one-hour rest period after lunch. The combination of the nursery school, speech therapy, play activities, and "miss manners" meals added up to 40 hours a week, where my brain was kept connected to the world. 1.) Many people with autism are visual thinkers. I think in pictures. I do not think in language. All my thoughts are like videotapes running in my imagination. Pictures are my first language, and words are my second language. Nouns were the easiest words to learn because I could make a picture in my mind of the word. To learn words like "up" or "down," the teacher should demonstrate them to the child. For example, take a toy airplane and say "up" as you make the airplane takeoff from a desk. Some children will learn better if cards with the words "up" and "down" are attached to the toy airplane. The "up" card is attached when the plane takes off. The "down" card is attached when it lands. 2.) Avoid long strings of verbal instructions. People with autism have problems with remembering the sequence. If the child can read, write the instructions down on a piece of paper. I am unable to remember sequences. If I ask for directions at a gas station, I can only remember three steps. Directions with more than three steps have to be written down. I also have difficulty remembering phone numbers because I cannot make a picture in my mind. 3.) Many children with autism are good at drawing, art and computer programming. These talent areas should be encouraged. I think there needs to be much more emphasis on developing the child's talents. Talents can be turned into skills that can be used for future employment. 4.) Many autistic children get fixated on one subject such as trains or maps. The best way to deal with fixations is to use them to motivate school work. If the child likes trains, then use trains to teach reading and math. Read a book about a train and do math problems with trains. For example, calculate how long it takes for a train to go between New York and Washington. 5.) Use concrete visual methods to teach number concepts. My parents gave me a math toy which helped me to learn numbers. It consisted of a set of blocks which had a different length and a different color for the numbers one through ten. With this I learned how to add and subtract. To learn fractions my teacher had a wooden apple that was cut up into four pieces and a wooden pear that was cut in half. From this I learned the concept of quarters and halves. 6.) I had the worst handwriting in my class. Many autistic children have problems with motor control in their hands. Neat handwriting is sometimes very hard. This can totally frustrate the child. To reduce frustration and help the child to enjoy writing, let him type on the computer. Typing is often much easier. 7.) Some autistic children will learn reading more easily with phonics, and others will learn best by memorizing whole words. I learned with phonics. My mother taught me the phonics rules and then had me sound out my words. Children with lots of echolalia will often learn best if flash cards and picture books are used so that the whole words are associated with pictures. It is important to have the picture and the printed word on the same side of the card. When teaching nouns the child must hear you speak the word and view the picture and printed word simultaneously. An example of teaching a verb would be to hold a card that says "jump," and you would jump up and down while saying "jump." 8.) When I was a child, loud sounds like the school bell hurt my ears like a dentist drill hitting a nerve. Children with autism need to be protected from sounds that hurt their ears. The sounds that will cause the most problems are school bells, PA systems, buzzers on the score board in the gym, and the sound of chairs scraping on the floor. In many cases the child will be able to tolerate the bell or buzzer if it is muffled slightly by stuffing it with tissues or duct tape. Scraping chairs can be silenced by placing slit tennis balls on the ends of the legs or installing carpet. A child may fear a certain room because he is afraid he may be suddenly subjected to squealing microphone feedback from the PA system. The fear of a dreaded sound can cause bad behavior. If a child covers his ears, it is an indicator that a certain sound hurts his ears. Sometimes sound sensitivity to a particular sound, such as the fire alarm, can be desensitized by recording the sound on a tape recorder. This will allow the child to initiate the sound and gradually increase its volume. The child must have control of playback of the sound. 9.) Some autistic people are bothered by visual distractions and fluorescent lights. They can see the flicker of the 60-cycle electricity. To avoid this problem, place the child's desk near the window or try to avoid using fluorescent lights. If the lights cannot be avoided, use the newest bulbs you can get. New bulbs flicker less. The flickering of fluorescent lights can also be reduced by putting a lamp with an old-fashioned incandescent light bulb next to the child's desk. 10.) Some hyperactive autistic children who fidget all the time will often be calmer if they are given a padded weighted vest to wear. Pressure from the garment helps to calm the nervous system. I was greatly calmed by pressure. For best results, the vest should be worn for twenty minutes and then taken off for a few minutes. This prevents the nervous system from adapting to it. 11.) Some individuals with autism will respond better and have improved eye contact and speech if the teacher interacts with them while they are swinging on a swing or rolled up in a mat. Sensory input from swinging or pressure from the mat sometimes helps to improve speech. Swinging should always be done as a fun game. It must NEVER be forced. 12.) Some children and adults can sing better than they can speak. They may respond better if words and sentences are sung to them. Some children with extreme sound sensitivity will respond better if the teacher talks to them in a low whisper. 13.) Some nonverbal children and adults cannot process visual and auditory input at the same time. They are mono-channel. They cannot see and hear at the same time. They should not be asked to look and listen at the same time. They should be given either a visual task or an auditory task. Their immature nervous system is not able to process simultaneous visual and auditory input. 14.) In older nonverbal children and adults touch is often their most reliable sense. It is often easier for them to feel. Letters can be taught by letting them feel plastic letters. They can learn their daily schedule by feeling objects a few minutes before a scheduled activity. For example, fifteen minutes before lunch give the person a spoon to hold. Let them hold a toy car a few minutes before going in the car. 15.) Some children and adults with autism will learn more easily if the computer key-board is placed close to the screen. This enables the individual to simultaneously see the keyboard and screen. Some individuals have difficulty remembering if they have to look up after they have hit a key on the keyboard. 16.) Nonverbal children and adults will find it easier to associate words with pictures if they see the printed word and a picture on a flashcard. Some individuals do not under-stand line drawings, so it is recommended to work with real objects and photos first. The picture and the word must be on the same side of the card. 17.) Some autistic individuals do not know that speech is used for communication. Language learning can be facilitated if language exercises promote communication. If the child asks for a cup, then give him a cup. If the child asks for a plate, when he wants a cup, give him a plate. The individual needs to learn that when he says words, concrete things happen. It is easier for an individual with autism to learn that their words are wrong if the incorrect word resulted in the incorrect object. 18.) Many individuals with autism have difficulty using a computer mouse. Try a roller ball (or tracking ball) pointing device that has a separate button for clicking. Autistics with motor control problems in their hands find it very difficult to hold the mouse still during clicking. 19.) Children who have difficulty understanding speech have a hard time differentiating between hard consonant sounds such as 'D' in dog and 'L' in log. My speech teacher helped me to learn to hear these sounds by stretching out and enunciating hard consonant sounds. Even though the child may have passed a pure tone hearing test he may still have difficulty hearing hard consonants. Children who talk in vowel sounds are not hearing consonants. 20.) Several parents have informed me that using the closed captions on the television helped their child to learn to read. The child was able to read the captions and match the printed works with spoken speech. Recording a favorite program with captions on a tape would be helpful because the tape can be played over and over again and stopped. 21.) Some autistic individuals do not understand that a computer mouse moves the arrow on the screen. They may learn more easily if a paper arrow that looks EXACTLY like the arrow on the screen is taped to the mouse. 22.) Children and adults with visual processing problems can see flicker on TV type computer monitors. They can sometimes see better on laptops and flat panel displays which have less flicker. 23.) Children and adults who fear escalators often have visual processing problems. They fear the escalator because they cannot determine when to get on or off. These individuals may also not be able to tolerate fluorescent lights. The Irlen colored glasses may be helpful for them. 24.) Individuals with visual processing problems often find it easier to read if black print is printed on colored paper to reduce contrast. Try light tan, light blue, gray, or light green paper. Experiment with different colors. Avoid bright yellow--it may hurt the individual's eyes. Irlen colored glasses may also make reading easier. (Click here to visit the Irlen Institute's web site.) 25.) Teaching generalization is often a problem for children with autism. To teach a child to generalize the principle of not running across the street, it must be taught in many different locations. If he is taught in only one location, the child will think that the rule only applies to one specific place. 26.) A common problem is that a child may be able to use the toilet correctly at home but refuses to use it at school. This may be due to a failure to recognize the toilet. Hilde de Clereq from Belgium discovered that an autistic child may use a small non-relevant detail to recognize an object such as a toilet. It takes detective work to find that detail. In one case a boy would only use the toilet at home that had a black seat. His parents and teacher were able to get him to use the toilet at school by covering its white seat with black tape. The tape was then gradually removed and toilets with white seats were now recognized as toilets. 27.) Sequencing is very difficult for individuals with severe autism. Sometimes they do not understand when a task is presented as a series of steps. An occupational therapist successfully taught a nonverbal autistic child to use a playground slide by walking his body through climbing the ladder and going down the slide. It must be taught by touch and motor rather than showing him visually. Putting on shoes can be taught in a similar manner. The teacher should put her hands on top of the child’s hands and move the child’s hands over his foot so he feels and understands the shape of his foot. The next step is feeling the inside and the outside of a slip-on shoe. To put the shoe on, the teacher guides the child’s hands to the shoe and, using the hand-over-hand method, slides the shoe onto the child’s foot. This enables the child to feel the entire task of putting on his shoe. 28.) Fussy eating is a common problem. In some cases the child may be fixated on a detail that identifies a certain food. Hilde de Clerq found that one child only ate Chiquita bananas because he fixated on the labels. Other fruit such as apples and oranges were readily accepted when Chiquita labels were put on them. Try putting different but similar foods in the cereal box or another package of a favorite food. Another mother had success by putting a homemade hamburger with a wheat free bun in a McDonald’s package. December 2002 ********************************* http://www.thegraycenter.org/sensory_integration.htm   *See below for links to web sites with additional sensory integration information. Sensory Integration By Laurel A. Hoekman Our bodies are intended to function as "well-oiled machines," which receive input from the senses, and organize and process that information to be able to use it appropriately, or to act on it. Our senses include hearing, seeing, touching, tasting, and feeling, as well as the processes of movement and gravity. When these systems are all working properly, and the brain is able to correctly interpret the information they send, we refer to this process as sensory integration; the senses are working together! However, when there are imperfections in this system, we call that "sensory integration dysfunction." Although there are many variations in the ways that sensory integration dysfunction (or sensory processing difficulties) can present itself, there are two main underlying problems. The first is when a person receives too much sensory input; in effect, their brain is overloaded. The second is when a person does not receive enough sensory input, resulting in a "craving" of sensory information. The following section will discuss how each of the senses affects behaviors, as well as potential problems which arise when sensory integration dysfunction is present. Hearing. We use our ears to hear voices, music, alarms and sirens, as well as "noise" around us generated by electronic equipment, nature, etc. When our brains are able to properly receive and organize the data they receive through our ears, we are able to sense danger, process information and instructions, and feel pleasure through music or sounds of nature. A person whose senses are well-integrated can sit in the middle of a noisy party with music, talking, glasses and silverware clinking, and dogs barking, and still be able to carry on a conversation with the person sitting across the table. This person’s brain simply filters out the unnecessary information, and focuses on the words the individual speaker is saying. In contrast, a person with sensory integration dysfunction may hear all of the above sounds at the same level, in effect being bombarded by each of the sounds. This person will be unlikely to follow the conversation directed at them by the person across the table. Imagine a similar child in a classroom, surrounded by pencils being sharpened, children talking, music playing, feet shuffling, and chairs being scraped across the tile floor. This child may not be able to complete the math or reading assignments correctly with all of the other stimuli overloading his brain. In fact, this child may even exhibit behavioral problems resulting from his frustration and inability to screen out unnecessary sensory input. The teacher may notice the child "clowning around," staring into space, or flapping his hands. This child may become terrified of the fire alarm, perceiving that sound as painful. Another child may struggle when the room is quiet, because that child is not receiving enough input through his hearing. This child may begin tapping his pencil, humming, kicking his desk, or otherwise producing his own noise. All children are different in their needs, but the teacher should be sensitive to the child with sensory integration dysfunction, taking time to determine whether that child needs a quiet area to study, a set of headphones to block out extra sounds, or perhaps a stereo headset to provide quiet music. Seeing. Our eyes provide us with input regarding such things as color, light, movement, locations, body language, and facial expressions. This information, when properly received and analyzed by our brains, allows us to find our way around, read, interpret body language and facial expressions, anticipate movement, and sense danger. A child who is under-reactive to sight stimuli might flick her fingers in front of her face, or hold a book close to her eyes. On the other hand, a child who is overly-sensitive or overly-reactive to visual input might be frightened in a crowded mall, or become either withdrawn or hyperactive in a room with bright lights and an abundance of color or movement. People with sensory integration dysfunction may not respond appropriately to others’ facial expressions, due to their inability to properly organize visual input. A large classroom which is visually stimulating, with colored posters, stacks of books, bright lights and windows, rows of desks, and many children, can be very distracting to the person with sensory integration disorder, and may require that special accommodations be made for that person. Smelling. We are often surrounded by fragrant scents from perfume and flowers, and delicious smells of popcorn and freshly-baked bread or cookies. Other smells we encounter in our environment include cleaning agents, newly mowed grass, car exhaust, and smoke. Our sense of smell can bring us pleasure, enhance our ability to taste our food, and warn us of danger. However, as with the other senses, the sense of smell can cause frustration for a person whose brain is not able to properly analyze, screen out, or respond to the information it receives. Some people are overly sensitive to smells, and a whiff of perfume or cleansers can be very distressing to them. Other people are under-reactive to smells, and may hold things close to their nose to be able to smell them better. Whether they are overly- or under-reactive to smells, students who are keenly aware of the smells around them in the classroom may be unable to concentrate on the work they should be doing. Taste. Taste often brings us pleasure. We tend to eat the things that taste good! But taste can also warn us of danger. We know that milk may be sour or food may be spoiled based on the way they taste. But a person with sensory integration dysfunction may be either a very picky eater, avoiding certain (or many) tastes and textures, or may be an indiscriminate eater, eating almost anything! Taste is an area which will likely cause more distress and grief for the parents of children with sensory problems, than for teachers and peers. Touch. We only have two eyes, two ears, and one nose, but our bodies are covered with very sensitive touch receptors. Through them we get information about hot and cold, hard and soft, smooth and rough, and pain and pleasure. When a person’s brain is receiving and analyzing this information from the tactile system correctly, he will quickly remove his hand from a hot stove, put mittens on when going out into the snow, and smile when receiving a caress from a loved one. However, a person who has sensory integration dysfunction may react violently to a warm surface or a gentle pat on the back. He may not remember to wear mittens even on an extremely cold day, or he may always wear long sleeves, even when it’s warm, because he dislikes having his skin exposed. If he is under-reactive to touch, he may receive a serious wound, acting as though it is merely a scratch. He may hate to get his hands dirty and to touch unfamiliar objects, or may have an intense need to touch anything and everything. A child with sensory integration dysfunction is going to present unique challenges to the science teacher leading a lab dissecting frogs. This child is either going to resent having to be involved in such a messy endeavor, or is going to be attacking the frog to find and to handle every slimy bit of the innards. Similar problems may arise in art class and in the cafeteria. This child may have difficulty standing in line, because either he will be touching everyone, or he will be complaining that everyone is touching him. Often he may perceive a light touch from a classmate as a hit, and he may strike out at the other child. Parents may have difficulty choosing a wardrobe for this child, because there are certain fabrics or articles of clothing that he refuses to wear, or the tags in the back are bothersome to him. A child with tactile defensiveness or a need to touch things, may benefit from carrying a stimulating object in his pocket. This may be a small textured ball, a key ring, or something that vibrates. When the child needs help concentrating, or needs to be able to touch something, he can reach into his pocket for that item. Many children with sensory integration dysfunction twirl their hair, rub their fingers together, or even chew their fingernails. Vestibular System. Although most people are familiar with the above senses, there are actually two other systems that play a very large role in our brains’ ability to receive information and to respond to it. The first is the vestibular system, which has to do with movement and balance. A person with sensory integration dysfunction may be hyper-responsive (over-reactive) to movement, or hypo-responsive (under-reactive) to movement. Hyper-responsiveness to movement may cause a person to experience motion sickness in the car or on an amusement park ride. This person may be afraid of heights or dislike being upside down, which is referred to as gravitational insecurity. This person may seem stiff, and even hold his head upright, to avoid excessive movement. (Problems with their vestibular system may have caused the strange crawl that both of my sons developed; they did not like to put their heads down, so crawled in a way that allowed them to keep their heads upright.) A child with these difficulties may struggle on the playground or in physical education classes, where they may be expected to swing, go on a merry-go-round, hang upside down, or run. Hypo-responsiveness to movement may result in a child who is always moving: spinning, swinging, rocking, flapping her hands, and fidgeting. Many children with sensory integration dysfunction appear as though they have Attention Deficit with Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) simply because they rarely stop moving. These children often exhibit poor balance, and may have difficulty navigating around objects, bumping into walls and tripping over chairs. They might enjoy hanging upside down, and appear able to spin without becoming dizzy. While a child with sensitivity to movement is going to be presented with many frustrations outdoors, hyperactive children are likely to be more challenged indoors, especially during times when they are expected to be quiet, focused and attentive. Proprioceptive System. The last system deals with body position, and is known as the proprioceptive system. This system is often referred to as "awareness of body in space." When this system functions properly, it allows us to sit down onto a chair without falling, walk up and down stairs without watching our feet, close a door with just the right amount of effort, squeeze a glue bottle just hard enough to squirt out a small dot of glue, and walk down a crowded sidewalk without bumping into anyone. Disturbances in this system can obviously lead to problems. A person who does not know how far her arm extends may end up hitting someone as she reaches for an object. This person may step on someone’s foot as she walks, not realizing that a foot was in her way. She may slam doors, or close them so lightly that they do not latch. She may be clumsy, and may be unable to climb a piece of playground equipment or walk up stairs without difficulty, perhaps needing to watch her feet to see where to place them. Problems with the proprioceptive system can be the main contributor to difficulties with motor planning, which is the ability to figure out how to use one’s body. For example, when walking under a low doorway, most people know just how far to bend down to avoid hitting their head. A person with motor planning difficulties may bend over too far, or not far enough. This person may not know how to climb up the monkey bars on the playground, or may not be able to get down once she is up there! Routine tasks such as dressing, tying shoes, eating with utensils, and writing can be challenges for people with motor planning difficulties. Remember that not all individual preferences or behavioral problems are caused by sensory integration dysfunction. Some people prefer to work with the radio on. Some people like "dirty work" more than others. Generally, a person who has sensory processing difficulties will manifest this in several different areas. However, if you recognize your child in the preceding descriptions, do not despair! Many things can be done to enable a person’s brain to properly receive and respond to sensory stimuli. First, provide your child with an environment that is full of a variety of sensory input: colors, light and dark, sounds, music, things to climb on, different textures, and opportunities for movement and exploration, exposing all of the senses to various types of input. This varied exposure to sensory input (targeting specific needs) is often referred to as a sensory diet. It is important to learn what excites your child, what calms him, and what frightens him. Allow your child to choose activities that fit his needs and interests. Providing different experiences, along with support and encouragement, will be a good foundation for helping your child with sensory problems. Second, knowing that your child may encounter things that are disturbing or overwhelming, help her to adapt the activity, or even avoid it when necessary. If your child does not like light touch (many people with sensory integration dysfunction do not), make a point of using a firm, calming, deep pressure touch. If your child cannot study in an environment with a high level of noise and other stimuli, help him to find a quiet place to complete assignments and prepare for tests. Remember that your child may not be able to process a lot of sensory input simultaneously. For example, she may not be able to talk while she is walking on a balance beam. She may not be able to look at you when you are giving her verbal instructions. Although you might encourage a child to make eye contact with people when greeting them, asking a question, or beginning or ending an interaction, he or she might not be able to look at you when you are giving instructions or discipline. Instead, when we finished, we ask the child to rephrase what was said in order to monitor his or her comprehension. Many children benefit from Sensory Integration (SI) Therapy, either through their schools (if their sensory integration dysfunction is interfering with their ability to learn or to participate in the school environment), or through private therapy. Usually, SI therapy focuses on the tactile, vestibular, and proprioceptive systems. This therapy does not teach specific skills; rather, it provides exposure to sensory input in a controlled environment. Once children are able to tolerate and subsequently process the sensory input, they are able to catch up on skills that they may have been missing. Sensory Integration Therapy can be a wonderful way for parents to learn activities to do with their children at home! Once you learn about SI from  occupational therapists, you can begin incorporating many different activities into your daily routine, including trips to the playground, "messy" play with paint, modeling clay, and sand, and a variety of exercises. Trained therapists can also provide an evaluation of a child to better determine what that child’s needs are. Some children need deep pressure in order to calm themselves and to help their brains organize and process sensory input. Children who crave deep pressure may benefit from using a weighted vest, blanket, or wrist or ankle weights. I recommend talking with an occupational therapist for specific suggestions regarding your child’s needs. There are many deep pressure activities you can do with children. Swinging in a blanket, being rolled in a blanket like a "hot dog," pulling each other across the room in a laundry basket, and carrying heavy milk cartons are all excellent activities. The Wilbarger Brushing Method, developed by Patricia and Julia Wilbarger, uses a surgical scrub brush to stimulate the touch receptors, followed by deep pressure (proprioception) on the joints. A trained therapist could determine whether a child might benefit from brushing, and could instruct parents on how to use this method with their child. Although adults are generally able to control their environment by making decisions about the sights, smells, and sounds that surround them, as well as the activities that they engage in, children rarely have the "luxury" of avoiding uncomfortable sensory stimuli in this way. In a crowded, activity-filled classroom, there is often no opportunity to escape the noise and confusion. Activities such as finger painting, sculpting with clay, or dissecting a frog are planned for the entire class to participate in, and frequently, the student’s performance is rated based on the successful completion of these tasks. It is important to talk with your child and his teacher to determine what activities and situations may be presenting challenges in the classroom and in other environments, and to help to provide a solution. There is much that can be done to help a child with sensory integration dysfunction! For more information on sensory integration disorders, I highly recommend reading the book by Carol Stock Kranowitz, called The Out of Sync Child. Here are some other sensory related books and materials: ******************************************     MsSteelersFan38434.4718865741
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