Sensory Integration Approach
Sensory integration is the process by which people register, modulate, and discriminate sensations received through their sensory systems to produce purposeful and adaptive responses to their environment (Ayres, 1976). The eight sensory systems we depend on for input include vision, auditory, gustatory (taste), olfactory (smell), tactile (touch), proprioceptive (joint position sense), vestibular (balance and movement) and interoception (ability to sense our bodies from the inside). Effective integration of these sensations enables development of the skills needed to successfully participate in everyday life, such as care for our self and others, engagement and connection with people and objects, and participation in our social environments (AOTA, 2008).
The therapeutic approach of sensory integration was originally developed by A. Jean Ayres, a pioneering Occupational Therapist, Educational Psychologist, and Neuroscientist and is formally known as Ayres Sensory Integration® (Ayres, 1989). ASI® includes the theory of sensory integration, assessment methods to measure sensory integration, and a core set of essential intervention constructs that can be utilized to intervene with clients who have difficulty processing sensory information (AOTA, 2008).
According to research, it is estimated that 40%–80% of children (Baranek et al., 2002) and 3%–11% of adults (Baranek, Foster, & Berkson, 1997) with developmental disabilities also have significant sensory processing difficulties. In addition, sensory processing difficulties are estimated to occur in 10%–12% of individuals in the general population who have no identified diagnostic condition (McIntosh, Miller, Shyu, & Hagerman, 1999), due to the condition known as “Sensory Processing Disorder” still not being recognised as a formal diagnosis.
Although a variety of children may benefit from Occupational Therapy using an ASI® approach, the children who typically gain the most from this type of intervention include those who are struggling academically but who do not have a clear diagnosis, struggle day to day to cope with their sensory world and have challenges adapting or experience disproportionate responses to sensation, as well as those children with specific diagnoses such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, learning disabilities, developmental delays, ADHD, regulatory disorders, Dyspraxia and those who have experienced trauma (AOTA, 2008).
PlaySENSE Therapy uses a clinical practice framework that incorporates an ASI® approach, as well as elements of other protocols and tools that have since been designed to also improve sensory processing capacities for children with these daily challenges, however recognises that all children who experience difficulties processing and organising sensation are unique and different, and therefore this is not a one size fits all approach. Clinical reasoning is used to determine what is beneficial for each unique child, and tools and strategies are compiled to match their strengths and challenges. As well as incorporating other critical approaches through the use of the DIRFloortime framework, and others also included below.
Some Specific Protocols and Tools that are used through this type of framework include:
Therapeutic Listening Is a specific sound-based intervention that is embedded in a developmental and sensory integration perspective. The music in Therapeutic Listening gives the listener unique and precisely controlled sensory information. The music is electronically modified to highlight the parts of the sound spectrum that naturally capture attention and activate body movement, synchronizing it with the environment. Therapeutic Listening uses electronic modifications, along with the organized, rhythmical sound patterns inherent in music, to trigger the self-organizing capacities of the nervous system (Vital Links, 2020) . Find out more here - https://vitallinks.com/therapeutic-listening/
The Wilbarger Deep Pressure and Proprioceptive Technique (DPPT) & Oral Tactile Technique (OTT) is also based in the theory of Sensory Integration, and uses prescriptive methods to provide organising stimulation to the nervous system to decrease over-responsivity to tactile based input. Some of the benefits associated with this intervention include a decreased fear or discomfort of being touched, improved ability to transition between daily activities, improved self-regulation, attention span, and coordination.
The Astronaut Program: A Sound Activated Vestibular-Visual Protocol Is a protocol to provide precise input to all five vestibular receptors, along with auditory and visual input to create a comprehensive treatment protocol which integrates the vestibular-auditory-visual triad (Vital Links, 2020) to support improvements in neural organisation, learning, attention and academic skill development.
MORE Program: Integrating the mouth with sensory and postural functions encompasses a number of treatment strategies that are designed to enhance oral/respiratory function via improving respiration patterns, self-regulation, postural control, visual motor skills, feeding and communication skills (Richter Active Integrative Resources, 2020).