Sensory Integration

If your child avoids certain textures or surfaces, they may have a sensory processing disorder or difficulty. The pediatric occupational therapist can help the child overcome or address this through accessible strategies and engaging activities specific to that child.

Sensory integration (SI) is the process by which the brain receives, interprets, and integrates sensory information from the body and the environment in order to produce appropriate responses and behaviors. Sensory information includes touch, movement, sight, sound, taste, and smell, and is critical for everyday activities such as eating, dressing, playing, and learning. 

SI is essential for the development of many skills, including attention, coordination, social interaction, and emotional regulation. When the sensory integration process is disrupted, it can result in difficulties in these areas, as well as in behavior, learning, and communication. Sensory integration therapy involves activities that provide controlled sensory input in order to help the brain organize and integrate sensory information more effectively. Activities may include swinging, jumping, spinning, bouncing, and other types of movement, as well as activities that involve touch, pressure, vibration, and other sensory stimuli. 

A. Jean Ayres, a psychologist and occupational therapist, developed SI theory as “the organization of sensation for use (Ayres, 1979). Sensory integration therapy is often used with individuals who have sensory processing disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and other developmental disabilities. It may also be used with individuals who have experienced trauma, brain injuries, or other neurological conditions that affect sensory processing.