Come to Your Senses

As a lot of you know, I have a daughter named Jaimie who was born with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) also known as Sensory Integration Dysfunction (SID/DSI). I have been very active in helping to raise awareness for SID/SPD children and their families. October is National Sensory Awareness Month and I'm joining volunteers from around the country to get the word out about this growing health concern.

Let's start with a few facts about DSI/SPD that you may or may not know about:
(1) DSI/SPD is a complex disorder of the brain that affects how a person receives, interprets and responds to sensory information, such as sight, sound, smell taste, touch, body awareness and movement. People with DSI/SPD do not experience sensory information the same way as others, resulting in difficulty with motor planning and daily living skills, self-regulation and developmental delays. It is estimated that this DSI/SPD affects 1 in 20 children.

(2) Sensory integration develops through normal childhood activities for most children. For those who struggle, there are therapies that are successful in addressing sensory challenges. Early intervention is critical for significant and long-term success and to avoid further developmental issues and problems in school.

(3) Sensory challenges manifest themselves in a variety of ways due to the multitude of ways our minds and bodies process sensory input. Each individual affected by sensory issues demonstrates different signs. Common signs in infancy and early childhood are:
*Difficulty with skills for daily living, such as eating, sleeping, toileting
*Under- or over-responsiveness to sensory input (touch, light, sounds, textures, smells, movement.
*Delayed speech and language, gross motor and/or fine motor skills.
*Unusually high or low activity levels, sometimes in combination.
*Difficulty transitioning from one activity or environment to another
*Extreme meltdowns for no apparent reason, often inconsolable.
*Difficulty with haircuts, bathing, brushing teeth, certain clothing

(4) Sensory information comes through more than just the five senses we learn about as children. In addition to sign, sound, touch, smell and taste, our bodies also process vestibular (where the body is in space and gravitational orientation) and proprioceptive input (movement and the position of parts of the body in relationship to other parts). For example, imagine the test where you close your eyes and touch your nose alternatively with your left and right forefingers.

(5) Signs and symptoms of DSI/SPD can appear to represent other disorders, such as ADD/ADHD, Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) and others. Sensory processing issues often are at the root of a child's developmental and/or behavior struggles.

(6) Sensory-based occupational therapy is the primary therapy used to address DSI/SPD in children. The first step is an evaluation to determine the severity of the issues and the type of therapy needed. Once goals are set, the specially trained therapist will execute a variety of activities that incrementally expose the child to a variety of sensory experiences to help regulate the child's interpretations of and responses to sensory input. Early studies and anecdotal evidence show a high level of success with this type of therapy.

Pass the following press release and/or the above facts about SID/DSI/SPD onto your friends, relatives, co-workers or anyone else who may have concerns that their child or children they deal with has sensory issues. It is only through awareness that we'll come to understanding. Please join me during National Sensory Awareness Month and do what you can to bring others to that understanding.

On behalf of Jaimie and so many children like her, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

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PRESS RELEASE: October 2008 - Imagine wearing a piece of sandpaper down the back of your shirt... or trying to eat your lunch next to a hot garbage can... or trying to walk across a room during an earthquake.

No. You are not a contestant on the television show "Fear Factor"; rather, you are experiencing a slice of life as a child with Sensory Integration Dysfunction (SID/DSI), also known as Sensory Processing Disorder.

For the estimated 1 in 20 children affected by sensory integration dysfunction, life can be much like what was described above... and sometimes worse. Inundated by sensory information all day, most children develop motor planning abilities that enable them to appropriately adapt and respond to the sights, sounds, smells, movement and other sensations around them. Children with sensory integration dysfunction (DSI/SPD) react differently to sensory information and are often overwhelmed by this information, experience developmental delays and have difficulty with daily living skills.

"Unfortunately, some children with sensory integration dysfunction are misdiagnosed with other disorders," explained Kathleen Morris, pediatric therapist and publisher of S.I. Focus Magazine. "The good news is that many children with sensory issues are helped immensely with the right treatment."

The solution that many have found success with is sensory-based occupational therapy. With this type of therapy, the child is incrementally exposed to a variety of sensory experiences to help regulate the child's interpretations of and responses to sensory input. Because DSI/SPD is an emerging health concern, there has not been widespread research conducted on treatments, but studies and anecdotal evidence strongly suggest that sensory-based therapy can have significant and long-term success.

Parents, educators and healthcare professionals who suspect a child is affected by DSI/SPD should contact an occupational therapist who specializes in sensory-based therapy for an evaluation.

Log on to www.sensoryintegration.com for resources on finding local occupational therapists trained in sensory-based therapies. S.I. Focus sponsors National Sensory Awareness Month "Come To Your Senses" each October to raise awareness of sensory integration dysfunction/sensory processing disorder among parents, educators and other professionals who work with children. Visit www.sensoryintegration.com for more information.