Activities to Promote Sensory Integration

Sensory integration is when the brain combines the signals gathered from senses in order to make sense of all the information it is receiving. In isolation, many of the senses wouldn't provide enough information to the brain to make sense of a given situation. The senses and the brain need to develop so that information instantly comes together to create an understandable message. Children with autism sometimes have problems with sensory integration.

Play

• One way that therapists work with children who have sensory-processing disorders is to play with them in a playground-like environment. Swings, large balls and other safe pieces of equipment create an environment for the child to explore. The therapist's role in this type of therapy is not to teach the child how to use any of the equipment, but to safely guide the child and let him explore on his own in order to see how he learns or reacts to the signals he is getting from his exploration.

Auditory Therapy

• Research has indicated that the use of specific audio signals to the brain force it to integrate sensory data more effectively. This is done by introducing different audio signals into each ear simultaneously. The brain takes those two separate signals and integrates them into a resulting sound. In people with poor sensory integration, this type of therapy has shown some promising results in terms of improving the behavior and abilities of children who struggle with sensory integration.

Kineseo Taping Therapy

• Occupational therapist Nancy Silverman-Konigsberg writes about an interesting therapy from Japan called Kinesio taping. This involves placing stretchy tape on a child in a specific way in order to create a reaction. For children with physical sensory problems, the constant presences of the tape on their bodies seems to make them more aware of the sensory input being delivered from that area, helping to ultimately improve overall sensory integration. This is not a primary therapy, but shows some promise as a supplemental sensory integration treatment.

Sensory Input

• A therapist working with a person who has sensory integration problems evaluates the patient in order to see how she responds to various types of sensory stimuli. Then, the goal is to create scheduled times when the patient is introduced regularly to stimuli that are challenging for her to process. This is done while also teaching the patient how to make sense of these stimuli, and how to calm herself and reason through problems that present themselves even if she doesn't know how to react at first.