SENSORY INTERGRATION DYSFUNCTION

"If your child has been labeled with words like difficult, picky, oversensitive, clumsy, or inattentive...there may be a new explanation and a new hope."
-The Out-of-Sync Child

I want to talk to you about Sensory Intergration Dysfunction (SID). Many child with SID are mis-diagnosed. Many children with SID are diagnosed with ADD, ADHA or even autisim.

What is Sensory Intergration Dysfunction?

Sensory Integration Dysfunction (SID, also called sensory processing disorder) is a neurological disorder causing difficulties with processing information from the five classic senses (vision, auditory, touch, olfaction, and taste), the sense of movement (vestibular system), and/or the positional sense (proprioception).

For those with SID, sensory information is sensed normally, but perceived abnormally. This is not the same as blindness or deafness, because, unlike those disorders, sensory information is sensed by people with SID, but the information tends to be analyzed by the brain in an unusual way that may cause distress or confusion.

SID can be a disorder on its own, but it can also be a characteristic of other neurological conditions, including autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit disorder, dyslexia, Developmental Dyspraxia, Tourette's Syndrome, multiple sclerosis, and speech delays, among many others.

Unlike many neurological problems that require validation by a licensed psychiatrist or physician, this condition is most often diagnosed by an occupational therapist. It is increasingly being diagnosed by developmental pediatricians, pediatric neurologists, and child psychologists.

While it has not yet been included in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual as a discrete diagnosis, Regulatory-Sensory Processing Disorder is an accepted diagnosis in Stanley Greenspan’s Diagnostic Manual for Infancy and Early Childhood and the Zero to Three’s Diagnostic Classification.

There is no known cure; however, there are many treatments available.
-Wikipedia

Sensory Integration Dysfunction Symptoms:

SIGNS OF TACTILE DYSFUNCTION:

Hypersensitive: Refuses or resists messy play, resists cuddling and light touch, dislikes kisses, rough clothes or seams in socks, resists baths, showers, or going to the beach.

Hyposensitive: This is Caleb Doesn't realize hands or face are dirty, touches everything and anything constantly, may be self-abusive, plays rough with peers, doesn't seem to feel pain (may even enjoy it!)

SIGNS OF VESTIBULAR DYSFUNCTION:

Hypersensitive: Avoids playground and moving equipment, fearful of heights, dislikes being tipped upside down, often afraid of falling, walking on uneven surfaces, and avoids rapid, sudden or rotating movements.

Hyposensitive: This is Caleb Craves any possible movement experience, especially fast or spinning, never seems to sit still, is a thrill seeker, shakes leg while sitting, loves being tossed in the air, never seems to get dizzy, full of excessive energy.

SIGNS OF PROPRIOCEPTIVE DYSFUNCTION:

Under-responsive: This is Caleb Constantly jumping, crashing, and stomping, loves to be squished and bear hugs, prefers tight clothing, loves rough-housing, and may be aggressive with other children.

Over-responsive: Difficulty understanding where body is in relation to other objects, appears clumsy, bumps into things often, moves in a stiff and/or uncoordinated way. Difficulty Regulating Input: Doesn't know how hard to push on an object, misjudges the weight of an object, breaks objects often and rips paper when erasing pencil marks.

SIGNS OF AUDITORY DYSFUNCTION:

Hypersensitive: Covers ears and startled by loud sounds, distracted by sounds not noticed by others, fearful of toilets flushing, hairdryers and/or vacuums, resists going to loud public places (even cafeteria at school).

Hyposensitive: This is Caleb May not respond to verbal cues, loves loud music and making noise, may appear confused about where a sound is coming from, may say "what?" frequently.

SIGNS OF ORAL DYSFUNCTION:

Hypersensitive: This is Caleb Picky eater with extreme food preferences and limited repertoire, may gag on textured food, difficulty with sucking, chewing, and swallowing, extremely fearful of the dentist, dislikes toothpaste and brushing teeth.

Hyposensitive: May lick, taste or chew on inedible objects, loves intensely flavored foods, may drool excessively, frequently chews on pens, pencils, or shirt.

SIGNS OF VISUAL DYSFUNCTION: Caleb does not show either of these signs

Hypersensitive: Irritated by sunlight or bright lights, easily distracted by visual stimuli, avoids eye contact, may become overaroused in brightly colored rooms.

Hyposensitive: Difficulty controlling eye movements and tracking objects, mixes up similar letters, focuses on little details in a picture and misses the whole, loses his place frequently when reading or copying from the blackboard.

SIGNS OF OLFACTORY DYSFUNCTION: Caleb does not show either of these signs

Hypersensitive: May object to orders, such as a ripe banana, perfumes or colognes, household or cooking smells.

Hyposensetive: Uses smell to interact with objects. Makes excessive use of smelling when introduced to objects, people, or places.

Nobody knows what cause SID, but research suggests several possibilites:

• Genetic or hereditary predisposition
• Prematuriaty
• Birth trauma
• Prenatal circumstances, such as, medications, stress, chemicals, or substance abuse
• Postnatal circumstances, such as, lengthy hospital stay, excessive or insufficient sensory stimulation
• Unknown reasons

What to do?

Call and make an appointment with your peditrician. Voice your concerns with him. Most of the time you do need a refferal from your child's peditrician for any therepy.

If your child is under the age of 3, check to see if Early Childhood Intervention is available to you. For those in the state of Texas, you can go HERE.

Once your child has reached the age of 3, the school district then takes over. Contact your school district and inquire about their services.