What to do if you suspect your child has SI difficulties.
Firstly, if the child is pre-school age or younger, it is recommended that a paediatrician or child carer / kindy teacher are consulted prior to exploring the option of Occupational Therapy using Sensory Integration. For older children, discussing with their teacher about their ability to stay focused, learn, engage in play inside and out of the classroom, understand concepts of learning, motivation, behaviour and overall level of confidence are always good indicators of possible SI issues.
Once it has been established that there may be some underlying factors contributing to these difficulties, apart from the obvious, it is recommended that a Paediatric Occupational Therapist specialising in Sensory Integration be contacted in order to discuss the processes involved in determining whether or not your child has SI issues. This process is generic to all children who are referred for possible SI evaluation, and includes:
- Initial assessment appointment – This process usually involves 1 –2 sessions using standardised assessment tools and/or clinical observations.
- Parent and teacher questionnaires – forms for parents and teachers / childcare to complete to provide comprehensive and subjective information to support assessment findings, and to highlight areas of strength and weakness.
- Assessment report – includes the compilation of all subjective and assessment data, providing recommendations for referral to other professionals if needed, comprehensive home programs and suggestions for school / kindy / childcare.
- Sensory Integration Therapy (if appropriate) – Weekly or fortnightly sessions in an OT clinic using age appropriate and challenging activities to promote Sensory Integration. A principle of this therapy is that ‘a child must be motivated and enjoy the therapy in order to elicit the adaptive responses crucial to improving Sensory Integration.’ Parents are encouraged to attend therapy session in order to receive ‘training’ in the level and type of stimulation they can provide their child with in order to support the changes being made in therapy.
- Review – the effects of SI therapy are lasting. Initial improvements are often met with a period of instability and slight regression, however, the dips are smaller than the overall gains. 6 – 12 months after therapy is an appropriate time to review development and assess current level of functioning.
Most children wit SI difficulties often have negative experiences, whether it is at home, school or with their peers. An important thing to remember when dealing with SI children
is; “…look at what the behaviour is trying to tell you, rather than looking at the behaviour as being negative or ‘bad’…” For some, this can make a profound difference, and your child will be thankful and better off for it.
Occupational Therapy is covered under private health insurance, and all therapists must obtain an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in Bachelor of Applied Science (this usually involves 4 years studying at university). Most Sensory Integration OT’s have had further training in SI or paediatric development. In S.A. an OT must be registered with The Occupational Therapist Board of SA, and is required to renew this registration annually.
This information has been provided on behalf of Occupational Therapy for Children. For more information regarding Sensory Integration or developmental issues, information may be obtained through your local Child, Youth and Family services, or consult your GP or paediatrician. Further information may be obtained through service directory guides by contacting an Occupational Therapist working within a SI framework or alternatively on the ‘net.’ An excellent and useful resource for learning more about SI is “The Out of Sync Child” by Carol Stock Kranowitz (available from COPE Bookshop – Hutt Street, local libraries and selected bookstores).
