The following information was provided by The Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation.

Finding and selecting an occupational therapist to help your child, yourself, and/or your family is an important decision. Like all professionals, OTs differ in training, philosophy, and personality. The best choice is an OT who is a good “fit” for your child and yourself – someone you and/or your child likes and with whom you feel connected.

You will also want to look for an OT who follows methods known to be associated with effective treatment. These include:

• Provides direct 1-to-1 treatment in a sensory-rich setting that has unique equipment that provides a wide range of sensory opportunities
• Includes a diagnostic evaluation before you begin treatment and delivers it in easily understandable, written form. (If there are sections with jargon that you don’t understand, ask for an explanation before agreeing to treatment.)
• Makes parent education an integral part of the treatment program, and we don’t mean five minutes at the end of a treatment session! Parents need and deserve much more than that! Several dedicated hours for parent feedback and education should be built into the treatment plan.
• Provides written goals for treatment before you begin treatment to assure that everyone is “on the same page” about priorities
• Documents changes with post-treatment testing so everyone knows how treatment is working. Typically, OTs who provide excellent pre-treatment testing also provide good post-treatment testing.
• Provides intensive treatment (at least twice times a week and preferably three) over a shorter time duration rather than once-a-week treatment. Weekly treatment can produce behavior changes, but research suggests that intensive treatment produces lasting neurological changes as well as changes in behavior.
• Uses play and success to produce change and foster self-esteem. In good, sensory-based OT, children think they are playing. If a child is crying during treatment sessions, the OT may not be skilled in providing challenge with success, which is a keystone to treatment effectiveness.
• Uses purposeful sensory stimulation to work on “occupations” such as eating, dressing, playing with others, social participation, self-regulation, and self-esteem.
• Asks questions that will lead to effective understanding of you, your child, and your family. Don’t be afraid to ask questions yourself either! If you don’t understand what your OT is doing, it is crucial to confirm that his or her methods and activities are grounded in sound therapeutic concepts and part of a well-defined strategy. If the therapist cannot clearly answer your questions, it may be a red flag that he or she lacks the training or understanding to provide effective intervention.
• Listens to you, believes you, and fully believes in the potential of your child to change. The outcomes of OT are functional changes – differences that you, your child’s teacher, and others can see. If you can’t tell if your child is improving, he or she is not improving enough!

For over 20 years, parents have answered a resounding “yes” about the exceptional specialized therapists at Pediatric Potentials, Inc.

The post Choosing an Occupational Therapist for Your Child appeared first on Sensory Processing Therapy Specialists.

When parents of children with learning and behavioral difficulties are asked if their kids experience problems with sensory processing, chances are many of them will answer “yes”! Many children have difficulty regulating sensory input, which can be anywhere from mild to severe in nature.

What is Sensory Processing Disorder?

Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), also called Sensory Integration Dysfunction, is a condition that affects how your brain processes sensory information. Sensory information enters your body through what you see, hear, smell, taste, or touch, and how you respond to movement and pressure sensations in your body. SPD can affect all of your senses, or just one or two. Having sensory processing disorder usually means you’re more or less sensitive to sensory responses than others. Difficulty with processing sensations correctly can result in overly hyper or shy behaviors. These children are often bright and capable, but have a hard time getting through the day.

Signs of Sensory Processing Disorder:

SPD can affect one sense or multiple senses. Children who have SPD may overreact to the feeling of clothes, touch, sounds and food textures. They may also underreact to sensory input. This causes them to crave more intense thrill-seeking stimuli. Some examples include jumping off tall things, spinning excessively, or swinging too high on the playground. Children with SPD often have a combination of oversensitive and under-sensitive responses.

Signs of sensory processing- hyper sensitive (over sensitive):

• Clothing feels too scratchy or itchy.
• Lights are too bright.
• Sounds are too loud.
• Soft touch feels adverse.
• Food textures make them gag.
• More clingy than others/overwhelmed.
• Afraid of swings.
• Intense emotional outbursts.
• Bothered by sounds others don’t hear.
• Avoids hugs and cuddling on most occasions.

Signs of sensory processing- hypo sensitive (under-sensitive or sensory-seeking):

• Can’t sit still, constantly touching or “on the go”.
• Seek thrills (jumping, rough play, heights, and spinning).
• Can spin without getting dizzy.
• Not attentive to social cues.
• Not aware or respectful of others’ personal space.
• Chews, licks or mouths things.
• Difficulty settling to fall asleep no matter how early you start.
• Messy face, hair or twisted clothes.
• Clumsy, uncoordinated, falls out of chairs.
• Very high pain tolerance.

The Impact of Sensory Processing Difficulties

Sensory processing difficulties lead to stress responses in the child. When sensory systems do not provide accurate information to the body, it can result in other responses. It can affect a child’s motor skills, attention, coordination, language skills, and independence. Your child may have trouble performing well in school and keeping up with peers. These symptoms left untreated often result in low self-esteem in school-age children. Anxiety and depression can also result. With understanding, support and the right activities, your child can mature his or her nervous system to no longer have to struggle with sensory processing disorder.

How to get help for Sensory Processing Disorder

At Pediatric Potentials, Inc., we specialize in Sensory Integration, Sensory Processing Therapy and play-based treatment interventions that are specifically designed to regulate all of the senses. Sensory Integration, developed by Dr. Jean Ayers, involves specific sensory activities (swinging, bouncing, brushing, and lots of physical activity) that are intended to help your child regulate his or her response to incoming sensory input. The outcome of these activities may be better focus and attention, improved behavior, greater coordination, and even lowered anxiety and a balanced activity level.

If you have questions regarding your child’s development or want to learn more about how sensory processing therapy and occupational therapy can help, call our office today at 407-322-3962. We provide services in Lake Mary, Longwood, Maitland, Winter Park, Winter Springs, Orlando and throughout Central Florida.

The post Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD): Signs and Symptoms appeared first on Sensory Processing Therapy Specialists.

This updated Sensory Pyramid was developed by Pediatric Occupational Therapist and Sensory Expert Kelli Arnone. Her modern-day Sensory Pyramid is an easy-to-understand illustration that depicts a general idea of a child’s foundational skills, and what other skills build upon those.

Think about it: You can’t place stones on the top until the foundation stones are in place. Every block relies on the ones underneath to be strong and stable. This sensory pyramid explains why the sensory systems are so incredibly important to support academic learning. In other words, kids NEED routine sensory input for their bodies and their brain! Our central nervous system processes and organizes the sensory information we put into it each day. Adequate sensorimotor development for things like motor planning, postural security and body awareness are built on adequate modulation (sensory regulation) and processing of sensory information that we take in every day! Sensory input can be anything such as, smells, tastes, sounds, movements, pressure, and textures. Some children need a lot more or a lot less of these sensations to function optimally and to feel good throughout each day.

When a child is referred to occupational therapy, it is usually for things like attention to task, handwriting difficulties, picky eating, self-care tasks, tolerating routine changes, or school related performance. These functional difficulties are in the “Cognition and Intellect” categories which are integrated at the top of the learning pyramid. The role of an occupational therapist is to determine underlying causes of these issues and utilize specific interventions to address them. Often times, it is hard for parents to fully understand why their child is not performing at the level at which they would like them to be. Some parents may see their child become frustrated when they are trying their best to be compliant, listen and learn, but their sensory processing abilities are hindering them. These frustrations root from the child working throughout the day just to do the simple things, the things that should be automatic and effortless for their bodies. This may include things like listening to the teacher, keeping their balance on the stairs, standing close to their friends in line, trying a new snack, or engaging in messy play. It all begins at the bottom of the pyramid!

Understanding Our Sensory Systems

• Proprioception is our ability to sense the location, positioning, and movements of our body and its limbs. It allows us to navigate a crowded area without bumping into people and objects in our path.
• Vestibular sensation is housed in our inner ears and uses gravity to sense spatial orientation and movement. This system is responsible for maintaining balance, posture, attention and coordination during movement. This system has to work efficiently for children to function throughout the day.
• Tactile sensation comes from receptors in our skin found all over the body. Tactile sensation includes sensations of pain, temperature, pressure, and textures. Some children need a lot more touch stimulation to have good body awareness, control and motor skills. Other children need help balancing this system to not be over-reactive, which causes challenges with self-care skills, engaging with peers and focusing / feeling calmer when their nervous system is on high alert.
• Gustatory includes specific tastes (spicy, sweet, minty, bitter) and specific textures (crunchy, chewy, mushy). Taste also involves knowing the difference between food items and non-food items. Children need this system to work well in order to eat and manage a variety of foods.
• Olfactory or smells involve the ability to distinguish, detect and tolerate certain scents. This system is needed for safety in our environment.
• Visual includes noticing and tolerating visual patterns, colors, shapes, bright and dimmed lights and moving objects. This system may need help calming down or waking up for good focus and eye-hand coordination skills.
• Auditory involves the ability to distinguish and tolerate loud sounds (fire alarms, sirens or loud music) and soft sounds (finger snapping, repetitive tapping, hearing others breathing). This system may also need help to calm down or wake up, so a child can attend and follow directions without additional difficulty or support.

How can Pediatric Potentials, Inc. help?

At Pediatric Potentials, Inc., we specialize in Sensory Integration, Sensory Processing Therapy and play-based treatment interventions that are specifically designed to stimulate and challenge all of the senses. Sensory Integration involves specific sensory activities (swinging, bouncing, brushing, and more) that are intended to help your child regulate his or her response to incoming sensory input. The outcome of these activities may be better focus and attention, improved behavior, and even lowered anxiety and balanced activity level.

If you have questions regarding your child’s development or want to learn more about how sensory processing therapy and occupational therapy can help, call our office today at 407-322-3962. We provide services in Lake Mary, Longwood, Maitland, Winter Park, Winter Springs, Orlando and throughout Central Florida.

Author/Information provided by: Kelli Arnone MOT, OTR/L, SIPT

Kelli Arnone is the Co-owner and Director of Pediatric Potentials, Inc. a private sensory processing therapy clinic in Lake Mary, Florida. Kelli has over 25 years of experience working with children with sensory integration challenges as well as other developmental delays. She has worked in numerous hospitals, schools, community programs and private practices. She is trained and certified to administer the Sensory Integration Praxis Test (SIPT) and is also trained and certified in Therapeutic Listening, Handwriting Without Tears, The Wilbarger Deep Pressure Protocol and is an Advanced Trained Neurofeedback Practitioner.

The post The Sensory Pyramid appeared first on Sensory Processing Therapy Specialists.

Occupational Therapy is a skilled health care profession hat focuses on maximizing each person’s skills, abilities and independence for their age and life stage. Pediatric Occupational Therapy is geared toward helping children achieve/master skills equal to their age and ability level. This type of children’s therapy is fun and developmentally appropriate and rewarding to the child’s self-esteem.

How Can Occupational Therapy Benefit Children? 

Pediatric Occupational therapy can benefit children of all ages with a variety of needs and diagnoses including:

• Autism Spectrum Disorders / Asperger’s Syndrome
• Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD & ADHD)
• Sensory Processing Disorder
• Sensory Integration Disorder
• Learning Disability
• Developmental Delay
• Attachment Disorders
• Downs Syndrome
• Cerebral Palsy
• Feeding Disorders
• Neuromuscular Disorders
• Behavioral and Emotional Disorders
• Orthopedic Impairments

At Pediatric Potentials, Inc., our occupational therapists provide screenings, assessments, consultations, and treatment for those concerned about: 

• Sensory Processing / Self-regulation abilities
• Visual processing and perception
• Gross and fine motor skills
• Self-care tasks
• Social skills
• Self-feeding tasks

How can Pediatric Potentials, Inc. help?

Our pediatric occupational therapists will complete an initial evaluation to become familiar with your child’s strengths, weaknesses, daily routine and the family’s overall concerns and goals. Following the evaluation, they will create an individualized treatment plan and goals to address any concerns that require therapeutic treatment sessions. We take pride in making therapy enjoyable and fun for your child, so that they can be motivated to live their life to their greatest potential.

We use evidence-based treatment approaches including:

• Sensory Integration Treatments
• Positive Behavioral Interventions
• Therapeutic Listening®
• Handwriting Without Tears®
• Beckman Oral Motor Approach®
• Astronaut Training
• Neurofeedback Training
• School-Related Skills
• Gross and Fine Motor Development
• Early Intervention Services
• Feeding and Oral Motor Development
• Balance and Coordination Skills
• Age-Appropriate Daily Living Skills / Self-Help Skills
• Handwriting Skills
• Articulation and Language Development

If you have questions regarding your child’s development or want to learn more about how pediatric occupational therapy can help, call our office today at 407-322-3962. We provide services in Lake Mary, Longwood, Maitland, Winter Park, Winter Springs, Orlando and throughout Central Florida. Pediatric Potentials, Inc. also works with children within their daycare and school settings.

Author/Information provided by: Kelli Arnone MOT, OTR/L, SIPT

Kelli Arnone is the Co-owner and Director of Pediatric Potentials, Inc. a private sensory processing therapy clinic in Lake Mary, Florida. Kelli has over 25 years of experience working with children with sensory integration challenges as well as other developmental delays. She has worked in numerous hospitals, schools, community programs and private practices. She is trained and certified to administer the Sensory Integration Praxis Test (SIPT) and is also trained and certified in Therapeutic Listening, Handwriting Without Tears, The Wilbarger Deep Pressure Protocol and is an Advanced Trained Neurofeedback Practitioner.

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