INTEGRATING THE SENSES FOR SUCCESS
Developing a Comprehensive Therapy Plan

The way we learn about the world is through our senses. When the brain cannot process sensations accurately or efficiently, Sensory Integration Dysfunction may result, causing inefficient motor, language, or emotional output. If our perception and processing of sensory information is distorted or inefficient, our world can be very confusing and distressing. About 75% of children with a variety of learning disabilities have Sensory Integration Dysfunctions in their ability to process information when it comes from their auditory, visual, tactile or body perception systems.

Sensations are “food for the brain.” As infants, we must have a diet rich in sensory input in order for our brain to learn how to organize, sort, understand and utilize this information. However, after these sensory perceptions enter the brain, there must be efficient and rapid processing of that information in order for us to have successful and effective interaction with the world. People who cannot process sensory information in a fast and efficient way struggle to achieve their fullest potential and to succeed in academic, home and social situations.

When a person suffers from dysfunction of sensory integration, their difficulties are often manifested in several different sensory systems. A child with overly sensitive hearing, or a child who cannot selectively listen – that is, tune into conversation and tune out all the background sounds – will often display other auditory processing difficulties. In addition, they may also have difficulties with coordination, organization and with social skills. They might also have sensitivities in the area of touch. They might have food preferences or allergies. With dysfunctions of sensory integration, there may not be any obvious physical causes and many times few obvious physical symptoms. Diagnosis can be challenging because the symptoms seem so common among children – clumsiness, disorganization, difficulty focusing and paying attention.

We can try to teach coping strategies to these children, but that does not change the defective system. We do our children the greatest service when we offer them intensive therapies that re-train their brain to process information more accurately and efficiently. We must Integrate the Senses first if there is to be real Success!

Treatment of Sensory Integration Dysfunction may focus on improving auditory, visual, tactile, proprioceptive, or vestibular processing and developing well-integrated body awareness. Sensory Integrative treatment improves attention and self-organization as well as auditory processing skills, which is the ability to organize auditory input for comprehension and expression.

Because of the potential for a complex of issues that can affect a child’s performance, it is critical for this person to have a comprehensive evaluation that can determine which sensory systems are in distress, and the nature and extent of each one.

The skilled professionals at Innovative Therapies conduct evaluations that consider the many different aspects of a person’s abilities and areas of need. All factors are taken into consideration in then developing a comprehensive therapy plan as therapists analyze the needs of the individual and design an integrated program. A comprehensive therapy plan must consider the person’s total sensory needs and address them in a specially designed step-by-step process that considers the specific abilities and needs of the individual and will bring a person’s sensory systems into balance for successful functioning.

Several of the treatment modalities offered by Innovative Therapies actually drive changes in the brain, helping people increase the accuracy and rate at which sensory information is processed, and improving timing, attention, sequencing and motor planning. Each individual plan is developed in cooperation with the family and/or other caretakers in order to determine which innovative and efficacious treatments and in what order of succession would be most beneficial for the individual for Integrating their Senses for Success.