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Sensory Processing Disorder affects EVERYTHING...

BUT it is not the whole answer

Sensory processing disorder is much more than a refusal to touch sand or finger paints, although this is what parents first think of when asked if their child has difficulty with sensory processing.

Does your child...

Love running and jumping and never seem able to sit still

Always seem tired and unable to sit up straight

Find it impossible to complete a short table top activity or sit at the table to eat

Love rough and tumble play

Love or hate swings and climbing up high

Have no sense of personal safety on climbing equipment

Love watching fans, leaves rustling or shadows moving

Cover their eyes in bright light

Cover their ears in noisy environments

Love music and making sounds

Love or hate the feel of sand, grass, play dough, finger paints

Refuse to wear items of clothing or shoes

Hate having their hair or finger nails cut

Refuse to eat a wide variety of foods

Get overwhelmed in noisy environments to the extent that they have a melt down or you need to remove them

Have tantrums that cannot be managed with usual parenting strategies

If you answered yes to even a few of these statements your child may have sensory processing disorder. In a study by Greenspan and Weider (1998) They found that 94% of the 200 children with autism that they assessed had sensory processing difficulties. In my work with children with autism I have found that most have some sensory processing difficulties.

If your child cannot sit still, they will find it very difficult to attend and learn. Your Speech Therapist may have difficulty getting them to participate in therapy. Alternatively they may always seem exhausted and unable to sit up straight. This will also affect learning.

If a child cannot sit still, they will struggle to learn play skills and therefore will have great difficulty interacting with other children and forming friendships.

If your child does not like the feel of different textures or is fearful of loosing their balance, they are likely to stand back and not participate in play activities with other children limiting their social and learning opportunities.

If your child cannot cope in a noisy environment with lots of sensory stimulation, they will have great difficulty in the classroom and especially in the playground.

You may be a busy Mum trying to get out of the house in the morning with a couple of kids. If you have a child who will not stay still long enough to be dressed, refuses to wear certain clothes and will only eat a particular brand of white bread (which you have just run out of) resulting in a massive melt down that takes ages to recover from, you can see how sensory processing may affect you.

Sensory Processing Disorder can be managed

JumpStart will teach you about sensory processing, how it is affecting your particular child and how you can manage it at home and in the community. Because we run a holistic program we look at your child's sensory processing disorder within the context of their autism and use numerous strategies including communication and behavioural strategies to approach your child's needs holistically. This is what makes JumpStart unique and so successful.

"Over the course of the program Tali managed to put the puzzle together for me that months of my own reading and research hadn't been able to do. I finally understood why I needed to incorporate sensory activities into our day. Tali gave me wonderful suggestions about how to change our usual routine to benefit my son without any radical changes or ridiculous ideas that are hard to implement. Everything she suggested was practical and easy to do"

One of the great advantages of being a home based program is that JumpStart therapists will not use large or suspended equipment as we cannot transport these items with us, so our strategies for providing sensory input are practical and can be blended into your life without massive changes or hanging a platform swing in your lounge room.

Behvioural difficulties are often parent's biggest area of difficulty as behaviour impacts on the whole family. Once you understand about how Sensory Processing Disorder affects behaviour, you will have much greater success with your behavioural strategies.

"I have a much better grasp of IM's sensory input issues and have been able to use various different means of ensuring that IM's frustration levels are greatly reduced. Through Tali and JumpStart I have gained a clear understanding of the reason for so much of IM's behaviour and so no longer feel as frustrated and bewildered by why she suddenly reacts so strongly"

Parents have reported that sleep has improved, their child is eating better, and that their child has started making greater gains with other therapies once sensory strategies had been implemented at home.

I truly believe that until you have addressed your child's sensory processing disorder you will not get the most out of any other intervention you may introduce. Having said this though, Sensory processing is not the answer to everything, and that is why I developed JumpStart, a holistic program that looks at sensory processing within the context of your child's autism and other area's of difficulty..

If you would like to participate in the JumpStart program and live in Melbourne, click here to put your name on the JumpStart waiting list 

         
To return from Sensory Processing Disorder to JumpStart, holistic home-based therapy for autism click here