What is Sensory Integration Therapy? 

What is Sensory Integration Therapy? 

Jean Ayres, an occupational therapist in the 1970s, developed sensory integration therapy (SIT) to help children with sensory processing deficits calm down when experiencing sensory overload.  SIT works using the assumption that by doing tasks that require a lot of sensory processing, sensory systems and the brain will form a stronger connection.  Having a stronger sensory system – brain connection will help children learn how to respond to different types of sensory stimulation in less extreme ways.  You can also think of SIT as a way of re-calibrating the body’s sensory systems.

During a SIT therapy session, a therapist will have the child engage in activities that stimulate different types of sensory processing.  With repetition, the child will get better at responding to that type of sensation.  Over time, those learned responses will become adapted and allow for improved motor, social, and behavioral planning.

Sensory Integration Therapy activities can include:

• Weighted vest
• Deep pressure
• Brushing the skin with a sensory or therapressure brush
• Platform swings
• Jumping on trampolines
• Using an exercise ball
• Balance beams

How can Sensory Integration Therapy benefit autistic children? 

Sensory Integration Therapy is a common treatment for autistic kids. In autistic kids, SIT aids in introducing triggering stimuli and training a positive behavioral response to this sensory information. SIT is tailored to the child’s specific behavioral or motor disturbances and results in calm and appropriate responses to their hyper- or hypersensitivities in the environment. An autistic child undergoing SIT will not only have improved behavioral responses, but will have planned motor responses allowing for more social interaction and communication with others.

Article by: Avery Meeks and The Autism ToolKit

Works cited:  

Blanche, Erna Imperatore, et al. “Proprioceptive processing difficulties among children with autism spectrum disorders and developmental disabilities.” The American Journal of Occupational Therapy 66.5 (2012): 621-624.

Marco, Elysa J., et al. “Sensory processing in autism: a review of neurophysiologic findings.” Pediatric research 69.8 (2011): 48-54.

Morris, S L et al. “Differences in the use of vision and proprioception for postural control in autism spectrum disorder.” Neuroscience vol. 307 (2015): 273-80. doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.08.040

Khodabakhshi, Mahdi Khodabakhshi, Mokhtar Malekpour, and Ahmad Abedi. “The effect of sensory integration therapy on social interactions and sensory and motor performance in children with autism.” Iranian Journal of Cognition and Education 1.1 (2014): 39-53.

Riquelme, Inmaculada et al. “Abnormal Pressure Pain, Touch Sensitivity, Proprioception, and Manual Dexterity in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.” Neural plasticity vol. 2016 (2016): 1723401. doi:10.1155/2016/1723401

Website:

https://nationalautismresources.com/the-wilbarger-protocol-brushing-therapy-for-sensory-integration/

Autism and Proprioception