Sensory Integration

What is sensory integration?

Sensory integration dysfunction is a neurologic condition that can cause children to process environmental sensations in an inappropriate way.  As a result, they may either seek out strong sensations or avoid even mild sensations.  Some of the characteristics of these children may be hyperactivity, poor awareness of pain, high risk taking, listening to loud sounds, clumsiness, poor fine motor skills, poor gross motor skills, poor visual tracking, problems with sequencing, and problems with balance.  Sensory integration dysfunction often is related to children with developmental disabilities, autism, and attention deficits.

Sensory experiences include touch, movement, body position, vision, smell, taste, sound and the pull of gravity.  The process of the brain organizing and interpreting this information is called sensory integration.  Sensory integration provides a crucial foundation for later, more complex learning and behavior.

For most children sensory integration develops in the course of ordinary childhood activities.  But for some children, sensory integration does not develop as efficiently as it should.  This is known as sensory processing disorder (SPD) or dysfunction in sensory integration (DSI).  When the process is disordered a number of problems in learning, motor skills and behavior may be evident.

Binocular therapy (vision therapy, visual integration) is an integral part of the multi-disciplinary therapies necessary to effectively treat children and adults with:

• Sensory Integration Problems
• Developmental Delays
• Learning Disabilities
• Traumatic Brain Injuries
• Autism
• ADD and ADHD

Binocular therapy / vision therapy is used to establish visual integration and, as a treatment component, can dramatically improve the effectiveness of the other therapy programs. It is important to remember that sensory integration is much more difficult to achieve without visual integration. The lack of visual integration slows, and in some cases prevents, progress in other therapy areas.

Visual integration supports:

• Balance
• Visual memory
• Speech
• Gross motor skills
• Spatial awareness
• Fine motor skills
• Figure-ground discrimination
• Startle reflex
• Visualization
• Motor planning
• Comprehension
• Ability to follow directions

The most common visual interferences are: Lack of eye teaming for continuous binocular vision and the inability to process light input for central vision and peripheral vision at the same time.
 
Reading and near point tasks are dependent upon eye teaming, visual processing, visual memory and the overall performance of the visual system. When treatment objectives are reading and academics, it is important to evaluate the performance of the visual system to determine the patient’s probability of success.

Symptoms of Sensory Processing Disorder:

• Cries and shields eyes from the sun and other bright lights
• "Selective" hearing or difficulty listening
• Picky eater - resists new foods and textures
• Complains about tags in clothing
• Unaware of normal touch or pain; often touches others too softly or with too much force
• Dislikes being tickled or cuddled
• Poor gross motor skills, such as running or riding a bicycle
• Walks on tiptoes
• Trouble focusing and / or concentrating
• Overly sensitive to loud sounds
• Smells people, food and objects
• Chews on everything, including clothing
• Poor fine motor skills, such as handwriting and using scissors
• Difficulty dressing self
• Sits with legs in a "W" position
• Does not like to go barefoot 

Since 1991, our team of trained specialists have been providing accurate, professional diagnoses and state-of-the-art treatment you can count on. Our expertise, experience and results speak for themselves. We look forward to being of service to you and your family.

Testing and treatment for Binocular Vision and Sensory Integration Issues relating to:

• ADD / ADHD
• Autism
• Binocular Function
• Developmental Delays
• Eye Tracking and Eye Teaming
• Learning Disabilities
• Reading Problems
• Reversals (Letters, Words and Numbers)
• Visual Discrimination
• Visual Memory
• Visual-Motor Integration