Sensory Integration tips for easier bedtimes

Heavy blankets, soft fabrics and other things can help make sleep easier

FAMILY & PARENTING  |  BY: ALICIA BAYER

Sensory Integration techniques can be used to help kids focus, concentrate, learn and behave well, but they can also be invaluable at bedtime. Here are some ways to use Sensory Integration principles to help kids get to sleep.

• Pay attention to fabrics. 

• Watch the light. 

• Try a before bed massage. 

• Avoid touch and activities that stimulate kids. 

• Set the stage ahead of time. 

• Give chewy bedtime snacks. 

• Find the right balance of noise. 

• Provide a good foundation. 

• Make your child warm, but not too warm. 

• Consider bedtime baths -- or not. 

• Use weight. Some children relax and sleep better if they are under heavy blankets.

• Tuck them in. 

• Put on soothing music. 

• Look to what your child prefers during the day. 

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Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Sensory Integration Dysfunction

by ADMIN | Autism United

One of the most currently researched afflictions today is Sensory Integration Dysfunction. Sensory Integration Dysfunction is a neurological disorder which was discovered a little over 40 years ago by Dr. A. Jean Ayres. Sensory Integration Dysfunction is a prime example of just what can alter the brain to alter the daily functions we perform each day whether it is social, academic, or just a daily chore. This commonly misdiagnosed condition proves to have quite the toll emotionally, mentally, and physically on all those who find themselves afflicted with this unfortunate condition. Sensory Integration Dysfunction provides a myriad of challenges for those who do have it, but there are many ways to work through this condition as well.

The types of Sensory Integration Dysfunction seem to fall into three main categories: under processing, over processing, and processing with interference. Due to the fact that there are three main “types” of Sensory Integration Dysfunction, a thorough investigation of each individual is necessary in order to determine which particular types of treatments would be most effective in way of solving as much issue as possible. Each of these types of Sensory Integration Dysfunction can prove to be detrimental to the daily lives of those who are afflicted.

There are a wide variety of signs that come along with Sensory Integration Dysfunction. Children who exhibit the signs below run a high risk of possessing Sensory Integration Dysfunction or Difficulties: READ MORE >>

  

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Autism Spectrum Disorder And Sensory Integration

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by DR. JESSICA GUIRE | Autism United

A neurotypical (an individual not on the autism spectrum) person hears, sees, smells, and feels. A person with autism also hears, sees, smells, and feels. However, many individuals on the autism spectrum have trouble hearing, seeing, smelling and feeling independently of the other senses because of their inability to discriminate between the senses. Imagine being cold, listening to loud sounds, seeing bright flashing lights, and smelling a pungent odor…all at the same time. How would you know you are cold or that the lights are too bright or the smell is stinging your nose? A individual with autism often deals with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). Most children (90%) with Autism Spectrum Disorders have some sensory issue (Tomchek and Dunn, 2007). According to the SPD Foundation, “Sensory processing (sometimes called “sensory integration” or SI) is a term that refers to the way the nervous system receives messages from the senses and turns them into appropriate motor and behavioral responses. Whether you are biting into a hamburger, riding a bicycle, or reading a book, your successful completion of the activity requires processing sensation or sensory integration.”

There is often a clear misunderstanding about what Sensory Processing Disorder/Sensory Integration Disorder is and this constitutes a great opportunity for the autism community to highlight this disorder. READ MORE >>