The Tactile System
The hypo-responsive child needs more sensation and may:
The hyper-responsive child avoids sensation and may:
 | Crave fast and spinning movements (swinging, rocking, riding on merry- | |
| go-rounds) and not get dizzy | ||
| Move constantly, rocking, spinning, shaking hands or head, or fidgeting | |
| Have poor balance; fall easily and often | |
| Enjoy being upside down and playing games especially where eyes are | |
| closed or covered | ||
| Need movement for optimal level of function | |
| Have low self-esteem |
The hyper-responsive child avoids sensation and may:
| Be excessively fearful of heights (gravitational insecurity) | |
| Be slow to initiate action | |
| Be intolerant of excessive movement, such as swinging | |
| Experience motion sickness | |
| Dislike playground activities | |
| Become overexcited when playing outside | |
| Hold head stiffly (to avoid changes in head position) | |
| Avoid changing position quickly (retrieves objects on the floor by kneeling | |
| with head up) | ||
| Not like head to be inverted, as in somersaults, tumbling, rolling | |
| Avoids movement | |
| Cling to walls, banisters, or an adult's hand | |
| Be very tense and rigid | |
| Have low self-esteem | |
The Vestibular System
| Fundamental Sensory Systems Involved in Sensory Integration |
The Tactile System refers to touch and pressure on the skin.
Hyper and hypo-sensitive reactions to touch and pressure can result in behavioral, physical, and attentional difficulties.
Hyper and hypo-sensitive reactions to touch and pressure can result in behavioral, physical, and attentional difficulties.
The Proprioceptive System
The Proprioceptive System refers to the perception of joints and body movements as well as body position in space. These children may
compensate for difficulties in their proprioceptive system by using their vision and/or other senses for feedback regarding body movement. This
group of children will often give a detailed description of an action that they plan on executing but are not able to physically follow through with the
plan.
compensate for difficulties in their proprioceptive system by using their vision and/or other senses for feedback regarding body movement. This
group of children will often give a detailed description of an action that they plan on executing but are not able to physically follow through with the
plan.
The hypo-responsive child needs more sensation and may:
The hyper-responsive child avoids sensations and may exhibit a fight-or-flight response:
| Touch people and objects constantly | |
| Have poor body awareness | |
| Be uncertain where their body was touched (needs firm pressure to be sure) | |
| Need to use visual clues to perceive body or objects | |
| Be unable to discriminate objects by feeling them | |
| Get hurt and not realize it | |
| Be insensitive to room temperature | |
| Not realize he has dropped something | |
| Be a messy eater | |
| Chew on inedible objects, such as fingernails, hair, toys, or shirt | |
| Not sense that clothes are in disarray | |
| Have poor peer relationships |
The hyper-responsive child avoids sensations and may exhibit a fight-or-flight response:
| Be overly sensitive to unexpected, light touch (Tactile Defensiveness) | |
| Rub off kisses or casual touches, push another person away | |
| Have difficulty standing in line between children | |
| Bump or strike out at other people to avoid closeness | |
| Dislike messy activities such as finger painting, gluing, digging in the sandbox, or using | |
| chalk or tape | ||
| Be picky about clothing fabric and styles | |
| Dislike having skin exposed, always wearing long-sleeves or hats even in warm weather | |
| Dislike having skin covered, wearing as little as possible even in cold weather | |
| Become anxious or aggressive on windy days | |
| Dislike certain foods (rice, chunky peanut butter) because of the texture | |
| Prefer foods to be the same temperature, either hot or cold | |
| Dislike bathing or having hair washed or cut | |
| Squirm or sit on the edge of a chair | |
| Have poor peer relationships | |
The child may:
| Be stiff and uncoordinated in movements | |
| Avoid running and fast-paced games, because of clumsiness | |
| or fatigue | ||
| Bump into objects and furniture, apparently on purpose | |
| Be clumsy, fall and trip frequently | |
| Be unable to do ordinary things without looking (poor motor | |
| planning) | ||
| Have difficulty orienting limbs for dressing and Simon Says | |
| games | ||
| Manipulate toys and classroom tools so hard that they break | |
| Have difficulty ascending and descending stairs | |
| Flap feet when walking, crack knuckles (for additional | |
| feedback) | ||
| Have low self-esteem | |
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This sensory system is what allows us to feel movement, spatial orientation, gravity, balance, and equilibrium. Often, children who are candidates for
medications such as Ritalin or other psycho-stimulant drugs have vestibular dysfunction. A history of excessive ear infections or allergies may often
cause or be involved in vestibular dysfunction as well.
There are two categories of vestibular dysfunction:
medications such as Ritalin or other psycho-stimulant drugs have vestibular dysfunction. A history of excessive ear infections or allergies may often
cause or be involved in vestibular dysfunction as well.
There are two categories of vestibular dysfunction:
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Praxis and Perception:
Praxis and Perception are not fundamental sensory systems, but are end products to sensory integration. Perception involves more than just what
the eyes perceive. Body perception involves knowing where the body is in space. For example,can you feel what position your foot is in with eyes
closed? Do you know if you are horizontal or standing? Body perception is important to daily life movement.
the eyes perceive. Body perception involves knowing where the body is in space. For example,can you feel what position your foot is in with eyes
closed? Do you know if you are horizontal or standing? Body perception is important to daily life movement.
Practic ability is the body attempting to carry out the task once the brain sends the message. The brain may not interpret the message correctly
thus may send the wrong message to the body or the body misinterprets the message when sensory dysfunction occurs . Both ways cause the
body to incorrectly perform the desired task. Many children who have high IQ's can have practic and perception difficulties. They know what they
want to do but have difficulty making their body do what they want without extensive "thinking through" of the task. This takes time and energy
which can take attention away from the actual task. For example, if a child with praxis dysfunction tries to write a story, they may have to think
through how to hold a pencil, how to move their fingers to form the letters, how to sit properly for writing, etc. It is hard to stay focused on the story
when the child must go through all this effort. Many of these children may seem uncoordinated or resistive to trying new activities. They tend to
need structure and preparation before attempting a new task. For example, the child may not join in a party game of Pinata if they have never
played the game. They will most likely want to sit back and watch for a while and then may still not engage in the game. This can lead to social
difficulties.
thus may send the wrong message to the body or the body misinterprets the message when sensory dysfunction occurs . Both ways cause the
body to incorrectly perform the desired task. Many children who have high IQ's can have practic and perception difficulties. They know what they
want to do but have difficulty making their body do what they want without extensive "thinking through" of the task. This takes time and energy
which can take attention away from the actual task. For example, if a child with praxis dysfunction tries to write a story, they may have to think
through how to hold a pencil, how to move their fingers to form the letters, how to sit properly for writing, etc. It is hard to stay focused on the story
when the child must go through all this effort. Many of these children may seem uncoordinated or resistive to trying new activities. They tend to
need structure and preparation before attempting a new task. For example, the child may not join in a party game of Pinata if they have never
played the game. They will most likely want to sit back and watch for a while and then may still not engage in the game. This can lead to social
difficulties.