Visual Sensory Issues

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-06-2003
Visual Sensory Issues
3
Fri, 03-30-2007 - 8:38am
idaphne63


Edited 6/5/2007 9:42 pm ET by idaphne63
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-29-2007
Fri, 03-30-2007 - 1:35pm

Hello Daphne,
I have a few recommendations for you with the sensory issues....

As I said before, there are two ways that sensory works, hypo sensitivities, and hyper sensitivities... hypo means that there is a failure to orient, and there are sensory registration problems, this can lead to sensory seeking behaviour, the nervous system seeks sensory input.... hyper sensitivities include overorientation and sensory defensiveness, the senses are overpowering, and this can result in sensory avoidance behaviour.... DS has visual hypo sensitivities.
Here are some intervention strategies:

1. A sensory diet! This can increase the level of sensory intake for an under aroused person. DS feels comfortable with a lot of visual sensory intake, so a sensory diet would help him feel calm and alert more often. A sensory diet just means having specific, designated time which DS can engage in his visual sensory seeking behaviour for, (every child is different) but maybe half an hour or so. For this scheduled time, provide DS with many different visual stimuli (inc. pinwheels, bubbles, kaleidoscope, etc..). This sensory diet will mean that you can try to correct DS' unwanted visual sensory behaviours, without neglecting the time that he DOES need to engage in the sensory time.
Do you have a Snoezelin room in your city? This is a room which was created to stimulate the senses with sounds, mirrors, lights, vibrating bean bag chairs, etc... it is a really good benefit to any community if you are considering starting a sensory diet. Definitely something to look in to!

2. You can try and reduce the level of visual sensory when you want to have DS' attention (you mentioned that he will look over your shoulder to see his reflection) just manipulate the environment so that the stimuli is not available for a temporary period- turn around so that you can see your reflection in the oven and he is looking at you.

3. With the shadows on the playground, redirection would work best I think in this situation, or an overcast day, or shadow-y area. The trick is to make the competing behaviour of playing with the other children MORE engaging then playing with his shadow. Perhaps practice some functional play therapy (you could do this just by demonstrating to DS what to do and then having him try it out).

4. More manipulating the environment with DS, if he is looking at his fork when he is supposed to be eating, replace it with a plastic fork, and tell him that when he finishes his dinner he can play with some really good sensory toys (toys with flashing lights, moving parts, etc...)that he enjoys playing with. But if you think that he is playing with his fork so that he doesn't have to eat his dinner, it may be an escaping behaviour and you may need to just ignore the playing with fork behaviour and you could tell him, "eat your dinner and then you can play with...(engaging toy)...."

5. The finger posturing, if it has decreased, it is likely because he has found a more stimulating visual behaviour, if you decrease ANY sensory behaviour, you need to balance it out with a more appropriate sensory behaviour. Sensory behaviours help calm the nervous system and are necessary to children with autism to engage in. Although they can become accustomed to our world and levels of sensory intake, for some children, they would feel more comfortable in a really noisy room, or a dark room.
So anyway, back to finger posturing, remember to always say the behaviour you want to see instead of the behaviour that you do not. Try telling DS "busy fingers away" and this may help reduce this behaviour during inappropriate times.

I hope that some of this information is useful! Let me know what you think of the suggestions. Just remember, when you eliminate one sensory behaviour, it will sprout in another way. If you can control the environment and the sensory stimuli around you, you can manipulate the sensory behaviours that DS engages in to functional behaviours, that also stimulate his sensory needs. I would seriously recommend a sensory diet for ANY child with autism or sensory issues. Good luck! PS sorry about the length :S

-Alexandria

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Fri, 03-30-2007 - 8:56pm

Daphne,


There is a Sensory Integration Disorder board on iVillage:


http://messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-ppsi


You may get more information on this topic there.


-Paula

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-06-2003
Fri, 03-30-2007 - 10:28pm
idaphne63


Edited 6/5/2007 9:43 pm ET by idaphne63