Sensory Processing Difficulties in Young Children

 

Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) also called Sensory Integration Disorder is especially hard to navigate in the classroom with young children. It is a neurological disorder where the brain has difficulty receiving and responding to sensory information.

When we talk about the senses, for a child with SPD, they are either too acutely feeling sensory stimulus (hypersensitive) or don't receive enough sensory stimulus (hyposensitive). And this sensitivity could be for all the senses or just one. It varies greatly by individual. 

Meaning it could affect:

The Tactile Sense

The Visual Sense

The Auditory Sense

The Gustatory Sense

The Olfactory Sense

*Vestibular

*Proprioception

*Interoception

A child who is hypersensitive will cover their ears at noises that aren't particularly loud, have difficulty wearing clothing because the seams and tags hurt their skin, or are extremely finicky eaters because of the flavors or textures of foods.  These are just a couple of examples.

A hyposensitive child will seek out sensory stimulation like bumping into furniture and people on purpose, jumping from high places or having a high tolerance for pain.  Again just a couple of examples.

What's more, is that even though it is considered a neurological disorder it can't technically be diagnosed by a doctor because it doesn't exist in the DSM V.  This is because it mirrors symptoms of other diagnoses. Truly, only an Occupational Therapist can identify it and create a treatment plan.

So what can we do for a 3-6-year-old child in the Montessori classroom?  What are we already doing that works?  What else can be incorporated to support the needs of these learners?  

Sensory Processing Disorder and the Support of the Prepared Environment is a self-paced course to give you all of the information you are looking for and the confidence to meet the needs of these unique children. You will learn about the brain, the research, sense-specific interventions, and what we already do that helps.

SPD affects 1 in 20 people, which means that at some point, you will be able to support one of these learners.  Will you be ready?

*These are explained in the course