Building Inclusive Environments for Children with Sensory Processing Disorder

By Lori Fankhanel and Betty Dean for SPD Canada Foundation

Eight year old Susan is always fidgeting and wiggling, constantly in motion. She is either tipping back in her seat and often falling out of it, or chewing on her shirt, on erasers, or lids to the glue. She plays with her pens and pencils and taps her highlighters on her desk. When she tries to do her paperwork, she constantly breaks her pencils.

When Susan comes in from getting her boots off in the boot room, she is agitated, usually louder than any of the other students, and often pushing others out of her way. She struggles to line up and when she does, she walks back to class running her hands along the wall the entire way. Susan often behaves better when sitting at the front of the class, but the teacher assumes it is because she is close by to supervise.

Many children like Susan run into challenges like this hourly, daily, and weekly at school. Quite often you will hear parents say, “but they are not like this at home”.  Or the opposite will occur  – you will hear a parent tell you that as soon as they pick up their child, the child absolutely loses it on the parent and is very upset for the rest of the night. Yet in your class you don’t really see any issues or concerns.

Children with SPD (sensory processing disorder) struggle with the ability to respond appropriately to sensory stimuli. We all know our five senses: touch, sight, sound, smell and hearing. There are additional senses you may not be aware: proprioception and vestibular.

Proprioception is your ability to sense the position and location of your body in space. When I ask you to wiggle your toes, you have the ability to do so right away. However, those with low proprioception will need to see their toes to be able to determine if they are moving them. People with low proprioception receptors have what we call ‘low body schema’ These are the children who will run their hand on the wall, very similar to children who are blind. They need that input to determine where they are and where the boundaries are.

Your vestibular sense is what is holding your head in the right spot to read this information; it is your ‘inner balance’.  When you have a weak vestibular system, you will have a very hard time holding your body up for a long period of time, i.e.. sitting still in a chair.

Susan (above) may or may not have a diagnosis of SPD. But clearly she is impacted by sensory stimuli and is using a variety of strategies to deal with her stress. Many children who appear agitated, who are slow to respond, or who are aggressive are dealing with an onslaught of sensory stimuli. It is as though they are experiencing a ‘traffic jam’ and do not have the right neuropathways to cope. Some will show their distress in the classroom, the halls, or on the playground; others ‘hold on’ until they are with a parent.

So what can you do in a classroom setting to help mediate these issues?

First, do a referral to an Occupational Therapist, preferable one with sensory training. An Occupational Therapist can suggest a ‘sensory diet’ – specific strategies to help keep the child regulated during transitions, in boot rooms, or having to sit and attend when a new topic or subject is being taught.

Studies have shown more movement for all children helps to increase attention and focus, and this is particularly important for children with sensory issues. Every 30 minutes, plan a ‘sensory break’. This can be as simple as some stretching or yoga moves, chair or wall push ups, or rhythmic clapping and marching. Or try having the children blow up a balloon, then stand to toss the balloons around, involving gross motor movement. Gross motor movement is critical to support regulation, and is often achieved at recess time. If you’re having indoor recess, , let the children wash the chalkboard, carry chairs to another room, move heavy books to the other side of the class, etc.

So what is the difference between a child with SPD and a child who just has high sensory issues? Or a child with SPD and one who is ‘misbehaving’?  When a child is given a sensory diet and does not improve, there are other factors at play. SPD inhibits development, academically, behaviourally, emotionally, socially, to a greater or lesser degree depending on the severity. Think of children with SPD as being similar to children who need glasses. Once their needs are met (i.e. the glasses are provided, or the sensory diet is provided), they thrive.

Want more information? Check out:

Brain Highways  http://www.brainhighways.com/

Sensory Processing Measure (SPM)  http://www.sensoryprocessingmeasure.com/portal/page?_pageid=248,78208&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

Answers to Questions Teachers Ask about Sensory Integration: Forms, Checklists, and Practical Tools  http://store.fhautism.com/p-154-answers-to-questions-teachers-ask-about-sensory-integration-forms-checklists-and-practica.aspx

SPD Canada  http://www.spdcanada.org/