A helpless or dyspractic child? A case study

Sensory integration disorders, including dyspraxia and related motor planning disorders, are often observed in the pedagogical practice. Teachers and parents are usually unable to pinpoint the reasons for the children's behavior. The children are clumsy and chaotic and they are giving the impression of being lost in a task situation. They also have school problems, such as: difficulty with handwriting and drawing, difficulty using tools such as scissors, rulers, difficulty learning new motor skills, concentration and attention problems. It should be emphasized that these children are in the intellectual norm. Objective: The effects of ASI treatment on functioning the children with sensory processing disorders was examined. Method: The researcher used a qualitative approach based on the case study method, participant observation and interview with parents. Results: Improvement in motor planning was found. The subject's self-esteem increased as well. The results show an improvement in social functioning. Conclusion: Changes in the child's functioning and progress in development indicate the effectiveness of the ASI (Ayers Sensory Integration) therapy.

Disfunzioni dell’elaborazione sensoriale nella sindrome di Asperger

This study was carried out in an attempt to investigate the correlation between potential sensory processing disorders in individuals with Asperger syndrome (AS) and the perceptions of said disorders by their parents. The pilot study was implemented by creating two complementary surveys, one for people diagnosed with AS and one for their parents. The study, which involved 10 people with Asperger syndrome and 10 of their respective mothers, revealed how parents’ awareness about sensory issues encountered by their children in daily life shows only modest correlations when compared to their children’s reported lived experience. The analyses carried out showed that in most of the cases of this study, the answers of the parent/child are moderately in agreement, and yet some differences between the responses of the two groups are present. In particular, the degree of discomfort caused by different sensory stimuli (artificial brightness in a room, the noise of chairs moving on the floor, aircrafts noise, and switching from lighter to heavier clothing) and the amount of stimuli that are considered intolerable differed from parent to child. In fact, in their open answers individuals with an ASD diagnosis have indicated a higher number of disturbing sensory stimuli compared with those of their parents.

Predictive Factors for Sensory Processing Disorders

Background: Identifying sensory processing differences in children with sensory reactivity problems (both with and without prenatal and perinatal problems) is essential to providing interventions that enhance development and participation in everyday life. Methods: This study conducted a statistical analysis between the Sensory Profile-2 sensory questionnaire and the study variables: pregnancy, fertility treatment, delivery and prematurity (n=69). Results: This study yielded statistically significant differences in sensory processing at the visual level (p-value=0.003), in proprioception (body position) (p-value<0.001) and in emotional problems relating to stressful and traumatic pregnancy, prematurity (p-value=0.026) and high-risk pregnancy, respectively, among children with and without perinatal and prenatal problems. Conclusions: These findings confirm that there are differences in the sensory processing of children with sensory processing disorders who have suffered perinatal and postnatal problems compared to those who have not.

Sensory processing disorders in premature infants

Introduction. Children born prematurely have an increased risk of immediate medical complications, as well as socioemotional, cognitive, linguistic and sensory processing disorders later in life. Studies have examined the effects of prematurity on developmental outcomes, such as cognition, however, there is a need for a more detailed examination of sensory processing disorders in preterm infants. Not only is prenatal neurosensory development interrupted in utero, but these children may also experience intense stimulation in the neonatal unit, which can further alter the development and function of the sensory system. Objective. The paper presents an overview of research on sensory processing disorders in premature infants, with special emphasis on the impact of the environment of the neonatal unit. Method. Insight into the relevant literature was performed by specialized search engines on the Internet and insight into the electronic database. Results. Sensory processing disorders affect 39% to 52% of newborns born prematurely, with some evidence to suggest that children born before 32 weeks are most at risk. The literature to date has consistently reported difficulties in sensory modulation of preterm infants, within the tactile, vestibular, auditory, oral, and visual domains. Conclusion. Sensory processing disorders in preterm infants appear to occur as a result of their immature neurological and biological system and being in the environment of a neonatal intensive care unit, which is unable to meet the sensory needs of preterm infants. Altered sensory experiences, during periods of neurodevelopmental vulnerability and fragility, can result in sensory processing disorders, which may include enhanced responses or less response to stimuli (hyper or hyposensitivity).

The functioning of the student with the autism spectrum in the integration class in terms of sensory disorders – a case study

The functioning of a student with the autism spectrum is determined not only by disorders and deficits of a social nature, but also sensory, which are not included in didactic and educational work by teachers based mainly on behavioural concepts. These concepts allow you to control your child's undesirable behaviour without referring to its aetiology. By ignoring sensory disorders, school becomes a place for students that does not create an environment for their optimal development. The cognitive goal of the article is to describe the functioning of the autism spectrum student in the integration class in terms of sensory disorders. The practical and implementation goal is to propose effective solutions that teachers could use in their didactic and educational work with an autism spectrum student in a public school, taking into account his sensory needs. The research method was a case study of a student with the autism spectrum (Asperger Syndrome), implemented using the modified Sensomotor Development Questionnaire by Zbigniew Przyrowski (2014). By face-to-face contact, it was possible to avoid over-interpreting the data received from the questionnaire and to make sure that the respondent correctly understood the questions. The case study was supplemented with techniques for observing and analysing school documents. While implementing study method in case of the boy, it was noticed that his functioning in school is strongly determined by sensory processing disorders, which are the result of dysfunction of individual sensory systems. The boy manifested disorders in both modulation and discrimination in individual sensory channels. Sensory motor disorders were also present. All these dysfunctions impaired the boy's cognitive processes, social and emotional development, which was the foundation of the occurrence of undesirable behavioural actions. In the last part of the article, didactic and educational activities are proposed taking into account the sensory processing disorder of the student with the autism spectrum, which can be successfully applied at every stage of education of a student with ASD and in any type of educational institution.