Sensory Integration

Adoption is Cool!

Sensory Integration Dysfunction

Many of our children who spent their early months in the orphanages come to us with sensory integration issues. Your child may be sensory seeking or sensory avoiding or a combination of both. They may show a need to run and jump excessively yet avoid getting their hands "messy." They may have a need to touch everything in site or they may avoid playground activities and certain movements. They may have no impulse control. Sometimes they have a difficult time socializing with others. They may avoid certain textures of food. Their speech may be delayed. I found a book titled The Out of Sync Child by Carol Stock Kranowitz. She also wrote The Out of Sync Child Has Fun. Both books can be ordered from www.Amazon.com.

Another very helpful resource to me was Diana Henry of Henry O.T. located at www.henryot.com . Diana Henry is one of the most knowledgeable occupational therapists in the country with very specific expertise in sensory integration issues. She teaches workshops all over the country and I have been fortunate enough to attend several (check her website for locations). She also provides phone consultations and is the author of several guides on how to implement a sensory diet.

You can also subscribe to a very good quarterly publication at www.sifocus.com . Several of their magazines have featured articles specific to internationally adopted children and their sensory issues.

All of the resources mentioned above can assist you in creating a sensory rich environment for your child's particular sensory needs. If you google "sensory integration dysfunction" you will be amazed at the number of hits that come up on the internet. You will want to make sure that anyone who does a sensory integration assessment on your child also has a knowledge base of the deprivation children experience in the orphanages and how that directly relates to a dysfunction of the sensory system later on.

To share with you what has helped in my daughter's case, I created a sensory rich backyard with a swing set (with a little climbing wall), a tire swing, a swimming pool, a sandbox, etc. I also keep a small trampoline handy. In addition, we love going for walks around the neighborhood.

Also, the program that Dr. Mane now has in Tampa is the overall best sensory and brain development therapy we've ever tried. In fact, I think if this program had been around when I first got my daughter, we probably wouldn't have needed all of the speech and occupational/sensory integration therapy.