Literature and neuroimaging support links between sensory integration difficulties and functional performance in daily activities. SI difficulties will have an impact on daily activities such as sleeping, eating, tolerating personal care tasks, playing, and participating in leisure and school curriculum activities.
(Di Martino et al. 2009; Mazurek and Petroski 2015; Miller-Kuhaneck and Britner 2013).
As children grow, they learn to regulate themselves, develop social skills, play skills, and fine motor and gross motor skills.
Problems with sensory processing can limit a child’s ability to do tasks. We often see difficulties such as:
· Coping with noise
· Coping with wear clothing
· Problems in school
· Sleep difficulties
· Behavioural challenges
Using an SI approach, therapists rely on their understanding of the sensory systems to determine the underlying reasons why a child might be struggling with everyday life.
Developed for AOTA by Stefanie Bodison, MA, OTR/L, Renee Watling, PhD, OTR/L, Heather Miller Kuhaneck, MA, OTR/L, and Diana Henry, MS, OTR/L, CHP)
Yes, we offer dyspraxia (developmental co-ordination disorder) (DCD) diagnosis.
According to the BMA Family Doctor Book “Understanding ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, and Dyspraxia,” GPs should refer people with dyspraxia to an occupational therapist. An occupational therapist will first look at the client’s medical and social history. After that the occupational therapist conducts a variety of standardised tests which check motor skills, handwriting, virtual-motor co-ordination, and sensory processing.
Once a diagnostic report of dyspraxia is made, recommendations for ‘reasonable adjustments’ will be made (Equality Act 2010) by the occupational therapist which will help a child or adult in school, college or workplace to reach their full potential.
At OT4me, we do all that and more. We conduct a variety of standardised and non-standardised assessments while taking the client’s detailed history and narrative. We can also liaise with other medical professional involved in the child’s care.
Currently, our team contributes to local schools on a weekly basis. These include enhanced resource provisions (ERP) and autism-specific schools. In addition, we work in a variety of other mainstream settings. If we are members of the school team, we can be reached via the school office, or else you can contact us at .
Not all the children in the school will be actively seen by an OT. To discuss your child’s needs, please contact your class teacher or SENCO. You can also speak to your local GP who can contact us to assess your child. You can always contact us directly to ask how we can help.
Input for an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP) or statement can be provided by a private OR statutory occupational therapist. The occupational therapist, regardless of their professional setting, is required to provide recommendations based on the needs of the child and not the resources available.
As independent occupational therapists (private), it is our professional duty to provide a fully independent and unbiased assessment and to make recommendations according to the child’s individual needs. We are regulated by the Health Care and Professions Council (HCPC), each holding a unique registration number, and members of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists.
If a child requires occupational therapy for learning (not related to a health need), it should be included in Part 2 and 3 of the EHC Plan. The responsibility for providing that service then ultimately falls on the Local Authority (LA). Please see the IPSEA website or contact professions- York SENDIASS if you have any further questions regarding therapy services, therapies and the EHCP.
Please see our testimonials on our website. Also check out groups on Facebook such as “York Inspirational Kids”.
Most of the children who complete assessments and therapy with us say how much fun they had. Often children don’t want to leave at the end of their sessions! We build great therapeutic relationships with the children we work with!
Yes we do!
We use several sensory integration assessments alongside our occupational therapy assessments. Our therapists are also certified in The Evaluation in Ayres Sensory Integration (EASI). The EASI assesses developmental sensory integration foundations that support learning and behavior. Therapists administering the EASI must have post-professional education in Ayres Sensory Integration theory prior to formal training in the use of the EASI for clinical assessment or intervention planning. The EASI consists of a series of 20 separate tests designed to measure sensory perception, sensory reactivity, postural ocular and motor skills, and several aspects of praxis (also called “ideation and motor planning”) abilities. The EASI tests are normed on an international sample of children and young adolescents ages 3-12 years of age. EASI test scores that fall between -1.0 to +1.0 are in the typical range. Scores that fall below -1.0 indicate that the child has significantly more difficulty with the abilities evaluated by these tests, compared to most children of the same age.
(information taken from Description of the Evaluation in Ayres Sensory Integration Tests (EASI)© For Parents and Caregivers Zoe Mailloux OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA, L. Diane Parham Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA, Susanne Smith Roley OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA)
Yes we have been!
Lizzie and Louise were involved in a worldwide research project called Evaluation of Ayres Sensory Integration (EASI) which involved collecting normative data on typically developing children. This research has developed a new comprehensive sensory integration comprehensive measure.
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