SENSORY IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHING ASD STUDENTS

Characteristics of the Sensory System 7 basic sensory stems within nervous system

– Sound Movement

– Touch Body Position

– Smell Vision

– Taste

Location of Systems

Tactile Vestibular Proprioceptive

Visual Auditory

Touch - Skin Balance – Inner Ear Body Awareness –

Muscles and Joints

Sight – Retina of Eye Hearing- Inner Ear

Location of Sensory Systems

Gustatory

Offactory

Taste – Chemical Receptors in tongue

Chemical Receptors in tongue.

Dunn’s Model for Sensory Processing Model characterizes patterns of responding Based on:

– 1, neurological thresholds- continuum runs from low to high thresholds

– 2. Self regulation strategies – a behavioral continuum runs from passive to active strategies

Neurological Threshold

Represents amount of input nervous system requires before responding.– High threshold = takes considerable input– Low threshold = takes very little input

Self Regulation

Represents range of strategies used in responding to: task and environmental demands.– Passive strategies – lets things happen – Active strategies – generates responses to

control input

Intersections of Continuums

Creates 4 basic patterns of sensory processing:

1. Low registration

2. Sensation Seeking

3. Sensory Sensitivity

4. Sensation Avoiding

Low Registration

Uninterested Self absorbed Sometimes dull affect

Sensation Seeking

Very Active Continuously engaging and excitable Pleasure from Sensory experiences Generate sensory experiences for

themselves. These students need to move and pace

while others are seated

Sensory Sensitivity

Distractible Notice and comment on sensory events Low threshold enables them to have hyper

awareness of what is around them. Have passive strategies – allow things to

happen rather than move themselves away. Sound and sight sensitive

Sensation Avoiding

Rule bound Ritual driven and appear uncooperative Engage in behaviors that limit sensory input Engage in active self-regulatory strategies

to understand and organize the sensory input.

This sensory input is often threatening

Combinations

Children do not have a single sensory processing pattern

Rather have several patterns in their repertoires

Sensation avoider for auditory stimuli but have moderate responses for other sensory system input.

Sensory Processing Concerns

Present in:– Autism– OCD– ADHD– Tourette-Syndrome– Schizophrenia

Implications for School

School environments include sensory information that is familiar but different in intensity and duration.

Difficulties

Elementary Classroom

furniture – need for movement

visually stimulating environments- distracting

Cafeteria – smell

Difficulties

Middle and High School Multiple passing periods Myriad hallways Lockers opening and closing Different numbers of teachers Different teaching styles and expectations Cooperative learning activities -

Strategies

5 strategies1. Priming

2. Working Independently

3. Visual Supports

4. Home Base

5. Social Stories

Priming

Priming – preview activity – presents materials and task process in advance of instruction (predictability)

Decreases anxiety and subsequent behavioral responses to anxiety

Working Independently

Initial instruction of strategy Plenty of practice Adjust if necessary Complete a task without assistance or

reliance from anyone to initiate, persist, and terminate

Visual Supports

Supports which are a concrete representation – Reduce ambiguity – Help anticipate– Organize physical space– Help with transition– Help to understand expectations– Can convey directions

Home Base

Access to a place apart from routine environment

A positive atmosphere not punishment or escape from tasks

May have to have more than one across contexts

Allows person to:– Plan – Regroup – Recover

Social Stories

Short stories from child’s perspective\ Describe social situations Include relevant social cues Very visually descriptive Less directive Help address – fears, obsessions, anxiety

Summary

ASD kids have complex needs Necessitate creativity to recognize reasons

and think of solutions Use their strengths Recognize their weaknesses Resist giving up