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TheraTree Pediatric Therapy
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Sensory Therapy 

We help child who have difficulty with Sensory Integration through Occupational Therapy. In its simplest terms, Sensory Integration is the process of taking in sensory based information from the world and interpreting it to provide useful information about what'sin the world and our bodies relate to those things. In Sensory Integration Dysfunction, information from the sensory receptors is processed incorrectly in the central nervous system (the brain). Our brain distributes the mis-information leading to the person having difficulty learning about the world or making poor conscious/unconcious decisions based on the misinformation. Therefore, the problem stems from neurological dysfunction.


The way a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experiences the world through their sensory system can have a profound effect on their life. Parents and care givers must be aware that sensory integration can be one of the most impactful challenges people with ASD experience. Between 69% to 95% of children with ASD are reported to experience Sensory Integration Dysfunction. It occurs frequently enough for sensory to be included as part of the diagnostic criteria for ASD in the DSM-5 update in 2013 by the American Psychiatric Association. Signs of sensory challenges in people with Autism may show up as rocking, spinning, hand-flapping, unusually high or low pain threshold, and/or crashing into things.

⭐️Milestone Moment⭐️

Lakeyn achieved a big goal! She was able to sit on the swing with the therapist. She was happy to do a activity. She even smiled and talked more on the swing! Movement helps so much with children's communication! She also did not even ask for her mom to sit with her. This was a great day!

Sensory Red Flags

Chester

Tactile: (Sense of Touch)
  • Aversion to being touched
  • Refuses to wear certain types of clothing
  • Withdraws from hair or face washed
  • Avoids getting one’s hands dirty
  • Uses fingertips rather than whole hands to manipulate objects

⭐️Milestone Moment⭐️

Rocky has met a milestone moment of participating in messy play with no aversions! Way to go!! Rocky is one of TheraTree's clients that quickly had to adjust his method of services due to COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past year, he has been participating in therapy via telehealth. Rocky has been working on his fine motor skills for handwriting and dressing, following directions, and even messy play! Rocky has come such a long way with tolerating messy play that he independently played in the mud for at least 10 mins over the weekend! Mom was so excited that she had to send his therapist a picture. Keep up all the hard work Rocky, we are so proud of you!

Angel

Vestibular: (Sense of Movement)

  • Fears ordinary movement
  • Nauseous in car rides
  • Trouble learning to climb or descend stairs or hills
  • Apprehensive on uneven or unstable surfaces.

⭐️Milestone Moment⭐️

Way to go Asher!! "I had a great achievement today. I was able to stand on the swing and did not get scared. I was able to reach for objects on the swing. I was swinging like a super hero today!"

Hardi

Proprioception: (Sense of Body Position & Muscle Force)

  • Clumsiness
  • Tendency to fall
  • Lack of awareness of body position in space
  • Odd body posturing
  • Messy Eater
  • Resistance to new movement activities

Milestone Met!

Gannon met a milestone! For two sessions in a row, he has engaged with orbeez water beads without any aversions! This is amazing. Gannon used to show maximal aversions to the water beads. He would become distressed and immediately put the lid back onto the container without touching the beads at all. Now, he is completely submerging his hands, touching them, picking them up, retrieving items out of the bin, and allowing the therapist to pour them over his forearms. We are so excited about his progress!  

How To Help

Treatment by an Occupational Therapy Provider skilled in Sensory Integration is the best way to get help! OTs evaluate to determine specific underlying performance skill challenges, then develop a treatment plan based on the person's individual needs and concerns. Many children gave the skills for living their best life through Occupational Therapy!
Request an Evaluation
Resource on Sensory Overload

⭐️Milestone Moment ⭐️

"Look at me! I make a turkey and I even enjoyed the glue on my fingers!" Sawyer met his goal of tolerating sticky things on his fingers so that nothing is holding him back in life! Way to go Sawyer!