What Are We Seeing in the Early Years and What Can We Do About It?

Rule out the physical first.

  • Save The Last Word –

1. Losing our Grip

2. The Decline of Play in Preschoolers– and the rise in Sensory Issues

3. The Right – and Surprisingly Wrong – Ways to Get Kids to Sit Still in

Class

4. Why So Many Students Can”t Sit Still in School Today

> Discussion with whole group –

  • Sensory Integration Issues
  • Trouble handling the information their senses take in—things like sound, touch, taste, sight, and smell.
  • Be unable to tolerate bright lights and loud noises like ambulance sirens
  • Refuse to wear clothing because it feels scratchy or irritating-even after cutting out all the tags and labels-or shoes because they feel "too tight."
  • Be distracted by background noises that others don't seem to hear
  • Be fearful of surprise touch, and avoid hugs and cuddling even with familiar adults
  • Be overly fearful of swings and playground equipment
  • Often have trouble knowing where their body is in relation to other objects or people
  • Bump into people and things and appear clumsy
  • Have trouble sensing the amount of force they're applying; for example, they may rip the paper when erasing, pinch too hard or slam down objects.
  • Run off, or bolt, when they're overwhelmed to get away from whatever is distressing them
  • Have extreme meltdowns when overwhelmed

Meanwhile, undersensitivekids want to seek outmore sensory stimulation. They may:

  • Have a constant need to touch people or textures, even when it's not socially acceptable
  • Not understand personal space even when kids the same age are old enough to understand it
  • Have an extremely high tolerance for pain
  • Not understand their own strength
  • Be very fidgety and unable to sit still
  • Love jumping, bumping and crashing activities
  • Enjoy deep pressure like tight bear hugs
  • Crave fast, spinning and/or intense movement
  • Treatment (sensory integration) depends on a child's individual needs. But in general, it involves helping children do better at activities they're normally not good at and helping them get used to things they can't tolerate.
  • OT/PT Issues
  • Lay on back and lift head/monkey bars (core strength)/Handwriting is from the shoulders. >Do exercises. Gymnastics best and playing outdoors
  • Hole punches
  • Vestibular System – balance boards/rebounders
  • Scoliosis - chiropractor
  • Play outside
  • Gymnastics – best sport
  • Visual
  • Developmental Optometrist
  • Irlen Syndrome – colored overlays/natural light
  • Font for dyslexia –
  • Auditory
  • Auditory testing
  • Voice Apps
  • Cannot hear the difference between sounds > need rhyming and nursery rhymes
  • Movement
  • Food/additive allergies
  • DPA
  • Brain likes movement – regular breaks
  • Speech Language
  • Speech-Language Therapists
  • Lack of sleep
  • 10 hours/night
  • Food Allergies/Poor Eating Habits
  • Brain Lobes
  • Stimulates the brain