Sensory Supports & Strategies for
Common Classroom Difficulties Due
to Sensory Processing Difficulties
Presentation by
Bailey Dahms, MS, OTR/L
• “Learning, thought, creativity, and intelligence are not
processes of the brain alone, but of the whole body.
Thinking and learning are not all in our heads. The
body plays an integral part in all our intellectual
processes from our earliest moments through to old
age. It is our body’s senses that feed the brain
environmental information with which to form an
understanding of the world from which to draw when
creating new possibilities.”
Hannaford, .Carla, Smart Moves-Why Learning is not all in our head. Great
Ocean Publishers, VA.
Objectives
• Understand that sensory processing is a normal
neurological function
• Understand basic sensory processing terminology
• Understand that sensory processing issues are
common underlying causes of some challenging
classroom behaviors
• Learn about sensory tools and strategies to
address these challenging classroom behaviors
Sensory Processing is a normal
neurological function
We are all sensory processors and we are
sensory processing at all times.
Like with all abilities and processes, we have
varying degrees of sensory processing
efficiency.
This efficiency varies between people and within
people depending on the situations.
The desired end result is sensory integration.
Sensory Processing Terminology
• Sensory Processing is used interchangeably with sensory integration,
sensory-motor processing, and sensory-motor integration
• The term sensory integration from which sensory processing evolved was
first used in 1970’s by Dr. A. Jean Ayres. We will use sensory processing
for this presentation.
• Problems in sensory processing also termed sensory integration or
sensory processing dysfunction/disorder/delay/or difficulty: irregularity
or disorder in brain function that makes it difficult to interpret, organize,
and act on sensory input from the environment effectively. Sensory
Processing difficulties are common in, but not limited to, the special
education population, particularly those with Autism Spectrum Disorders,
ADHD, FAS, Prematurity, Developmental Delays, and Learning Disabilities.
Terminology continued
• Sensory processing: a normal brain function enabling us to take in
and make sense of sensations coming into the brain along different
channels at the same time. Adequate sensory processing then
gives us ability to make adaptive responses from this information.
-Through adequate sensory processing the many parts of the
nervous system work together so a person can interact with the
environment effectively and experience appropriate satisfaction.
• Sensory registration: neurological recognition that a sensory event
has occurred (i.e., I was touched lightly, I heard my mom call, I’m
leaning, my muscle hurts)
Sensory registration problems: kids look clumsy, often with delayed responses
(sometimes too quick or with too much or not enough force), poor coordination,
poor motor planning, poor grading of movements. OT referrals are common
Terminology continued
• Sensory modulation: unconscious process by which we
regulate our brain’s activity level by filtering what we
need to pay attention to versus what we need to ignore
so we can stay in the correct arousal state for the
situation
 Also known as “volume control”
 Occurs when there is a balance between facilitation and
inhibition
 Helps us maintain a calm, alert state (i.e., pay attention to a
phone conversation while ignoring TV; attending to teacher’s
voice while ignoring feel of clothing)
Sensory Modulation problems : very common in those with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders: overarousal,
underarousal, fluctuating arousal. Difficulty maintaining calm alert state ideal for learning, social skills, etc.
OT input needed.
Terminology continued
• Sensory Defensiveness: aversive or defensive
reaction to non-noxious sensory stimuli (i.e.,
tactile defensiveness, auditory or visual
defensiveness)
 Reactions involve primitive fight, flight, or fright survival and arousal
mechanisms that can have potentially negative effects on every aspect
of a person’s life. See extreme avoidance of specific sensations
(sounds, touch) and/or escalating anxiety/agitation leading to
dramatic behaviors such as outbursts, fleeing, self-injury
 Very common in those on Autism spectrum
 Will need input from OT and often treated with gradual
desensitization and sensory diet
Terminology continued
• Sensory seeking: a behavior in which a particular
sensation is sought to met a sensory need (a
craving)
• Sensory avoiding: a behavior in which a
particular sensation is avoided
• Sensory diet: a planned and scheduled daily
activity program of sensory activities, equipment,
toys, or food designed to meet a person’s sensory
needs.
– Often behaviors we see through the FBA process which serve as clues
The 7 Senses
• 5 familiar senses: visual (sight), auditory (sound),
tactile (touch), olfactory (taste), gustatory (taste)
• Also vestibular (movement) and proprioceptive
(body position)
• Sensory processing treatments primarily focus on
tactile, proprioceptive and vestibular senses as
these are the most primitive senses and the
foundation from which the other senses develop
Academic
Learning
Daily Living
Behavior
Skills
Auditory
Language Skills
Visual Spatial
Perception
Attending
Eye-Hand Ocular Motor Postural
Coordination
Control
Adjustment
Sensory
Body Scheme Reflex Maturity
Filtering
Postural Security
Olfactory
Tactile
Awareness of two
Sides of body
Eye-Hand
Motor Planning
Coordination
Visual
Auditory
Vestibular
Gustatory
Proprioception
Central Nervous System
Taylor/Trott (1991)
Vestibular
• Sense of movement and orientation of body in space
• Receptors in inner ear tell us when we are moving (direction and
speed), when we are still, and changes in head position
• It develops our relationship to the earth. Fundamental to all our
actions. Modulates all other systems by turning up or down what
we need to pay attention to. Critical role in attending.




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Coordinates eyes, head, neck, 2 sides of body
Maintains muscle tone
Holds head upright against gravity; stabilizes eyes when moving
Talks to and influences other systems (volume control)
Critical for attending and regulating behavior
Input can be calming, organizing, & alerting depending on the
direction, speed, and duration of the movement
 Input has most powerful effects—may last 12-14 hours per 15 min. of
input.
Proprioception
• Unconscious awareness of body position
• Proprio=me/self: puts me in the picture
• Receptors within muscles, joints, tendons tell the brain when and
how the muscles are contracting or stretching; when and how joints
are bending, extending, being pulled or compressed
• Enables brain to know where each part of the body is and how it is
moving for motor planning
• Basis of body image
• Movement is needed to keep receptors from “going to sleep”
• Safest treatments (rarely too much): calming, organizing, and
alerting effects
• Makes sense of touch and movement experiences. Give through
heavy work, deep pressure, firm touch, movement especially
against resistance
Tactile
• Sense of touch
• Receptors in skin send information about light touch, pain,
temperature, & deep pressure
• Protects us from danger
• Provides boundaries to differentiate “me” from “not me”
• Powerful effect on emotions-directly influences chemistry
in the limbic system
• Pervasive effect on the whole nervous system
• 2 pathways: protective and discriminative
• Issues with light touch: commonly noxious and can lead to
fight, flight, or fright reactions. Best to touch firmly.
Patterns of Response
• A body’s response to sensory events are
cumulative over time.
• Responses can be exaggerated; either underresponsive or over-responsive.
• A child who is in sensory overload looks
similar to a child who is under-responsive or
has sensory registration problems.
Sensory Processing Approach
Provides framework for understanding and addressing common classroom difficulties:
• Lack of interest or motivation
• Difficulty with transitions
• Aggression
• Self-stimulation or self-harmful behaviors
• Poor work performance
• Difficulty maintaining body in designated space
• Chewing on non-nutritives
• Over-touching
• Difficulty sitting still
• Difficulty maintaining upright posture at desk
• Avoidance of messy materials
Provides professionals and parents with another way of looking at and solving
behavioral challenges
Provides strategies to improve attending, motivation, communication, and interaction
for all kids
Examples of Sensory Seeking
• Seeking proprioception: pushing, rubbing, head
banging, hitting/pinching self or others, biting, teeth
grinding, hair twirling/pulling, hand flapping
• Seeking vestibular: rocking, spinning, running,
jumping, rolling, stomping, fidgeting, head shaking
• Seeking touch: touching everyone/everything,
repetitive rubbing
• Seeking visual: eye rubbing, blinking
• Seeking auditory: humming/noisemaking, hands
on/off ears
Examples of Sensory Avoiding
• Withdrawal from touch
• Rejection of tactile experiences (finger foods,
glue, mess, dirt, grass, sand, clay, play dough)
• Covering ears/eyes
• Gaze aversion, squinting
• Avoidance of movement, climbing, heights
• Retreating to dark, quiet, enclosed
• Mouth breathing
• Finicky eating: textures, temperature, flavors
Avoidance via
Overstimulation/Hyperfocus
• Signs of stress/need to retreat:
Some examples:
– Repetitive actions/verbalizations/fixations
– Fleeing, crawling under desks
– Staring at lights
– Spinning objects
– Self stimulation esp. self-injury
– Masturbation
Helping those with sensory processing
difficulties & everyone else for that
matter
Adapt the environment
Incorporate movement activities into the
classroom routine
Provide sensory tools, strategies & activities
as needed
Implement a sensory diet
Educate parents, staff, & child
Adapting the Classroom Environment
 Organize a womb space or quiet corner
 Provide ear plugs, headphones (noise-blocking or with
calming music, sounds from nature)
 Use natural or low lighting
 Decrease clutter
 Provide bean bag chair, large pillows, sleeping bag or
blankets
 Fidgets, tubing for chewing, theraband on chair legs,
wiggle cushions, weighted devices, ball chairs, water
bottles with straws, & other alerting/calming tools
 Discourage dangling art, instructions from ceiling
Adapting classroom (cont.)
 Put artwork on bulletin boards behind desks
 Post clear schedule
 Place child on end of aisle or with an extra desk on one side
for tools, additional organizational space
 Avoid placing child facing or next to window
 Keep doors, drawers oiled; omit or decrease misc. noise as
much as possible (i.e. close door)
 Avoid wearing strong scents
 Add kinesthetic and visual modalities with auditory
instructions
See also handout: S/I Based Tips for Working with Children
with Sensory Processing Disorders
Why The Brushing Technique Works
• Brushing:
– Pressure touch releases and enhances dopamine in the pleasure center of the
limbic system
– Pressure touch enhances nerve growth factor which increases density of
neuro connections
• Decreases stress chemistry by enhancing parasympathetic chemistry
• Proprioception:
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Gets serotonin from the reticular formation
Modulates arousal
Endorphins from strong doses of proprioception are released
Enhances GABA chemistry—which is inhibitory and tones down sensory input
Puts “me in the picture” better self- awareness
Mediation in the frontal lobe resets the interpretation of what is noxious
(from feeling non-noxious is noxious to feeling non-noxious is non noxious
– Neuropeptides can hang around for 1-1/2 to 2 hours so want to counteract
with stimulation that keeps these in check (inhibitory) before stress is
activated
Incorporating movement &
proprioceptive work into routine
 Do morning wake-up: walk, stretch, body shake, tighten/release,
stomp feet to prep brain for attending & promote posture
 Use music and movement for transitions
 Do isometrics as a class (see handout) to bring calm, alert state
when agitated or sluggish
 Provide access to rocking chair, swivel chair, wiggle cushions, ball
chairs, theraband or old bike inner tubes to door/stable object for
pulling
 Regularly scheduled recess is essential—recess should never be
used as a regular punishment or as consequence for poor
attending, sluggishness
 Assign classroom or school jobs, e.g., empty recycling bins,
carry/stack milk crates, carry materials to office, stack library books,
move chairs/desks, wash desks (see handout: Classroom
Remediation Strategies for more)
To promote seated cooperation/work
 Allow student to chew on tubing, straws, gum, jerky, or
suck on sour candy for calming & organizing benefits
 Provide wiggle cushions, t-stool, rocker, ball chairs, etc. to
allow movement while sitting to stay alert
 Allow alternative postures to complete work: standing,
propped on elbows while lying, kneeling
 Provide proprioception via weighted products: chair wrap
(chair buddy), vest, blanket, lap weight via theraband
around chair legs
 Provide fidgets for group time, assemblies, waiting times,
transitions, stressful times (See Sensory Survival Pack
handout)
 Provide headphones w/wo music; ear plugs
Calming Techniques
 See “My Relaxation Book” handout—use with stress ball/flour
balloon
 Desensitization brushing for sensory defensiveness: deep pressure
brushing followed by compressions/tractions (under
training/guidance of OT)
 Deep breathing, drink of water through straw
 Slow linear rocking in chair, etc.
 Use of tight lycra undergarments
 Weighted devices: vests, chair wraps, snakes, wrist & ankle bands
 Vibration
 Hand soak in warm soapy water
 Calming music
 Retreat space
 Bean bag/pillow sandwich
Implement a Sensory Diet or Social
Story with sensory tools
Sensory Diet: Sensory based activities,
therapeutic equipment, household objects, toys,
or food that have been selected to meet a
person’s sensory needs & are available on a daily
basis.
Sensory diet is developed by the OT, or ideally the
IEP team with consultation from OT (see form)
Social Story can include using sensory tools to
address target behavior ( see example)
Transitions to & from school
• If needed a sensory diet before and after bus with
proprioceptive/vestibular activities
• Headphones with or without music
• Theraband/tubing on backpack for stretching/chewing
• Add weight to backpack for calming (total no more
than 5% of child’s body weight)
• Use sensory survival pack
• Prepare calming or alerting activity as child gets off
bus.
• Transition before or after crowd.
The Home Connection
 Child will likely be exhausted after-school as it is so
much more effort for children with sensory processing
difficulties to cope in the demanding school setting
 A home sensory diet can be a critical difference
between success and failure at school
 Most children will need time to de-stress after school
 May need a decreased homework load
 Family may want to pursue private sensory integrative
therapy as the schools do not have the clinical
emphasis, equipment, or session lengths to provide
this type of intensive therapy.
Obstacles to success
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Resistance
Lack of sufficient time trial
Fairness issue
Lack of equipment
Lack of time
References & Resources
Sensory Integration and the Child, by A. Jean Ayres
Building Bridges through Sensory Integration: Therapy for Children with Autism and other Pervasive
Developmental Disorders, by Ellen Yack, Paula Aquilla, & Shirley Sutton
Asperger Syndrome and Difficulty Moments: Practical Solutions for Tantrums, Rage, and Meltdowns, by
Brenda Smith Myles and Jack Southwick
Understanding Sensory Processing/Integration with Remediation Strategies for Home/School/Clinical
Environments, course by Cynthia Clemens at Good Samaritan Children Therapy Unit
Understanding Challenging Behaviors from a Sensory Processing Perspective Perspective, course by
Bailey Dahms, Patty Ambrose, Amy Okeze, Kerri Inglin, Wendy Platzer
Best Practice Interventions for Sensory Processing Disorder, course by Delana Honaker
There’s Always a Reason for the Behavior!, course by Kim Barthel at Good Samaritan Children’s Therapy
Unit
Tool Chest: For Teachers, Parents, & Students , by Diana Henry, Henry OT Services, Inc.
www.ateachabout.com
Sensory Integration Tools for Teens, by Diana Henry, Henry OT Services, Inc. www.ateachabout.com
Abilitations Integrations Sensory Solutions catalog, 2008 & 2009
Talk to me if you are interested in more resources. I have pages and pages of recommended books,
websites, products etc…