Sensory Integration - the need for Proprioceptive Input
We have a nearly 5 year old daughter adopted from China who had very little stimulation in her first year (in an orphanage where she was not held or touched). As a result, she is squirmy and likes to bump or slam into things and hang on people. This behavior is annoying as you can imagine, and we'd tried to manage it for a few years, but finally went to see an Occupational Therapist who helped explain the situation to us. When a child goes untouched for so long, she has later a strong need to get proprioceptive input at a much higher level than those of us who were held by parents or caregivers early on. She needs to engage both her bones and her muscles (not just touch gently), which happens easiest when she is resisting something - i.e. pulling away. Having this understanding, we can increased our tolerance for the behavior and have also helped her find new ways of doing things to get her needs met.
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Comments (4)
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Thank you for sharing your story about your daughter. The couple in the picture on my profile (fitgal2008) are in the process of adopting a baby from Columbia. I wonder how he...
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My son has severe SPD and we do activities that revolve around heavy work, resistance, and weights. We swim, bike, use therapy bands, weighted balls, do anything with liftin...
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That's a good idea. She LOVES sports and can't wait for her next swimming lesson / ski lesson etc. She'll be old enough for soccer this Spring and is chomping on the bit. Good i...
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Aikido and judo classes may also help. Teaching your child how to land on the floor with her whole body & the gross motor skills involved have helped other kids w. sensory integ...
