Search Results for: blog sensory integration disorder just what exactly is it

EEG Neurofeedback: Can a Video Game Teach Your Child to Learn?

Since video games are captivating for most children, why not use them to teach developmentally delayed kids how to learn? Video games are now being used in connection with EEG neurofeedback, which has shown tremendous promise for children with ADHD, Asperger’s Syndrome, and Sensory Integration Dysfunction. Fox News Reported yesterday about the benefits of EEG (electroencephalogram) neurofeedback, where special electrodes are attached to a child’s head (it’s painless) to monitor brainwaves while he plays a stimulating video game. As long as the child remains tranquil and focused, the game will function properly. If the child’s brainwaves become erratic, the game … Continue reading →

“Why is My Child Clumsy?” The Symptoms of Dyspraxia

I’ve gotten rather used to driving my huge 12-passenger van around town. The size of my family requires it. However, I remember a while back when my sister loaned me her average-sized car. As I drove it down the highway, I felt like my rear end was scraping on the ground. It definitely required some getting used to. Everything was in a different location and I felt strange sitting in it. A child with dyspraxia feels this way in his own body. Although eventually I became acclimated to the smaller car, the child with dyspraxia continues to do things as … Continue reading →

Now Hear This: What is Auditory Dysfunction?

One of Kyle’s first symptoms of autism was his failure to respond to his name being called. He would sit amongst his toys, engrossed in whatever he was doing, and not turn his head when I shouted to him. Once in a while he would look, but frequently he didn’t. His lack of response was so strange that we had his hearing tested. But functionally, Kyle had normal hearing. Even so, hearing is more than just the process of an ear manufacturing sounds–it’s also the brain’s ability to interpret the sounds and respond appropriately. Often kids on the autism spectrum … Continue reading →

Have You Brushed Your Kid Today?

When my son Kyle, who has autistic disorder, was in preschool, his teacher gave me a little yellow brush with soft bristles and a sponge-like grip. I was told that it was for “brushing,” and that I should brush Kyle’s arms and legs several times each day. Can Autism, ADHD, and DSI be Brushed Away? I must confess, I tried it a few times, but eventually abandoned the whole concept. That’s because I had no idea what on earth I was doing. Secretly I thought this might just be somebody’s ridiculous idea or some new-fad treatment that wouldn’t amount to … Continue reading →

Visual Dysfunction: More than Meets the Eye

I know what you’re thinking: My child can see perfectly. I can skip this blog. But there’s more to vision than just seeing. Children with sensory integration dysfunction often have problems processing visual information, even though they can “see.” (If you have concerns about your child’s basic ability to see properly, click here.) I often notice that my son Kyle will put objects close to his eyes when he’s playing or thinking. Kyle has normal vision but I believe he is under-sensitive to visual stimuli. That means he craves visual input, and so he watches video clips repeatedly, creates movement … Continue reading →

Does Television Cause Autism in Infants and Toddlers?

We are still very much in the dark about what causes autism, and why the number of cases of children diagnosed with this puzzling disorder continues to rise. New theories are being suggested, including the idea that television viewing by babies and toddlers under the age of three somehow triggers autism spectrum disorders in children who have a genetic predisposition. A New Theory It seems like a ridiculous hypothesis, but professors at Cornell and Purdue University are suggesting there’s a link to early television viewing and autism. Professor Michael Waldman and Sean Nicholson of Cornell University, and Nodir Adilov of … Continue reading →

Where Is My Body in Space? Proprioceptive Dysfunction

“Proprioception” is a word we probably don’t hear very often. But it refers to body placement, and the ability to sense where our bodies are in space. For most of us, through the many receptors in our muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints, we are able to sense what our body is doing, and whether we are crouched, standing, turning, sitting, or moving. We can tell how close we are to something else, and can sense our bodies, through the pull of gravity, even when sitting still. But for some children with special needs, this “body position sense” is weak. Children … Continue reading →

“Stop Touching Me!” Symptoms of Tactile Dysfunction

Our skin is covered with microscopic receptors that send information to our brains. This is our sense of touch, or tactile sense. We use our sense of touch to experience all kinds of things from itching, to tickling, pressure, hot and cold, pain, vibration, and movement. The “tactile sense” is necessary for all kinds of activities such as walking up steps, writing on a chalkboard, hugging someone, getting dressed, or testing water temperature. From infancy we require tactile stimulation to meet nearly all of our physical and emotional needs. We even need our tactile sense to develop good social skills. … Continue reading →

The Rhythm Is Gonna Get You…

Has your child got rhythm? Sounds like a strange question. But have you ever contemplated how your child’s sense of rhythm might be affecting every aspect of his life? Ka-thump, ka-thump… Each of us has an internal mechanism in our brain that enables us to use rhythm and timing for nearly all the things we do. When we play sports, type on a keyboard, dance, play an instrument, ride a bike, and engage in conversation, we are using timing. The inner-meter in our brain tells us when to start something and when to stop. We know how to do everything … Continue reading →

Is Your Kid Having a Meltdown Day? Try “DROPPING” It

We’ve all had one of those days–especially with a behaviorally-disordered child–where everything just goes wrong. You know the kind: your kid is constantly frustrated. He’s having multiple tantrums and refusals. Everthing makes him come unglued. He won’t listen and won’t settle down. Maybe he causes a scene in a public place or gets in trouble at school. And you’d just like to dive into a black hole and disappear. Carol Stock Kranowitz, M.A., in her fabulous book The Out-of-Sync Child has Fun, suggests that we just “drop it.” What does she mean? Here are the seven drops: 1. Drop Your … Continue reading →