sensory processing across the life span: an intriguing insight into our humanity

1. Sensory Processing Across The Life Span: An Intriguing Insight IntoOur Humanity Winnie Dunn PhD OTR FAOTA Professor & Chair Department of Occupational Therapy Education University of Kansas

3. “…I don’t know what a pear tastes like to you.” “…sweet, juicy, Soft on your tongue, grainy--- Like sugary sand that dissolves in your mouth… How’s that?…” [City of Angels, 1996]

4. NEUROSCIENCE PRINCIPLES guide our understanding about sensory processing

5. THRESHOLDS FOR ACTION The set point for activation established by genetics & experience individualized dependent on the biobehavioral state

6. MODULATION HABITUATION recognizing patterns of stimuli decreased transmission thresholds are raised SENSITIZATION stimuli seen as important or potentially harmful increased transmissions thresholds are lowered

7. CNS MOTIVATION Patterns of stimuli that satisfy particular CNS needs we must consider the range of stimuli that will satisfy drives… the range of satiation affects performance

8. Studies span age and human conditions infants/ toddlers Children Adults/ older adults Disability groups Validity studies

11. The SENSORY PROFILES Informant questionnaires Items describe responses to sensory events in daily life 5 point Likert scale Good internal consistency

14. SensationSeeking

15. Low Registration

16. Sensory Sensitivitylow thresholds/ passive self regulation

17. Sensation Avoiding

18. Sensory Processing is not a unitary construct People fall somewhere on EACH continuum…

19. Example of sensory processing pattern

20. Standardization samples Infants/ toddlers 589 w/o dis. birth-36 mo. 221 with disabilities Children 1115 w/o dis. 3-10 years 150 with disabilities

21. Overall Factor Structure Seeking Registration Sensitivity Avoiding

22. Comparing the factor structures

23. Psychophysiological evidence

24. Sensory Processing reflects brain activity….[McIntosh et al 1999]

27. Low threshold categories are stable….

28. Sensitivityinfants/ toddlers

29. Sensitivity children

30. Sensitivity adults

31. Avoiding infants/ toddlers

32. Avoidingchildren

33. Avoidingadults

34. What does this stability mean? Perhaps the CNS maintains continuous level of vigilance across the life span for ‘protection’

35. Sensory Seeking differentiates across childhood, is stable through adulthood, and reduces in older age

36. Seekinginfants/ toddlers

37. Seeking children

38. Seeking adults

39. Registration is stable from infancy to adulthood, and gets lower in older adulthood

40. Registration infants/ toddlers

41. Registrationchildren

42. Registration adults

43. What do these changes mean? ? Reflecting acquisition ? Older adults have diminishing acuity ? Older adults have more experiences

44. Patterns across life span For most aspects of sensory processing, there is STABILITY across the life span

45. Auditory processing infants/ toddlers

46. Auditory processingchildren

47. Auditory processing adults

48. Touch processing develops differentiation, and then levels out….

49. Touch processing infants/ toddlers

50. Touch processing children

51. Touch processing adults

52. Oral Sensory Processing For infants/ toddlers, SEEKING For children, SENSITIVITY For adults, not in factor structure

53. Evidence of discriminant validity

55. INFANTS & TODDLERS WITH DIFFERENCES IN SENSORY PROCESSING: toddlers with developmental delays, (68) pervasive developmental disorders, (24) developmental delays + other dx, (18) Infants with reflux (21)

56. Toddlers that may be like their peers in sensory processing Down Syndrome (18) Cerebral Palsy (9) Language delay (8) [receiving svcs. With no diagnosis]

57. SEEKING follows a developmental course

58. SEEKING Comparison - Toddlers

59. LOW REGISTRATION discriminates

60. LOW REGISTRATION Comparison - Toddlers

61. Low Threshold Scores are most discriminating Includes Sensory sensitivity Sensation Avoiding

62. SENSITIVITY Comparison - Toddlers

63. AVOIDING Comparison - Toddlers

64. Infants with reflux Have Sensory Sensitivity As with previous studies of older children and adults, items on the Infant and Toddler Sensory Profile reflect the quadrants of sensory processing reflected in Dunn’s model.As with previous studies of older children and adults, items on the Infant and Toddler Sensory Profile reflect the quadrants of sensory processing reflected in Dunn’s model.

65. SENSITIVITY Comparison – Reflux

67. CHILDREN WITH DIFFERENCES IN SENSORY PROCESSING ADHD,(70) autism, (60) Fragile X syndrome, (24) Asperger disorder, (42) tic disorders (15)

68. discriminant analysis The Sensory Profile discriminated children without disabilities children with autism and children with ADHD With 89% accuracy based on FACTOR SCORES alone

75. Adults who have Schizophrenia have bothLOW REGISTRATION andSENSATION AVOIDINGpatterns of sensory processing

78. Basic tenets of a sensory processing approach:

79. Implications for Living What does the person WANT or NEED to do What are the sensory processing patterns How does the sensory processing pattern affect the daily life participation?

80. Important note: KNOWING sensory processing patterns is the important factor… …then you can select and design activities and environments that are a better match for your needs

81. Important note: Intervention is not intended to CHANGE the sensory processing patterns/ status Intervention is directed at creating a better match among environments, activities and persons

82. SensationSeeking

83. Low Registration

84. Sensory Sensitivitylow thresholds/ passive self regulation

85. Sensation Avoiding

86. More than others scores[always]

87. Less than others scores[never]

88. Comparison of sensory processing and temperament constructs