Sensory integration is an element of a child's functioning that has a decisive impact on his or her development and ability to deepen his or her skills. Disturbances in the neurological organisation can have very negative consequences, causing pathological reactions in the child and generating problems and developmental difficulties, including a speech development disorder. By undertaking an appropriate therapy such as sensory therapy, such problems can be reduced or even eliminated.
Sensorytherapy, also known as sensory integration, is the result of 30 years' experience of working with children by the American psychologist and therapist J. Ayres, who in 1972 created and described in detail how this method works to support a child's development. Previously, work with children with a defective neural integration consisted mainly of psychosomatic kinesiotherapy, which gave way to the method described by Ayers, which in the first half of the 20th century also reached the area of Polish problems. The increasing number of children with neural integration disorders has led to an increased interest in sensory integration, which in turn makes it possible to eliminate or reduce problems resulting from disturbed neural organisation. It is also used as an adjunctive therapy in the treatment of attention deficit disorder, mental retardation, autism and other, genetic syndromes [1].
Difficulties
Psychoneurological functions are closely linked to learning processes and the disruption of any relationship between the two causes learning problems and difficulties in children. The complex process that is sensory integration is the reception of all information coming from the sensory receptors. We are not only talking about sight, hearing, smell or taste, but also about information that is delivered to the nervous system through touch receptors or proprioception, i.e. the inner body sensation associated with movement. The abnormalities that occur along this line become the cause of pathological behaviour and reactions that directly steer the learning processes in the wrong direction, thus interfering with the child's development - including speech development. Feelings of inner restlessness and muscle tension interfere with movement planning and cognitive functions [2].
What causes the disorders?
According to the author of the therapy, there are several causes of sensory integration disorders. The main ones highlighted are all kinds of genetic conditions and inherited deficits. Other types of factors are all related to the child's foetal life, i.e. the use or consumption during pregnancy by the mother of substances that are harmful to the developing foetus, smoking, alcohol consumption and multiple pregnancies. Other factors include premature birth, low birth weight, adverse perinatal factors (such as jaundice, prolonged hospitalisation or inadequate stimulation), as well as other causes independent of those mentioned above. The epidemiological prevalence of such problems is estimated at 10% to 15% of children [1].
Regulation of sensory systems
The theory behind sensory therapy is that all sensory systems - vestibular, tactile, proprioceptive, visual, auditory, olfactory and gustatory - should be addressed [2].
However, researchers and specialists in the field pay most attention to the first three. The reason for this interest in the vestibular system is that it is the earliest system to mature, and because of its location - in the inner ear - it is responsible, through receptors in the middle ear, for transmitting and transmitting sensations that are generated during movement, at the same time becoming a fundamental system for human functioning. Any kind of hypersensitivity coming from this system, as well as disorders and abnormalities, cause muscle tension in the child, which in turn is caused by insufficient gravitational security. As a result, there is a significant impact on motor coordination, problems with visuospatial processing and also auditory-linguistic processing. Problems related to the child's self-care also originate here - the child's reluctance to comb or wash may be due to the discomfort the child feels during movements or changes in body position and alignment [2].
photo: panthermedia
Thetactile system is the largest and second-largest system in terms of time of development, which influences the disturbance or correct functioning of neurons and the proper integration of stimuli. According to some authors, the first tactile sensations from which we derive information are already experienced in the womb. This area of integration is therefore responsible for how we perceive the world, what shapes it in our eyes, but also builds the right attitude and creates defence reactions. Any unpleasant sensations emanating from this area - such as pain, pressure or excessive or insufficient temperature - are the cause of defence reactions and, in the case of disorders in this area, become the cause of pathological reactions that manifest themselves in the child's everyday functioning [2].
Poor awareness of one's own body leads us to focus on sight as an element intended to provide reassurance, confirmation of the state of affairs we feel. Dysfunctions in this area are the cause of inability to cope with the environment, problems with movement or maintaining appropriate distances [2].
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Speech development
Sensory integration disorders are the cause of erroneous, incorrect perception of stimuli from both the external world and from deep within the body. The lack of appropriate - correct signals - results in a disruption of the child's speech development, thus becoming the cause of communication delays and abnormalities [2].
This is particularly true in the case of disorders that accompany this disorder, such as infantile cerebral palsy, where speech development depends primarily on the extent and location of the disorder and on the mental retardation that accompanies cerebral palsy. In this disease entity, central speech disorders are associated with damage to and dysfunction of higher cortical functions and may concern both word recognition and word formation. We are also dealing here with disorders of articulation, which is directly related to disorders at the level of the motor analyser [2].
According to some authors, a speech development disorder is the first sign of developing autism. Sensory integration disorders in these children manifest as non-harmonious speech development with a tendency to regression. Articulation problems and a delay in the development of language as a communicative tool are also noticeable, hence a common way of talking to a child with autism is to use so-called key words [2].
Professional therapy
Therapy and work with a child affected by a sensory integration disorder should be undertaken by a certified specialist in this field - a sensory integration therapist. The aim of this type of therapy is primarily to develop the ability and skill to concentrate on a specific correctly directed motor task. It is therefore important to deepen the child's focus, improve his or her motor coordination, increase involvement in the task at hand and in the peer group. It is necessary to provide the child with all types of stimuli in the right way and at the right intensity [1].