The American Journal of Occupational Therapy published a single subject design research study on the effectiveness of using therapy ball chairs on classroom participation in children with autism. Six boys with autism spectrum disorder were assessed using video recordings during circle time when they were sitting on the therapy balls. The results indicated that each […]
Advance for PT has just published a patient hand out on sensory processing disorder. It is a brief one page hand out with information on signs and symptoms of the disorder. You can view it at Advance for PT .
A recent study published in Food Quality and Preference looked at the effects of background noise on food preference. Forty eight adult volunteers were exposed to a variety of background white noise via headphones and different types of food simultaneously. The results indicated that the louder the white noise the less the volunteers could taste […]
In the school setting, teachers discuss various learning styles of students. There are three main types of learning styles: 1. Auditory learner – learns best by using sense of hearing2. Visual Learner – learns best by sense of vision3. Kinesthetic/ Tactile Learner – learns best by doing or touching More teachers are now accommodating students […]
Autism Research has published research on how children with autism process multisensory information. Using brainwave EEG recordings, the researchers were able to determine that the 17 children with autism (ages 6-16 years) did not process multisensory information (MSI) as efficiently as the control group without autism. John Foxe, PhD, one of the co-authors of the […]
The Journal of Pediatrics completed a retrospective chart review on 196 children less than 6 years of age with various developmental disabilities. Sixty three of the children (32%) were reported to exhibit self injurious behaviors. When comparing the children with self injurious behaviors and those without no differences were seen between the two groups regarding […]
Interesting news piece on SPD and DSM V. The news reported discusses what sensory processing disorder is and how occupational therapy is involved as a treatment. In addition, a child psychiatrist discusses whether SPD is its own condition or a symptom of other disorders. You can view the video at ABC News.
NJ Center for Tourette Syndrome & Associated Disorders, Inc is sponsoring a free webinar entitled “TS and Difficulty with Sensory Processing and Integration”. It will be aired on July 21st from 7:30-8:30pm EST. It is being presented by Lesley Austin Geyer, MA, OTR/L. She has over 30 years of experience as a therapist and is […]
The journal Science published research on how a human’s sense of touch influences thoughts and behavior. Subjects participated in various experiments to see how an objects weight, texture and hardness can influence decision making. In one experiment, the researchers had the subjects sit in hard or soft chairs and negotiate prices of a car. The […]
Check out this news story about an 8 year old boy who invented the “Twistified Swing”. Seems like a simple way to adapt swing sets at home for vestibular sensory seekers. news sto