Free Self Calming Deep Breathing Activity

Here is a free self calming deep breathing activity.  Print and cut out the deep breathing cards.  The child can take 4 deep breaths trying to breath in through the nose (smelling the flowers) and out through the mouth (blowing out the candles).  You can print the activity at http://yourtherapysource.com/freecalmbreath.html

[subscribe2]

Sensory Based Phenotypes for Autism?

Autism Research recently published research examining whether sensory differences can be used to classify subgroups of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).  The Short Sensory Profile was completed on 228 children with ASD ages 2-10 years old. 

The results indicated the following:

1.  four distinct sensory subtypes were identified -

(a) sensory adaptive

(b) taste smell sensitive

(c) postural inattentive

(d) generalized sensory difference.

2.  the sensory subtypes differed from each other on two dimensions: (a) the severity of reported sensory differences; and (b) the focus of differences across auditory, taste, smell, vestibular and proprioceptive domains.

3.  Upon examination of the clinical features of each subtype two possible mechanisms of sensory disturbance in autism were revealed: (a) sensory hyperreactivity; and (b) difficulties with multisensory processing.

4.  Lastly, the sensory subtypes were not well explained by other variables such as age, gender, IQ, and autism symptom severity.

The researchers concluded that classification of children using sensory differences offers a possible method to identify phenotypes in ASD.   In addition, further research was recommended to determine neural and physiological correlates for the sensory-based phenotypes.

Would love to hear your opinion?  Do you think there are sensory based phenotypes for children with ASD?

Check out all of our sensory processing products at http://yourtherapysource.com/sensoryprocessing.html

Reference:  Lane, A. E., Molloy, C. A. and Bishop, S. L. (2014), Classification of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder by Sensory Subtype: A Case for Sensory-Based Phenotypes. Autism Res. doi: 10.1002/aur.1368

[subscribe2]

Giving Meaning to Sensory Play

The Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools and Early Intervention published a small study of eight participants with sensory sensitivities according to the Sensory Profile. The participants engaged in messy play either with a pretend theme or without. When pretend play was incorporated with the messy play, the participants showed improvements in the initiation of pretend play.

In the testing conditions the researchers provided meaning to the sensory materials - ie glue the sticky cotton balls onto the bunny picture, make a shaving cream mustache on the smiley face, etc. 

Here are 5 other suggestions to provide meaning to messy play though pretend play:
1.  Use baking materials such a cupcake pans to pretend to bake cupcakes with your sensory materials
2.  Make pretend cupcakes using cupcake lines, play dough, cotton for icing and beads for sprinkles
3.  Use the hands to put shaving cream on a doll and shave it off with a pretend shaver or popsicle stick.
4.  Use sand to make a small playscape for Lego figures
5.  Wash up dolls or plastic animals with sudsy soap and wash clothes.

What are your favorite pretend sensory play ideas?

Reference: Kristin R. S. Miller OTDOTR/L & Alexia E. Metz PhDOTR/L Pretending Enhances Engagement in Messy Play for Children with Sensory Sensitivity. Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, & Early Intervention. Volume 5, Issue 3-4, 2012