I’m convinced that adoptive parents have to be some of the most dedicated folks in the world. Reading about how some have converted rooms in their homes to “sensory rooms” is further evidence. Adopted children coming from a background of neglect, often have sensory integration problems. While sensory integration problems can occur for many reasons, the probability increases for children who were not properly stimulated as infants.

As the professionals learn more, they are discovering fascinating things about the role of our vestibular system in brain development... more

As I listened to Cindy Perkins, the insightful school counselor from Maine who presented on P.L.A.C.E. at the ATTACh conference last week, it occurred to me – many Occupational Therapists are clueless.

Ok, perhaps they are not clueless…but as Cindy detailed the interventions and tools that she uses and encourages the classroom teachers to use for children exhibiting behavior problems (often a result of their trauma and anxiety), most were sensory-related.

Cindy’s school actually... more

Psychologists who treat children with trauma and some of the “combo” disorders we see in adopted children frequently tell parents that their child might benefit from a sensory integration evaluation and some sensory integration therapy.

Concerned parents start down the path of looking into this and inevitably find out that school systems provide Occupational Therapy (OT) services to children who qualify. But these parents often find that what they thought they were getting through the school-provided OT services and what their child actually needs aren’t necessarily the... more

LuLu has started a daily neurodevelopmental/sensory integration program called Learning Breakthrough. Billed as a powerful at-home learning aid, we chose this particular program at this juncture for a not very scientific reason: a school we’re interested in for LuLu was offering it this summer at a very reasonable price. So we thought it was a good way to get to know the school personnel better.

Learning Breakthrough is based on solid sensory integration theory and uses balance... more