SENSORY INTEGRATION OVERVIEWS

Overviews are available throughout the year in an effort to help parents help themselves.  These courses are designed to enable parents to determine if their child has sensory integration related challenges, identify what they can do at home to support their child's development, and augment therapy services currently being received.

Sensory Integration is a function of the brain which accepts, interprets, and utilizes sensory information, enabling people to successfully interact with others and their environment.  In her work, Christy focuses on:

• developing a strong and comprehensive sensory foundation which includes the proprioceptive, vestibular, auditory, tactile, and visual systems;
• designing a "Sensory Diet" or daily home program to address the individual sensory needs of the child and support neurological changes; and
• educating both parent and child about relative sensory needs and behaviors which may stem from a sensory processing disorder.

To this end, Christy has designed a series of four progressive classes to provide parents and caregivers a basic understanding of Sensory Integration, strategies to influence behavior, language to help the child and adult become aware of when to use the strategies, and information necessary to create a therapeutic play space within the home.  Private consultations, after completing the series, are available to families on a limited basis.

 

Overview One: Beginning Training

 

An introduction to the basics of Sensory Integration will be given to help parents and caregivers understand the association between SI concerns, attention, motor development and behavior.  Additional factors which influence sensory processing will also be reviewed, giving you food for thought as to how you can optimize your child's development.

 

Overview Two: Creating A Sensory Diet

 

A Sensory Diet is a selection of activities that help to meet your child's neurological needs and, thereby, support development.  This overview covers the characteristics and rationale of a sensory diet.  Categories, examples of activities, and daily routines will be reviewed to create a tailor-made routine for your child at home.  Prerequisite:  Overview One

 

Overview Three: How Does Your Engine Run?  The Alert Program For Self-Regulation

 

This class focuses on giving children strategies for understanding and regulating themselves.  It helps increase awareness of both the parent and child of the negative and positive impact of sensory input.  This program offers the child a way to verbalize feelings, opening up a communication system for moving towards positive arousal and functional states.  Prerequisites:  Overviews One and Two

 

Overview Four: Creating A Therapeutic Play Space

 

This class covers creating an environment for play that supports your child's Sensory Diet needs. Specific ideas on what equipment to get and where to get it will be given along with a general discussion of how to use this space for positive sensory experiences.  Prerequisites:  Overviews One, Two, and Three

 

"These classes helped our entire family!" Julie W., daughter, age 3, Atlanta, read Overview Testimonials here

 

Private Consultation

 

Indiviudal consultations are available for those who have attended the overviews and, ideally, have a designated play space in their home.  Your child will have the opportunity to explore the equipment in Christy's clinic under her guidance.  The focus will be on reviewing your child's Sensory Diet, helping you utilize or further develop your available play space at home, discussing the therapeutic appropriateness of different activities or equipment, as well as exchanging ideas for using this equipment in a variety of ways.  This service is offered on a limited basis (not to exceed five sessions).