SENSORY MODULATION IN PRACTICESENSORY MODULATION IN PRACTICE

KERRY WEIR - SMITH

AUTISM

NEGLECT

INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY

TRAUMALACK OF ATTACHMENT OBJECTS

DRUGSFASD

SENSORY PROCESSING

- Small cup- Low threshold- Over sensitive- Sensory defensiveness

-large cup- high threshold- under sensitive- sensory seeking

“ the capacity to regulate and organize the degree , intensity and nature of responses to sensory input in a graded and adaptive manner. This allows the individual to achieve and maintain an optimal range of performance and to adapt to challenges in daily life” Miller , Reisman, McIntosh& Simon (2001)

DEFINITION

BENEFITS OF SENSORY APPROACHES

increased self awareness

increased ability to self nurture

increased resilience

increased self esteem and body image

increased ability to engage in therapeutic activities

increased ability to engage in meaningful life roles

increased ability to cope with triggers

SENSORY APPROACHES ARE:

collaborativemeaningfultrauma – informedrecovery focusedsensory supportive

gender....ability levels....learning needs......symptoms experienced....cultural....spiritual

Sensory modulation techniques

Therapeutic use of self

Standardized assessment

tools

Grounding activities

Alerting activities

Self soothing activities

Environment modifications

Sensorimotor activities:

yoga / exercise group

creating a personalized sensory kit

taking a hot shower / bath

arts / crafts

mindfulness using a sensory cue

journaling

Sensory modalities:

weighted itemsmusic / sound therapybrushing techniquesbean bag tappingaromatherapylight therapypet therapy

SENSORY DIET

Daily schedule integrating the following:

prevention strategies

crisis intervention strategies

personalized sensory kit

sensory supportive spaces

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT MODIFICATIONS

sensory room / sensory cart use

inpatient / outpatient unit modifications

classroom modifications

work space modifications

development of safe sensory modulation ‘places’ at home.

OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO IMPLEMENTATION

WHAT PEOPLE SAY......

“To try and use alternatives is far better than popping a pill, because the skills that you learned in there, you could bring out. In my handbag I’ve got hand cream, rescue remedy, and a squidgy ball that I carry around all the time, because it’s something I can do, you know rather than carrying a bottle of Clonazepam... It was far more beneficial learning how to cope with it than to pop a pill.”

“I spent an awful lot of time sitting on that chair with a weighted blanket on me. It definitely got me through quite a number of times where staff would have been chasing me out of the ward ... I really do think it probably minimised that to a great extent, where the meds weren’t really doing it for me... they obviously helped to some extent, but it wasn’t enough. Certainly the combination of taking the edge off with the meds and then offering me that physical stimulation definitely made a huge difference for me.”

“I think in some respects probably the biggest thing it offers, rather than the immediate pay off of actually using the sensory room, is allowing that insight I suppose...to make that a conscious choice, and to realise that actually you have other alternatives... In high stress situations I’ll go and have a hot bath…or I go and lay on the grass and feel the texture of the grass. That kind of thing, and I think I’ve always had some of those to some degree, but I wasn’t as conscious of the sensory aspect of that… realising just how powerful it was in that context.”

“I was quite acute most of the time when I came in; I found that it [sensory modulation] didn’t always take away my need to use PRN medication. I often used to use it in conjunction with it. But it would make the medication work better for me.....Towards the end though before I got discharged, I would be using it rather than PRN.”

“In fact, [self-harm] was one of the main reasons I was here on the unit, and for me, most of the time that’s a way of grounding myself, and the massage chair was actually a great safe alternative. I think that’s why it was offered to me quite as much as it was, because it was reducing the self-harm behaviours quite dramatically... The more I used it, the more I became aware and realised that it was actually an alternativethat provided, obviously not the endorphin rush that goes along with the other [self-harm] behaviours, but obviously without any of the disadvantages, you know. It might not have had quite the impact as if I had gone and self-harmed, but I didn’t have to deal with, you know, the ramifications.... there’s plenty of other options for physical sensation that aren’t necessarily hard out pain, you know? ”