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SENSORY PROCESSING

What is sensory processing?

Sensory processing is the way in which our brain, specifically our nervous system, receives and interprets sensory input from within our bodies and from our environment. We all are aware of how we use our "traditional" senses -- sight, sound, smell, taste, touch --  every day. We also have what are often referred to as "hidden" senses ---

 

  • proprioception 

  • vestibular 

  • interoception

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These senses are important to our balance, our awareness of internal bodily functions (bowel and bladder, hunger), and how our muscles and joint work together so we may feel secure against gravity and know where our bodies are as we move through space.

MEALTIME

Why is mealtime so difficult?

Enjoying a meal is sometimes difficult for a child because they may have any of the following challenges or a combination of:

 

  • anxious eaters 

  • hyper or hypo sensivity to temperature or textures

  • decreased tactile discrimination within the mouth

  • difficulty synchronizing suck-swallow-breathe

  • GERD

  • low muscle strength and/or tone

  • weak oral musculature/strength

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Our approach follows the Get Permission InstituteTM philosophy of helping the child and parent through empathy integrating sensory processing and oral motor activities. 

 

The goal: peaceful and nutritious mealtimes based on a child's internal motivation and curiosity about food.

MOTOR SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

What are motor skills?

​Motor skills are the functional movement and coordination of muscles. Large muscle function is referred to as gross motor skills while precision movement of small muscles is function of our fine motor skills. Oral motor skills are the function of muscles required for speaking, drinking, and eating. The following activities of daily living all require use of or muscles and are examples of our motor skills we might use every day: 

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  • climbing a jungle gym

  • playing hopscotch

  • walking or running

  • writing/drawing

  • eating/chewing

  • bike riding

  • playing sports

 

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