Many children who have Sensory Processing Dysfunction (SPD) also have difficulty with Visual Association skills (the ability to connect language with visual images). Research using Diffusion tensor Imaging shows us that this may be due to poor connectivity of brain pathways responsible for linking the visual cortex with the language cortex of the brain. Fortunately, when children are young and the cortex of the
As a sensory modality, vision tends to guide many of our motor moves. Vision is designed to work with balance, control of posture, language, motor skills and intellectual development. For example, a baby learns early on how to use vision for guiding muscles of the neck and mouth toward a nipple for food and comfort. Later on, the infant will learn how to use
The ability to maintain body orientation and posture in relation to the surrounding environment (physical and social space) is challenging for many children. Mastering these skills represents a point of entry for most group and sports activities. These sorts of activities tend to lead to friendships and improved sense of self worth. For children with sensory processing dysfunction, this point of integration represents a challenge that
Visual processing skills enable learning and generally include skills that are carried out through use of the muscles that surround each eyeball. Since children who have SPD tend to have deficits with coordinating their muscles, these small muscles that are hidden within the orbit of the eyeball are generally also impacted. Visual processing includes both “motor free” skills such as visual discrimination as well
Using construction puzzles to introduce whole-part relationships When we first started this activity, the parts of the animals were assembled in total disarray. While the child was able to match the colors, the sizes of the pieces were not in order to show that the dinosaur had an arch to his back, the legs of the alligator were assembled upside down, and the
Functional vision – incorporates use of the visual system to identify the layout of the near, distant, and peripheral environment while orienting oneself to objects within those confines. Many children who have sensory processing disorders have difficulty with various aspects of functional vision. Visual pursuits – the ability to coordinate movements of the eye muscles in order to follow movement of an object, such
The main idea of this Motor Maze for a child with motor planning deficits is to entice the child to integrate using visual perceptual skills with language to guide motor output. An age appropriate task card has been selected and therapeutic listening is being used to assist with attention. The first step for this youngster will be to speak up to say: The names
Needed for handwriting, fractions, geometry, soccer, gymnastics The ability to mentally rotate and imagine objects as they translate from 2-dimensional into 3 dimensional objects is often called “space visualization” and is necessary to success in the academic classroom. Space visualization is a skill embedded in math concepts of adding, subtracting, and division of fractions. It is also embedded in geometric equations, geography, social
Visual Motor Integration – the ability to bring visual perceptual abilities and motor control together in order to perform a motor task, is a vital skill needed for social, emotional, and academic independence. Typically, parents and teachers look to the emergence of hand function as a measure of development of this skill. Meanwhile, therapists look to the emergence of other key elements of visual