Forum
Notifications
Clear all
IECT Group Discussion Forum
19
Posts
8
Users
0
Likes
257
Views
Topic starter
February 14, 2021 5:48 pm
What is sensory integration and how can I help my child with it?
Here’s my explanation:
Picture yourself in the middle of a lake sitting in a row boat. You stand up to see something off in the distance. When you stand up, you feel the unsteady movement underneath your feet. Are you able to steady yourself as the boat moves under you? You decide the view is breathtaking and pull your camera up to your face from around your neck. You are now looking through a lens and focusing on a distant picture all while maintaining control of your body on an unsteady surface.
How well are you able to do this, would this be a high challenge for you or not even take a second thought? Are your senses fully integrated during that challenge, can you meet the demands of the task? This is sensory integration.
We all have sensory “preferences” and things that cause us to feel an imbalance to our nervous system. However, if you are able to maintain a steady control from the outside in: body in space, senses in check and emotions not exploding continuously then you are experiencing typical sensory integration. Your coping skills allow you to stay “in check.”
Sensory integration means our senses are complementing each other rather than out of balance. Our senses are more than the 5 outward senses we learn as a young child in the classroom. Yes, they include hearing, tasting, smelling, seeing and touch. However, they also include the vestibular sense and the proprioceptive sense, which give us information from inside our bodies and helps us balance and coordinate our movements.
What are the Vestibular Senses?
The vestibular system is very important to a child’s early development. The vestibular sense perceives balance, spacial orientation, and equilibrium. This system relays information to the brain that tells us where we are in space in relation to gravity.
If our vestibular system is not functioning well, we would not be able to stand in that row boat.
What is the Proprioceptive Sense?
Proprioreception is your inner experience of where your body is and what it’s doing. It’s what allows us to pick up the camera and plant our feet to stabilize our bodies in the row boat. Proprioceptors are found in our muscles and tell us where our bodies are and what our bodies are doing.
I love this link. It guides our understanding of sensory experiences with great information. “5 key benefits of sensory play” and the “pyramid to learning” which explains our foundation to appropriate responses to sensory input. https://www.teach-me-mommy.com/benefits-of-messy-sensory-play/
Topic starter
February 14, 2021 6:05 pm
I have a problem feeling off balance even in an elevator. I know I could not stand up in a row bow. I can't go on rides at fairs either. I want to do more research with this topic>
February 24, 2021 11:57 am
I didn't know this was a thing! I grew up surfing and playing sports so I feel like I could definitely stand up in a boat and take pictures. My dad used to make me balance on one of those boards with a ball underneath in our living room when I was younger. I'd say I have him to thank for my sensory integration skills.
February 24, 2021 11:58 am
Despite me knowing that I can stand up on that boat and take a picture, elevators are tricky for me too. I think it's because we are in a moving thing but we can't see it moving. With the boat we can see the wake and anticipate when the boat will rock.
February 27, 2021 11:05 pm
@amandamooreiectskin-com I also surfed a lot growing up! I didnt realize there was so much into that. I also didnt know this was a thing.
February 27, 2021 11:14 pm
I have never thought that deep into everything that goes into just taking a picture while on a boat. Ive never really had a problem losing my balance, except for a few times while working on a cruise ship when the waves were huge.
February 28, 2021 12:02 am
I remember learning about this in my college science classes and i remembered these senses best by calling them the balance and self awareness senses.
February 28, 2021 12:03 am
i didnt even realize how important these senses probably are for playing sports!
February 28, 2021 12:32 am
@amandamooreiectskin-com i didnt even realize how important these senses probably are for playing sports! i used to play softball and looking back i can see how these senses were used for almost every aspect of the game.
Topic starter
March 6, 2021 3:26 pm
Madison and Amanda
I get slightly dizzy in an elevator sometimes. As a kid I always got car sick if I rode in the back seat. If I went on a pier and looked at the water I could almost get sick. Sometimes flying has the same effect. I have gotten better as I have aged but I really do not like small boats.
December 19, 2021 1:38 pm
I grew up on boats and having to do a bunch of tasks so i defiantly think i could do the picture on a boat task. Ive never actually thought about how your senses effect just about everything.
December 19, 2021 1:44 pm
Looking back at it, When i was in color guard everything was moving at the same time. The band is moving in a formaton around you, while youre throwing up a spinning object into the air as youre dancing under it timing it perfectly to catch it and move out of the way so you dont get run over by everyone else around you. Theres alot of sensory overload in these situations.
December 26, 2021 6:26 pm
Unfortunately, I would not be able to do the picture on the boat task. Sensory overload is something ive been dealing with for years. How certain clothes feel on my skin, certain types of sounds, and how bright something is can really throw me off.
December 29, 2021 7:26 pm
This is an interesting article, I am honestly not sure if I could stand a boat and take pictures. I think maybe at first i could but i don't think I would be able to do it for a long period of time.
December 29, 2021 7:28 pm
@sydneymissaleiectskin-com I agree with you bright lights and how clothes feel on me can definitely throw me off.
December 29, 2021 7:30 pm
@jaydensugickiectskin-com I feel like this would be a cool topic to learn more about!
August 15, 2023 6:04 pm
@deborahwatersiectskin-com I totally agree with the elevator thing, I feel dizzy everytime I get out of one, I have some issues with my balance.
August 15, 2023 6:06 pm
@abigailcochraneiectskin-com I have that sensory overload issue, with a lot of sounds & movement I will easily get distracted.
August 15, 2023 6:10 pm
that is interesting, it's different learning what vestibular & proprioceptive senses are. In the case with the row boat, camera, and trying to keep balance I would say my proprioceptive senses would give me a hard time.
