Sensory Integration: Assessing and Treating Kids When Formal Testing Isn’t Possible – Susan B. Young

Many of the children we work with are unable to take tests which require a good attention span and the ability to follow directions. These children may have ADD, ADHD or ASD. However, we need to be able to identify those deficits which are interfering with their ability to learn at school, participate in family activities and promote friendships.

Today you will expand your knowledge of sensory processing activities, and enhance your effectiveness to work with these children!

You will learn to identify which deficits have a sensory integration foundation, and thus be able to use treatment techniques to improve the quality of life for the kids you work with every day! In this workshop, I will teach you: how to identify behaviors which are sensory, determine underlying sensory systems which may be contributing to these behaviors, plan treatment strategies to help them more fully participate in school, community and home activities, and practice documenting your services.
Neurological Foundations of Sensory Integration

• Primary sensory systems in SI
• Receptors, neurological tracts and brain locations of sensory systems
• How is each system stimulated?
• Types of sensory integration dysfunction associated with each system

Clinical Observation and Interviews for Assessment

• • Analyze case studies using a sensory integration frame of reference vs developmental or motor
  • Distinguish between sensory-based and nonsensory-based behaviors
  • Clustering observations of behavior into sensory processing categories

Develop Interview Questions

• • • Formulate questions for parents/teachers to gain sensory information
    • Formulate questions related to participation in everyday life
    • Clustering responses into “diagnostic groups”

Documentation for Maximum Reimbursement and Access to Services

• • • • Write goals and objectives which enable access to services in schools and clinics
      • Document progress in functional terms
      • Write appropriate evaluation, progress and discharge reports

Design treatment sessions based on Ayres SI principles

• • • • • Analyze sensory aspects of therapy equipment
        • Modify activities to match needs of the child
        • Sensory diets for use at home and school
        • Sensory stories – enhance child’s participation in daily activities

Faculty

Susan B. Young, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA Related seminars and products: 2

Susan B. Young, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA, is a faculty member for the USC/WPS Sensory Integration and Praxis Test (SIPT) certification process. She was one of the original researchers for the SIPT under the supervision of Dr. A. Jean Ayres. She has many years of clinical practice including owning Children’s Therapy Group in Kansas City, a multidisciplinary private practice primarily serving children with sensory integration deficits. Dr. Young’s career includes director of OT and PT at Childrens Mercy Hospital, program director of the Occupational Therapy Program at Rockhurst University, and associate professor of OT at Belmont University.

She is an adjunct professor of OT at Belmont University. Graduate (MSOT and OTD) students have gained pediatric competence from Dr. Young’s expertise in the classroom and the lab experiences. She teaches workshops internationally as well as nationally. She is author of “Movement Is Fun”, a program of movement activities for preschool children based on sensory concepts.

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial: Susan Young is an adjunct professor at Belmont University. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc.

Non-financial: Susan Young is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and Kansas Occupational Therapy Association.