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Sensory Processing disorders

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder / Attention Deficit Disorder

Learning Difficulties

Children with Epilepsy

Children with genetic or metabolic disorders

Behavioural difficulties

Developmental issues

Emotional difficulties such as anxiety disorders

Behavioural feeding difficulties

Children do not need to have a diagnosis to be seen at SenseAbility

Sensory processing is the way the nervous system takes in, organises and interprets information from the body and the environment so that it can produce an appropriate response; for example catching a ball, eating a yoghurt or writing a sentence. A Sensory Processing Disorder or difficulty occurs when the nervous system is either over- or under-responsive to sensory information which affects the way a child can function in everyday activities. This may present in different ways including attention difficulties, behavioural problems, anxiety and difficulty with learning.

ASD is a lifelong developmental disorder. It is described as a spectrum because, although people with autism all have three main areas of difficulties, their condition will affect them in different ways. Some people with ASD are able to live independently while others require a lifetime of specialist support.  It can be difficult for children and adults with ASD as they do not 'look' disabled and therefore are frequently misunderstood or thought to be naughty.

The three main areas of difficulty that all people with autism have:

Difficulty with SOCIAL COMMUNICATION, SOCIAL INTERACTION, SOCIAL IMAGINATION.

>> RELATED CHARACTERISTICS

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A behavioural feeding disorder encompasses a range of maladaptive feeding behaviours which are usually unique to each child.

These include behaviours such as:

- highly unusual food preferences with limited selection and limited food groups

- aversive reactions such as tantrums, gagging and vomiting at the sight, touch or taste of food

- food fads

- anxiety at the presentation of new foods

- the need for sameness in the brand and/or presentation of food

A child with a behavioural feeding disorder is not your fussy eater or 'controlling' child. These children persistently fail to eat an adequately nutritious diet that is not directly accounted for by a physical condition.

There are multiple reasons for why these feeding difficulties occur, including:

- sensory processing difficulties

- restricted interests

- intense concentration of details

- fear of novelty or the unknown

- limited communication skills and lack of need for social compliance

- avoidance related to an aversive experience (for example severe reflux in early childhood or tube   feeding at birth)

In severe cases children may require nasogastric tube feeds. Feeding difficulties in children cause an enormous amount of parental anxiety and can become all consuming in the parent-child relationship. Such feeding difficulties are common in children with neurodevelopmental difficulties.

Sensory over-responsiveness (hypersensitivity)  

These are children who respond too much to sensation. They have difficulty filtering out irrelevant sensations.

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Sensory under-responsiveness (hyposensitivity)

These children show a poor awareness of sensory stimuli. Their nervous system filters out too much information so they don't appear to register sensory information.

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Sensory seeking

These children appear to need far more sensory stimulation than most people. They seem to crave sensory input and often actively seek it out.

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Sensory-based motor difficulties

Poor sensory processing can lead to postural and planning difficulties. We require information from our bodies and the surrounding environment to develop foundation skills such as balance, body awareness and hand-eye co-ordination.

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SenseAbility has a particular interest in assessment and treatment of children with neurological and behavioural problems including:

SenseAbility provides:

  Comprehensive Assessments

  Individualised Intervention

  Group Therapy

  School Consultation

  Behaviour Management

  Multidisciplinary Working

  Training