Our Children's Overall Health and Stability

By Rita Patterson, OTR/L

Therapy Solutions for Children

More Child Health and Safety Articles

Our Children's Overall Health and Stability

Is there an increase of ADHD and processing problems?

Is there an increase, at an alarming rate, of autism?

Is it ADHD or is it a trendy name “Sensory Integration Disorder”?

Are more professionals feeling panicked and concerned about a possible epidemic?

Are parents feeling hopeless and overwhelmed?

Where is this coming from? Is it environmental or genetic or a combination of both? It is our lifestyles? Is it genetically modified foods?

More and more professionals are currently asking themselves about this ever increasing alarming societal problem noted in our children's abilities/disabilities. Many different opinions about this matter are evolving. Many children with special learning difficulties are presenting themselves with self-regulation issues, or in layman terms, issues in regards to poor arousal, and poor attention; ranging from hyperactivity to lethargy.

Why and how is it that our children are exhibiting such a range of difficulties in a world where we can fly to the moon?

In this day and age, parental love and support is not any less than the old days. That is one thing that is constant. Our great need to better our children and their lives is so strong and obvious in our great gains in this county today.

But why isn't our children's development not also gaining in strength and momentum?

These are all difficult questions to answer. Treatment techniques use a combination of sensory integration and neurodevelopment theory. Sensory processing affects a child's overall development, and a problem or difficulties with sensory integration can negatively impact a child's development.

Sensory integration has been shown to be very beneficial and astonishing changes can be made in a child's processing and behaviors.

Connecting the body and brain mechanisms may be one of the most important answers in our fast paced, sedentary lives in helping children and families counteract and resolve (without drugs) this seemingly out of control crisis and epidemic in the United States.

Sensory Integration Theory and Treatment, as well as Sensory Processing Disorders, are not new to the area of pediatric occupational therapy, and not new in the literature from famous and reputable neuroscientists. However, it is very new to our society in general, and to the medical community as a viable option of treatment and treatment rationale for its application to the treatment of learning and processing disorders (and possibly for ADHD as well). If interested in learning more about sensory integration disorders please go to www.sensory-processing-disorder.com.