* 
* Making sense of the world around us and
ourselves.
* 
* Processing the sensations to make appropriate
motor and behavioral responses.
Dora Onwumere MS, OTR/L
Steven Seidman BS, OTR/L
* 
* 
* Occurs when the body is not registering, processing,
or modulating sensory input, leading to
misinterpretation of the child’s body and
surroundings.
* In other words, the brain is not receiving,
understanding and/or using the information that is
coming from the child’s environment and body
correctly.
* 
* Preferential seating
* Headphones/ear plugs
* Office/Carrels
* Visual timers/picture schedules
* Fidgets, Velcro, theraband around chair legs, stress balls
* Calming/break area
* Weighted/pressure vest
* Weighted items
* Modulating Supports
* Maintain attention
* Emotional regulation
* Improves praxis
* Improve fine/gross motor
skills
* Improve oral motor skills
*  Calming Interventions
* Self regulation
*  Improve play skills
* Increase social
* Alerting Strategies
* Improve attention span
participation
* Improve motivation
* 
* Deep breathing- in
nose out mouth
(candle)
* Calming music, lower
lighting
* Chewing gum and/or
sucking on hard candy
* Exposing child to
different textures in
the classroom (i.e. rice
and/ or bean bins)
* Allow children who
are sensitive to touch
to stand in front or end
of line
* Allow child extra
space during circle
time, or mark out spot
for child to sit
* 
* 
* Use appropriate desk/chair height:
These are some activities to help enhance your
student’s attention:
* Feet should be flat on the floor
* Chair push ups
* Wall push ups
* Jumping Jacks
* Mirror me movements
* Student initiated imitation of movements/dance
* Pushing down into the top of the table
* Getting a drink of water and/or using the bathroom
* Movement to Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes song
* Doing a silly movement
* Transition movements, i.e. swimming like a fish while
transitioning from rug to desk
* Allow child to be teachers assistant and pass out papers
* Place a block/footrest/bin under
to write/read on to help
the child sit up straight. A
slant board or a 3” binder
can be used.
child’s feet if they don
the floor.
t touch
* Allow alternative positions for doing
work: standing, kneeling, laying on
stomach to perform fine motor
activities if child becomes antsy”.
* Allow sitting on an inflatable
cushion (such as Disc-o-Sit or Move
n Sit) to help promote active
sitting and proper posture and
alignment.
* 
* 
* Provide a slanted surface
and hips and knees bent at 90
degrees.
* Check the position of paper
on desk when child is
writing.
* Use a pencil grip and/or
* Hand exercises before
writing
*  Bear claw, fists, pushing
hands/palms together,
finger- thumb oppositions
golf size pencils
* Use a mechanical pencil
* Allow extra time for
written work until the
child s writing skills
improve and/or decrease
the amount of written
work in the classroom
if the child presses too
hard when writing
* Child should use a helping
hand/ non-dominant hand
to stabilize the paper
while writing.
* 
*  Seat child close to board
*  Use a finger space to allow for adequate spacing during writing activities
*  Decrease amount of glare on computer screens
*  Provided students with appropriate lined paper
*  Allow student to highlight with a maker as he/she reads
*  Highlight lines of paper before writing
*  Duplicate Whiteboard information on paper for student’s desk
* Brain Gym
* How Does Your Engine Run?
* S’cool Moves
* Sensory Diets