Sensory, Behavior, or Both?

What is Sensory Processing?

Sensory processing-an individuals ability to collect, process, interpret,
and appropriately respond to sensory information (Purvis et. al, 2011).

Sensory and Behaviors in the School Setting

Many teachers who work with students with autism share this concern
of lack of student attention during instruction, which may negatively
affect student performance. Often self-stimulatory behaviors interfere
with a student's ability to engage in learning activities and teachers
may not know how to intervene (Mays et. al, 2011).
There is a three-step process that has been used to work with
students who have issues with sensory processing and behaviors. The
three-step process includes conducting a functional behavior
assessment, determining a replacement behavior that serves the same
sensory function, and monitoring and adjusting the intervention as
needed.
Step One:
Functional Behavioral Assessment includes conducting a direct
observation of the students behavior in the environment where their
behaviors typically occur. The assessment should focus on which body
parts are engaged during observation, which directions the student
moves these body parts, and the duration, frequency, and intensity of
the behavior.
Step Two:
Replacement Behavior and Intervention includes analyzing and
recognizing which areas of the students behavior could be related to
the sensory system. Sensory interventions help students register and
modulate responses to sensory stimuli allowing them to overcome
some of their overactive or underactive responses to sensory
stimulation (Mays et. al, 2011). Sensory interventions need to include
active participation by the student, self-directed, based on the
individuals neurological needs, and emphasize sensory stimulation
and elicit and adaptive response that integrates the senses (Mays et.
al, 2011).
Step Three:
Monitor and Adjusting the intervention plan includes having the
teacher monitor the students response and adjust the plan
accordingly. The teacher or occupational therapist can modify the
length of the intervention by increasing or decreasing the amount of
time and frequency that the student is exposed to the sensory activity.

Abigail Shamp, OTAS

References
Purvis, K. B., McKenzie, L. B., Cross, D. R., & Razuri, E. B. (2013). A
Spontaneous Emergence of Attachment Behavior in At-Risk
Children and a Correlation With Sensory Deficits. Journal Of Child
& Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 26(3), 165-172.
Mays, N. M., Beal-Alvarez, J., & Jolivette, K. (2011). Using MovementBased Sensory Interventions to Address Self-Stimulatory
Behaviors in Students With Autism. Teaching Exceptional
Children, 43(6), 46-52.