Process of Sensory Integration Therapy
Initial Parent Consultation
The Occupational Therapist conducts a detailed interview to understand:
- Developmental history
- Pregnancy and birth history
- Medical history
- Sensory concerns
- Home, school, and community participation
- Feeding and sleeping patterns
- Play skills
- Daily routines
- Functional challenges
- Parent priorities and goals
Comprehensive Assessment
The Occupational Therapist conducts a detailed sensory-motor evaluation, which may include:
- Parent interview and sensory history
- Clinical observations
- Standardized assessments (e.g., EASI, Sensory Profile 2, SPM-2, when appropriate)
Goal Setting
Individualized SMART goals are developed collaboratively with parents based on assessment findings.
Goals may include:
- Improve sensory processing and modulation
- Enhance attention and concentration
- Improve emotional regulation
- Develop balance and coordination
- Strengthen postural control
- Improve motor planning (praxis)
- Enhance fine motor and handwriting skills
- Increase independence in daily activities
- Improve participation at home, school, and in the community
Areas Evaluated
Sensory Processing
- Vestibular processing
- Proprioceptive processing
- Tactile processing
- Visual processing
- Auditory processing
- Oral sensory processing
- Interoception
Sensory Modulation
- Over-responsiveness
- Under-responsiveness
- Sensory seeking
Motor Skills
- Gross motor skills
- Fine motor skills
- Balance
- Coordination
- Bilateral coordination
- Postural control
- Motor planning (Praxis)
Functional Skills
- Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
- Self-regulation
- Play skills
- School participation
- Attention
- Emotional regulation
Sensory Integration Therapy Sessions
Each session typically lasts 40 minutes and is child-led within a therapeutic framework.
A typical session includes:
- Warm-up sensory activities
- Vestibular and proprioceptive input
- Motor planning and coordination activities
- Balance and postural control activities
- Fine motor and visual-motor tasks
- Functional play
- Self-regulation strategies
- Cool-down activities
- Parent feedback and home program review
The therapist continually adjusts activities to provide the “Just-Right Challenge,” encouraging active participation and adaptive responses.
Home Program
Parents receive individualized recommendations including:
- Daily sensory diet activities
- Heavy work activities
- Movement breaks
- Calming strategies
- Fine motor exercises
- Environmental modifications
- Daily routine recommendations
- Home activities to generalize therapy gains
Individualized Therapy Plan
The Occupational Therapist develops a customized intervention program based
on the child’s sensory profile, strengths, interests, and functional goals.
Therapy may include:
Vestibular Activities
- Swings
- Balance equipment
- Scooter boards
- Climbing
- Obstacle courses
Proprioceptive Activities
- Heavy work
- Pushing and pulling
- Carrying weighted objects
- Animal walks
- Resistance activities
Tactile Activities
- Sensory bins
- Texture exploration
- Messy play
- Deep pressure activities
Motor Planning Activities
- Obstacle courses
- Bilateral coordination
- Sequencing activities
- Praxis challenges
Fine Motor Activities
- Hand strengthening
- Grasp development
- Cutting
- Manipulative play
- Pre-writing tasks
Self-Regulation Strategies
- Alerting activities
- Calming activities
- Sensory diet recommendations
- Environmental adaptations
School Collaboration
When appropriate, the Occupational Therapist collaborates with teachers to:
- Recommend classroom sensory strategies
- Suggest seating and positioning adaptations
- Plan movement breaks
- Improve attention and classroom participation
- Support handwriting and classroom performance
- Recommend sensory accommodations within the school environment
Progress Monitoring
Progress is regularly reviewed through:
- Clinical observations
- Goal achievement tracking
- Parent and teacher feedback
- Functional performance in daily activities
- Standardized reassessment (when appropriate)
The intervention plan is reviewed and modified according to the child’s progress and emerging needs.
Re-evaluation and Discharge Planning
Formal re-evaluations are completed at 6 month intervals.
The Occupational Therapist:
- Reviews progress toward goals
- Updates intervention strategies
- Revises home and school recommendations
- Develops a maintenance plan
Plans discharge when functional goals have been achieved