Professional+Resources

__Take Five! Staying Alert at Home and School__ by MarySue Williams and Sherry Shellenberger. Pu blished by TherapyWorks, Inc. 2001 www.AlertProgram.com This book came highly recommended to me by Deb Duncanson. It is a great book designed to provide a variety of options to promote the modulation and maintenance of optimal alertness in everyday tasks including school. This book parallels the "How Does Your Engine Run" program and can help teachers and therapists lead students to self-regulate. A very practical book with lots of good strategies loosely categorized for oral motor, movement, touch, looking, and listening. Patty McGovern

__Addressing Learning Differences Sensory Integration: Practical Strategies and Sensory Motor Activities for Use in the Classroom__ by Michael C. Abraham, McGraw-Hill Children's Publishing, 2002. Nice, basic book which includes lots of interventions to be used in the classroom to address sensory processing dysfunction. As a PT I also like the pre-referral motor screening checklist and the section on developmental milestones which are good references for teachers during our weekly meetings in addition to several other useful sections. I feel the book offers good value for only $12.50 through Therapro-- a good resource for teachers of young children to have on hand.. Patty McGovern

__How Does Your Engine Run? A Leader's Guide to the Alert Program for Self-Regulation__ by Mary Sue Williams and Sherry Shellenberger, Therapy Works, Inc., 1994. More in=depth guide addressing the concept of self-regulation. Describes the Alert Program, which incorporates sensory integration theory and uses an analogy of a car engine to define one's body engine as running " high, low, or just right". The leader ideally should be someone trained in sensory processing theory, or otherwise will require consultation from an occupational therapist or someone who is appropriately trained in order to run the program. Patty McGovern

Summary of a research article: Sensory Processing in Children With and Without Autism: A Comparatie Study Using the Short Sensory Profile. American Journal of Occupational Therapy,61:190-200. by Dunn, W., Tomchek, S.D.. (2007) This article describes a study designed to compare differences in sensory processing between typically developing young children ages 3-6 and those of the same age with autism spectrum disorders. The Short Senory Profile was used to measure the primary variable in the study which was reported behavioral sensory processing. The results suggested there were significant differences in sensory responses for the children with autism spectrum disorders. Ongoing studies and research using measures beyond those of sensory response behaviors or methods that link the sensory response behaviors to neurophysiological measures were recommended. This article was interesting to me particularly in light of the student we chose for our project presentation who does in fact have an autism spectrum disorder and is within the age parameters. Patty McGovern

__The Sensory Diet: Activity Programs Based on Sensory Processing Theory__ by Patricia Wilbarger. Sensory Integration Special Interest Section Newsletter, June 1995.

This was one of the first articles that I knew about that described the sensory diet. I continue to refer back to it because I think it does a really good job of explaining the concept in terms that are easy to understand. deb duncanson

This is a synopsis of the research article: A group proprioceptive program's effectiveness on physical aggression in children. Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, Early Intervention 1:147-166. by Lopez, M., Swinth,Y. (2008). This study researched the effectiveness of a proprioceptive-based group exercise program targeting aggressive behaviors of three nine year old boys. The Sensory Profile and Short Sensory Profile (Dunn, 1999) were administered to ensure the participants behaviors were based in SPD and not just behavioral. A 5-minute exercise regime of exercises adapted from the Handwriting Without Tears Teachers Guide, (Olsen, 2003) were implemented. The researchers lead and supervised the exercise routine with the entire class, including the teachers and classroom staff. Both quantitative and qualitative data was collected. Two of the participants demonstrated statistically significant decreases in aggression. Two participants demonstrated statistically significant decreases in the duration of aggression. All three students demonstrated a decrease in the mean number of aggressive behaviors. Teachers reported that the exercise activities positively influenced the entire class. Researchers noted limitations in the study of small sample size, data extrapolation methods, and the participants understanding of purpose. Further research was recommended for additional validation of proprioception sensory strategies with children with emotional/aggressive difficulties in school. I found this article interesting and used the program with a child who was aggressive in our school setting. Unfortunately, he did end up in an outside placement. Joan Epstein

This article included parent involvement, play groups and the use of the **"How Does Your Engine Run?"** program. With the parent participation in this instance, maybe there is hope with home involvement within other preschools and subjects. [] Sue H.
 * Playing Together**, by Gayle Pliscofsky and Cheryl Cashriel

Journal Article from The American Journal of Occupational Therapy--**Parental Hopes for Therapy Outcomes: Children With Sensory Modulation Disorders**, by Cohn, Miller and Tickle-Degnen. Distributed the article to the entire team in our project, including parents. Parent is very well educated on the subject of SPD and said it was the first research she had come across that spoke to parents perspectives, hopes and dreams for their children. Worth reading and sharing, particularly when teams are hesitant to include parents as full partners in the collaboration process. -Deb

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Simple, bulleted list sorting fact from fiction for SPD. Found it on the Advance website. [|www.advanceweb.com] Taken from Sensory Scene Vol. 21, Issue 22, Page 11 "Sensory Processing Disorders: Fact of Fiction?" -Deb
 * Our team used distributed it as a handout to summarize our intial inservce to staff.

__The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun__ by Carol Stock Kranowitz, 2003

This is a reference for activities that I use when I run out of ideas for activities. It is divided into activities for the sensory systems and activities for sensory-related skills. The section on activities for sensory systems is then further divided into activities by the senses. I especially like the section of the proprioceptive system activities because the activities are fun, easy and unusual.

Of course, there is a website that correlates to this book ([]). I think it is more appropriate for parents, but there are some interesting resources on it.

deb duncanson

This article seemed sooo up our alley for our projest. We want the para professionals to understand their own preferences to be able to understand their students. There are many other spin offs form this site on SPD. [] Sue H.
 * Through The Eyes Of Dysfunction**

__The Ultimate Book of Kid Concoctions__ by John E. Thomas & Danita Pagel, 1998

This is a book of recipes for sensory fun, especially tactile stuff, that goes beyond play dough. I especially like the Gooey Gunk recipe and have shared this with many parents and teachers. There are many books in this series and a website ([]) which includes a Concoction of the Month and other projects under Things.

Deb Duncanson

Ann T. Halvorsen, Thomas Neary
 * //Building Inclusive Schools,// Tools and Strategies for for Success**

This is a reference for educational teams in demonstrating best practices, instructional strategies and implementing research-based trends to meet the needs of indivdual students. It does not pertain to sensory processing disorders specifically but offers really good strategies for for team planning and collaboration. There are also templates for great data sheets, agenda forms and planning sheets to address and design goals and objectives for individual students that requires the input of the whole TEAM. Type in the content of your page here.

Some good books to add to or start a resource-lending library:  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060195207/sinetw =Too Loud, Too Bright, Too Fast, Too Tight: What to Do If You Are Sensory Defensive in an Overstimulating World (Hardcover)= by Sharon Heller.

Provides information about sensory defensiveness and how it is different from common hypersensitivity, why it is commonly misdiagnosed (ex: ADHD, anxiety, panic disorders), and how to get started with a sensory diet tailored for your needs. Sharon Heller highlights treatments other than medication, including sensory strategies. Several case studies are included. Appendix A is devoted to developing a Sensory Defensiveness Survival Kit, which includes eating well, getting fresh air and sunshine and enough sleep! (Good universal advice for everyone!). Good book to help educate teachers and ideas can be applied to children. Kudos from Edward Hallowell, author of __Driven To Distraction__ (another good book to add to a resource library) and also Carol Stock Kranowitz, author of several books related to SPD, including the __The Out-Of-Sync Child__. Suggestion: Borrow the books from your local library first, to peruse them first before purchasing.

//This article describes a **data-collection method** that can be used to evaluate an intervention strategy. It also discusses a// four-level problem solving method that looks similar to what we refer to as Response to Intervention, and where OT services fit in at each level.
 * Clark, G. F., & Miller, L. E. (1996). Providing effective occupational therapy services: Data-based decision making in school-based practive. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 50, 701-708.**

By Claudia Stahl[]
 * School Hardening: //No Soft Touch//**

This in an article about the book //School Hardening: Sensory Integration Strategies for Class and Home.// I found it in Advance magazine and it talks about how how it was created to encourage dialogue among teachers, therapists, and parents about sensory issues that impact childrens performance in the classroom. School hardening is a different way of looking at the child's performance, because you are looking not only at the skill level but the end product, and the process. It talks about regulating the child to an optimal level of arousal for treatment. Sherry D.

The Power of a Jump Rope: An Evidence-Based Movementl By Stephanie Yamkovenko []

This is a Journal article about a program called, **//The Jump Kids Jump Movement//**. www.jumpkidsjump.org -aimed at helping school-based and community groups obtain the tools needed to get youth to be more active. Jumping rope is a great therapy tool for helping to integrate the senses. Not only is jumping rope an example of play as occupation for children, it is also an intervention that addresses other occupations such as attending in school and cooperating with peers and family. Sherry D.

http://www.5pointscale.com/ We use the Incredible 5 Point Scale for BIPs. Thought I'd include the resource here. -Deb

Arnie and His School Tools: Simple Sensory Strategies That Build Success Jennifer Veenendall I have been using this book in my target class. It is written from the point of view of a child with SPD, describing how he feels and the tools that help him be successful at school. I found my second graders were able to relate and already could identify some of the tools mentioned. A great resource. Judy A

Handwriting Club: Using Sensory Integration Strategies to Improve Handwriting http://www.readingrockets.org/article/6206 A very concise SI summary with handout related to teaching /remediating handwriting using sensory strategies. Judy

Learn to Move, Moving Up! Sensorimotor Elementary-School Activity Themes by Jenny Clark Brack, OTR/L, BCP This is an evidence based resource for those who work with early-elementary children. The activities are presented from a sensory integration perspective for children of all levels of ability, are theme based, and address sensory, motor, language, academic and social skills. Besides the 30 lesson themes/plans, the book also contains chapters about sensory processing disorders, evidence based practice for children with ASD and sensory processing disorder, assessment and evaluation, how to integrate the activity lesson plans into the elementary school environments, and additional therapeutic activities that can be added to enhance the lesson plans. There are also useful product and resource lists, websites, and recommended children's books that related to the lesson themes. The lesson plans are great resources or examples of ideas for collaborating with a receptive teacher and all lessons nclude ideas of how to relate the activities to the curriculum. Freida

Advance for OT Practitioners Oct 12, 2009 Vol 25 No 21 There are two interesting articles in this issue:
 * Almost There: Sensory Integration's Long Road to Legitimacy** A history and look ar inclusion in the DSM V

Judy A
 * Candy Corn and Other Nuggets of TRuth** A look at OT tx and inclusion, and collaboration.

Speical Interest Section Quarterly Early Intervention & School, Volume 16, Number 2, June 2009 (Published by AOTA, Inc.) Occupational Therapy Feeding Challenges in Early Intervention This article presents 3 cases studies of infants and todllers with eating and feeding issues.

I found this article to be very helpful with some practical suggestions for interventions for picky eaters and are currently using suggestions from two of the case studies to address the needs of a new preschool student that is on my caseload. One of the ideas is modeled after Toomey's SOS Approach to Feeding and involves the use of a data collection sheet and the other is using a "snack" picture schedule to help with the power struggle involved with the refusal to try non-preferred foods at snack time at preschool. Both ideas are simple and practical and will be easy to implement. Keeping the data should be relatively painless for the teacher/classroom aide and I think the strategies will help this young student feel less threatened by the non preferred food items. Freida