Little Learners: Meeting Every Child’s Special Needs

Many of the preschool disabled students in my ABA class have sensory needs. Sensory diets are monitored by an occupational therapist and implemented into a child's routine to address their individual needs. Based on the sensory integration theory, specific types of input including proprioceptive, tactile, visual auditory, vestibular, oral motor, and gustatory are introduced during various times of the day and assist the brain in regulating attention and an appropriate level of arousal causing a neurochemical release in the brain which ultimately improves learning.

Potential positive effects from the materials I am requesting include a general sense of calm, decreased overall anxiety when practiced regularly, increased happiness and improved social interactions, increased communicativeness, better sleep and improved focus and attention, lowered hypersensitivity to touch, improved ability to tolerate the school environment, and decrease in self-injury due to improved self-awareness

If funded, I will use the materials purchased with this project to create a “Sensory Area” for sensory integration in my classroom as needed by my students. This will allow for consistency is carrying out sensory diets and address sensory seeking behavior ensuring maximum student benefit with the best possible education.

While resources requested including the Climber Gym, Teeter Totter, and Hide & Slide undoubtedly provide fun, they enhance physical (balance and body awareness, fine motor skills, coordination) and cognitive (cause-and-effect reasoning and social development) skills. Other items including the weighted materials, rolling pin, and massager provide calming compression and deep pressure therapy. The stimulation of their vestibular (movement) and proprioceptive (position) senses provided by the Hanging Pod Swing helps students to feel more in control of their body. The Milliard Crash Pad allows children who actively seek out excessive sensory input to have a safe alternative to calm and organize their body.