I recently carried out an assessment using my “Early Assessment Pathway Approach” on a Primary School child. The presenting symptoms/issues were of a child who did not want to go to school, was often distressed and seemed to want to stay with his mother.
During the history taking with the mother I was informed he attended a youth group but found “noise” distressing and often the child had to go outside where it was quiet. When outside, he did exercises to relieve stress. This and other factors made me call in a colleague who a specialist in “sensory integration”.
This is a new field for me. Put simply we tend to think we can hear, see and comprehend because of our brains (cognition). My colleague Charlotte however argues that this is only half the story. Our capacity to comprehend also depends on our biological and physiological capacity and development.
Taking this child as an example we now consider that the child can hear, but without discernment. Can see, but without discernment. My example of what this means is that of being being in a noisy restaurant. If our hearing is working correctly we can focus on the conversation at our table and screen out chatter from neighbouring tables. If we cannot do this our aural world would be chaotic and frightening. The evidence from the parent suggests this is what is happening to their child.
Similarly with visual perception. Whereas when preparing to cross the road I look and see, fast cars, slow cars, stopped cars, starting cars, those with inhibited visual perception just see cars. Thus their judgement as to when it is safe to cross is severely limited.
What happens next with this child? We hope early in the New Year to give the child a formal assessment of cognitive integration. If evidence indicates we are on the right track formal therapy can begin. The formal therapy being centred on physical and mental integration. The funding? Apparently coming from Sport England.
I shall report on progress. Richard
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