Sensitivity OT Services

10/04/2026

Find the dinosaurs through using therapy try which has a resistance to it and helps with hand and finger strength.

10/04/2026

Working on providing proprioception to the hands to increase body awareness and help with hand writing and hand strength.

10/04/2026

Let’s go kids……

05/04/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1AoxrfHgQY/?mibextid=wwXIfr

How lovely to see such great regulation tools being used here.

05/04/2026

Happy Easter.

05/04/2026

Happy Easter everyone. 🐣

04/04/2026

NEUROLOGICAL THRESHOLDS!

“the nervous system’s responsiveness to stimuli”

How does a child respond to the world around them? Sights? Sounds? Touch? Smells? Movement? Body position? Taste?

A low threshold means that a low amount or intensity of stimuli is needed as the nervous system is easily activated for awareness and response. A child is described as hyperresponsive.

A high threshold means more intense stimuli is needed before the nervous system responds. A child is described as hyporesponsive.

Sensitization is the process that enhances the awareness of important stimuli, screening anticipated harm or danger in the environment while engaged in play or learning. We need to be able to respond quickly to risky situations that could hurt us.

Habituation is the process of recognising familiar stimuli that does not require further attention, allowing focused attention of the task at hand without becoming distracted, agitated or inattentive. There is comfort and security found in familiar sights, sounds, people, routines, textures, schedules and expectations that reassure us.

Modulation is the balance of activation needed so that a child can be alert to selected information while screening out other stimuli in order for functional participation in everyday life. The child selects the appropriate responses to environmental cues.

The children we see for occupational therapy may have difficulty processing sensory information … eg. alert to sensory information that interferes with tasks, unaware of sensory information, perceives something as dangerous when it isn’t, can’t get enough sensory information.

If you want a re-cap of the “sensory profile language” (thresholds and continuum), you can find this on my website - https://www.yourkidsot.com/blog/sensory-profile-language-thresholds-and-continuum and … would you love to have these graphics and summaries for yourself? The Sensory Profiling Guidebook is coming!

04/04/2026

LINEAR VESTIBULAR SENSORY ACTIVITIES

The vestibular system, located in the inner ear, sends signals to the brain about the position and movement of the head. It becomes active whenever the head tilts, turns upside down, spins, or moves quickly or slowly—for example, when running, swinging, or sliding.

Today we are focusing on linear vestibular input -
Forward/backward, up/down and side to side. Broadly speaking these actions can help someone to soothe and calm, alert and energise, or organise and regulate. Some children will also combine vestibular input with proprioceptive input to have these outcomes.

We lean into these activities to soothe babies - rocking a pram forward and backward, cradling them in our arms and gently moving, laying them in bouncers or hammocks.

Some activities allow for a combination of vestibular input such as the hammock swing. Allowing a child to direct their sensory input may also help them to include proprioception (eg. Pumping legs on the swing, pushing with arms on the scooter board, jumping on the trampoline). Stop/start activities will also bring alerting components.

04/04/2026

ROTARY VESTIBULAR SENSORY ACTIVITIES

The vestibular system, located in the inner ear, sends signals to the brain about the position and movement of the head. It becomes active whenever the head tilts, turns upside down, spins, or moves quickly or slowly—for example, when running, swinging, or sliding.

Today we are focusing on rotary vestibular input -
Spinning around and turning the head (and fluid in the inner ear). This type of input is generally alerting and stimulating, helping with balance, muscle tone, and body awareness. It differs from linear input (discussed recently) and can be either organizing or disorganising depending on the individual’s sensory needs; excessive or intense input can lead to overstimulation, while some children with sensory processing challenges may be hyporesponsive and seek this input. Combining vestibular and proprioceptive input can be regulating.

Vestibular rotary activities can vary with an individual rolling (forward, backward, log), turning (like a spinning top), orbital (like a merry-go-round) on an axis and upside down/inversion (like a cartwheel). It can vary in intensity, stop/start jerky movements and duration. The vestibular system is very powerful and input should be closely supervised, especially for sensory seekers who may not know their own limits.

04/04/2026

I’ve watched this wonderful support group develop over the years and it’s so valuable to the sen families. X

What is Little Heroes ASD Support Group? What can they offer my family?

The best people to answer that question is the families themselves. Check out their video.

With it being Autism Awareness Week please reach out to those who could need that little extra help, tag them in the comments section or share with them directly this post. It's amazing what a difference can be made when families physically walk through the door and become part of a supportive community.

https://youtu.be/SfcfMQCPJ6k

04/04/2026

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

04/04/2026