Anyone heard of this: proprioceptive inputs?

[ha98ed14]

Went to the OT eval appointment for DD yesterday. (2nd eval. New OT.) Her recommendation was an increase in proprioceptive input(?). Basically she boiled it down to muscle massages, joint compressions, and rough(er) play. I had never heard of this. This would be an an antidote to DD's tactile defensiveness/ SPD. Anyone have any experience with this?

[sidmand]

Went to the OT eval appointment for DD yesterday. (2nd eval. New OT.) Her recommendation was an increase in proprioceptive input(?). Basically she boiled it down to muscle massages, joint compressions, and rough(er) play. I had never heard of this. This would be an an antidote to DD's tactile defensiveness/ SPD. Anyone have any experience with this?

Yes, although maybe I'm getting it confused. I thought it meant they kind of lost their place in space. The reason why DS liked sitting in a high back high chair because it kind of centered him. He liked crashing into things (doing it on purpose) and spinning around. He didn't play too rough or too loud but he was and always will be a bundle of energy. NEEDED to jump and run around and still does.

I looked it up online http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/proprioceptive-dysfunction.html and yes, I guess it is what I was thinking. It's why DS has/had trouble with motor planning (and why I have trouble, i think, with spatial relations).

We have the Out of Sync Child that they mention and the Out of Sync Child Has Fun and both have been very helpful.

I think they really suggested brushing for this in our OT. I think you had done that before but it didn't really work? The OT said we didn't really need to do it with DS. That was one of the issues, but not as strong as the others at the time.

I had always wondered why DS could roughhouse with DH right before bed and then go to bed. People said you shouldn't do that because it would make them hyper for bedtime but it never seemed to have that affect. This would be why! Heavy work was something else they suggested. Like having DS carry a milk jug (or something that wasn't too heavy, but still heavy) across the kitchen. Something fun, kind of game, but still letting them get that heavy work input.

[shilo]

hi guys,

you're both talking about the same 'system' in your kiddos, it's just that the way each of their brains is processing/acting on that info is different.

the proprioceptive system is how we know where our bodies are in space and where parts of our bodies are in relation to one another. an example would be: it's how your brain knows that your hand is already resting at your sides so that when you want to raise it to scratch your nose, the brain knows where you're starting from. and then it's how your brain knows to move your shoulder/elbow/wrist/hand 'just so' in relation to one another to get up there and scratch that itch.

so in the case of the OP, your OT is proposing to use your DD's proprioceptive system to gradually condition her to being comfortable with increased input from this system. her brain may be interpreting even minimal input from this system as overload right now. so by gradually giving her more and more proprioceptive input into the system, it may help her brain learn how to deal with those inputs in her everyday world without going into 'red-alert', if that makes sense? from how you're describing it and the treatments your OT is suggesting, it sounds like she's trying to address more of that second "how the parts of the body relate to one another" component of the system.

where as with debbie's son, it sounds more like that first component of the system - where the body is in space - is what his body/brain have more difficulty regulating. so grounding the system by giving it lots of input as to where the body is calms everything down and makes it easier to move the body in a coordinated fashion. basically, giving the body lots of input as to where it's starting position is (the heavy work, the rougher play, the high back chair all give the proprioceptive system that info on 'where' the whole body is).

hth.

[ha98ed14]

Lori, THANK YOU! This explanation was really helpful! I had all of 5 minutes to get the orders from the OT after the eval (thank you EI! :irked:) So your explanation gives me a lot of comfort that we *ARE* on the right road. Prior to this visit we were getting ABA because DD has a speech delay and SPD, therefore she *must* have autism.:shake: But there was no OT. I had to push for a second OT eval. The woman we saw seems much more open to not putting DD in a box. She said that from her experience working with EI, DD's social interaction, eye contact and verbal skills do not put her on the spectrum. So that was a huge relief. She's not a peds neuro, but she does this day in and day out. I have an appt with my regular ped this week to follow up. Anyway, thanks for taking the time to write out that explanation.

[Gena]

We do proprioceptive work with our son. DS has all kids of sensory issues. He is a sensory-seeking dyspraxic with over-responsiveness to some stimuli and under-responsiveness to others. He is frequently in "run-jump-and-crash" mode. (Taking this in combination with his poor motor planning, DH and I are certain he will eventually end up with a cast on at least one of his limbs.) Part of his "sensory diet" includes proprioceptive inputs like brushing, joint compressions, and "heavy work" such as carrying books, pushing plastic bins full of blocks, etc. I'm also considering getting him a weighted vest.

The Out of Sync Child by carol Stock Kranowitz and Sensational Kids by Lucy Jane Miller are great books for information about SPD and proprioceptive input. I particularly like Miller's book because she has a nice section about how the different types of SPD can be combined in a child, as is the case with DS.

I'm glad to hear that the OT does not think your DD is on the spectrum. She's not able to really diagnose one way or another, but it's still nice to have her opinion based on her experience. Hopefully her report will help your EI program be more effective for your daughter, since ABA doesn't seem to be the best way to go in your case.

[nov04]

It's been a while since I read the out-of-sync book but they were extremely helpful to explain all this stuff. We hang out with lots of families who were doing a sensory diet for their kids so I picked up on the techniques from them and then decided to read the book.

We have had her evaluated for sensory issues but they'll only say that they can observe them, not that they're pronounced enough to need therapy. The books are a huge help though. You can also check out "building bridges through sensory integration"
http://tinyurl.com/kvac62 it does reference autism almost exclusively, but applies to anyone with sensory issues.

[brittone2]

You already got great info from the PPs...just agreeing that proprioceptive input is often part of a treatment plan for SPD, etc.

[MamaKath]

You already got great info from the PPs...just agreeing that proprioceptive input is often part of a treatment plan for SPD, etc.
:yeahthat:

I have a kid with motor planning issues. Wanted to encourage you a bit, you are not alone! PM if you ever need to. "Heavy work" really helps!!! You got good info, book recs, etc. already.

About.com has good special needs parenting and education articles if you take the time to search and weed through. Also a lot of Autism websites also have helpful info.

http://specialchildren.about.com/od/homebasedtherapies/tp/athomeOT.htm

http://www.parentsrteacherstoo.com/SensoryMotor2.html

[daisymommy]

Hi! I know this thread was a few pages back (I'm behind on my reading here ;)). I wanted to add a link to my favorite website for all things "sensory". I'm listing the page that goes straight to proprioceptive work.

http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/proprioceptive-dysfunction.html

And the books other posters listed are great as well.
Take Care!