Category Archives: Sensory

Investigate evidence-based sensory integration strategies and therapeutic tools designed to help individuals of all ages regulate sensory input, enhance emotional regulation, and improve behavior, attention, and participation across a variety of environments.

Developing the Brain from the Bottom Up: A Sensorimotor Approach

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May’s Therapro Saturday Seminar was a follow-up to last month’s seminar entitled: Developing the Brain from the Bottom Up! Pam Formosa, MA, OTR/L returned with her colleague and Co-Founder of Brain Fit Academy in Hopedale, MA, Christina Schlupf, MA Licensed Educator and ABA technician. They presented: The Listening Program™ and Reflex Integration: A Powerful Combination!

Brain Fit Academy uses a neuro-developmental approach to help students improve overall processing through Reflex Integration and to teach students skills to empower them for success. The Listening Program ™ (TLP), based on the work of French ENT, Alfred Tomatis in 1944, has developed over the years and today, Alex Doman carries on Tomatis’ work, focusing on using sound, music, and technology to improve brain function. TLP can be described as an auditory stimulation therapy that uses music to train the brain by strengthening neurological pathways with the outcome of improving learning, communication, information processing, and more.

Pam and Christina clarified the essential differences among hearing, listening, and auditory processing. They explained that hearing is a passive function, listening is a dynamic function, and auditory processing is also a dynamic function that involves the brain using what it hears to make sense of what is being heard. With a thorough review of the auditory system, we learned how sound frequencies affect brain and body function in a hierarchical manner. Pam and Christina shared an interesting fact about embryonic development: as early as 16 weeks gestation, the fetus responds to the mother’s voice and sounds outside the womb through bone conduction.

TLP utilizes transmission of vibrations through bone, called “bone conduction.” It involves listening to personalized music 5 days per week typically over the course of 20-40 weeks. TLP uses headphones to transmit sound through air (ear canal to the cochlea) and bone (vestibular system) simultaneously. The merits of bone conduction can be seen in several crucial areas including improved vestibular processing, which manifests itself in improved postural control, improved sensory awareness; speech and language development; and stress reduction and regulation of the parasympathetic nervous system. The potential benefits of TLP are astounding!

Pam and Christina presented a case study of an 11 ½ year old child with a clinical diagnosis of Auditory Processing Disorder to illustrate how they might use Reflex Integration in conjunction with The Listening Program™ to achieve positive therapeutic outcomes. Using formal checklist inventories to assess and quantify 6 areas of listening as a baseline of function before beginning treatment, and then again, following treatment, was examined. Changes in the child’s function were quantifiable and impressive between weeks 2 and 20 of treatment. Areas of significant improvement included Receptive and Expressive Listening and Language, Auditory Processing, Listening to the Body, Behavioral and Social Adjustment, Level of Energy, and integration of the Moro, TLR, and ATNR Reflexes.

The Listening Program ™ is one of many tools you’ll find in Brain Fit Academy’s toolbox that can help remediate neuro-developmental immaturity. Used in conjunction with Reflex Integration, it is a powerful therapeutic modality with great potential to help students achieve improved functioning through brain “re-organization.”

Attendees shared their enthusiasm about the seminar:

“The information was enlightening and applicable to my work with preschool students with Autism.” -Jo-Ann F., Teacher

“Understanding elements that we may be missing, yet can relearn. Hope at the end of the tunnel.” – Anonymous, Parent

“Excellent information & will leave with ready to use activities/tx.” – Jennifer P., Occupational Therapist

“I think teachers need to understand the basics of Primitive Reflexes. This can really impact a child’s learning and behavior in the classroom.” – Ann Marie H., Teacher

Thank you, Pam and Christina!

Filomena Connor, MS, OTR/L

Sensory Flower Craft: Therapro’s Free Activity of the Month

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Looking for a creative and engaging way to support sensory and fine motor development? Therapro’s sensory flower craft activity is the perfect solution. This free Activity of the Month encourages children to explore textures, practice scissor skills, and express creativity—all while building foundational sensory integration and coordination. Whether used in the classroom, therapy session, or at home, this fun and functional project helps children blossom in more ways than one.

Working on arts and crafts provides opportunities to incorporate different skills. Normally, we look for the practice of physical skills such as:

  • Bilateral Integration- The ability to use both sides of the body together in a smooth and coordinated manner.
  • Eye-Hand Coordination- The efficient teamwork of the eyes and hands.
  • Motor Planning- The ability to conceive, organize, sequence, and carry out an unfamiliar body movement in a coordinated manner.
  • Fine Motor- Refers to the movement of the small muscles of the fingers.

But what about the “invisible” skills? Skills like sensory feedback and perception. Prior to working on a craft, break it down and analyze all the ways your child will incorporate skills- visible and “invisible”.

The smells, sounds and feels of a craft are a huge part of the process. Use the opportunity to encourage exploration and introduce new sensations.

Prepare for the activity

You will need:

  • Glue dots
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Dessert-sized paper plates
  • Scented Markers
  • Foam Stickers (or your decoration of choice)
  • A shoe box or Canvas frame
  • Scarf Hanger (in shape of flower)

Assorted Textures (your choice, below is what we used):

  • Fuzzy Fabric
  • Sponge
  • Pom Pom Balls
  • Shredded Paper
  • Ribbon
  • Sand Paper

Steps

  1. Cut a hole a slit the top of the frame in the center.
  2. Place scarf hanger in the back of the canvas frame, and pull hanger through slit.
  3. Use glue dots to secure the scarf hanger in canvas.
  4. Use the scented markers to color the areas that won’t have texture.
  5. Cut dessert plate in half and roll, use glue dots to affix. Wrap fuzzy fabric on the small roll, use glue dot to affix. Repeat this step for any texture that needs to be rolled such as the ribbon.
  6. Glue the sponges in the next empty space.
  7. Cut a piece of the paper plate to fit a large space and blue it in the next space available. Glue pom pom balls into this. Repeat this step for small shapes and textures that need to be glued in place such as the shredded paper.
  8. Roll sand paper to fit a large space and glue it in the next space available.
  9. Use half of dessert plate and roll, use glue dots to affix. Wrap ribbon on small roll, use glud dot to affix. Place rolled ribbon in the last large space.
  10. Cut a piece of the paper plate to fit the center space and glue it in. Glue small pom pom balls into this.
    Decorate around the flower as desired.

Don’t forget to make it a multi-sensory experience.

  • Go outside for a spring nature walk.
  • Sing songs or nursery rhymes about flowers. (Mary Mary Quite Contrary, Ring Around the Rosie, The Mulberry Bush)
  • Have your child smell different flowers.
  • Make a small indoor garden.

Send us a picture of your Sensory Flower craft activity, or post it on Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #Therapro

Guest Blogger: Diana V. Mendez-Hohmann

Using Sensory Stories

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Like Social Stories, sensory stories are short descriptions of a situation which include specific information about what to expect in that situation and strategies on how to handle the situation.

A sensory story is a method to allow children with sensory modulation issues – sensory integration disorder, sensory integration dysfunction – to cope with everyday experiences. They are in a format that allows children with autism to employ calming strategies throughout the course of specific daily activities like combing hair, going to the dentist and many common school or social activities. These stories are designed to help children navigate daily activities by providing structured, multisensory narratives that prepare them for various situations. When read on a regular basis, Sensory Stories enable children to engage in life.

Our Sensory Stories can help in many different situations including:

  • Home – to help develop self-care skills (bathing, dressing, showering, bedtime, meal time)
  • School – social skills and academic skills (assemblies, cafeteria, circle time, desk time, recess, moving in the school, PE class)
  • Community – to help understand how others might behave in a particular situation (going to restaurant, store, parties, getting a haircut)

To create more stories get our Sensory Stories CD.

Here’s an example story below.

Eating Lunch in the Cafeteria

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