Sensory Integration theory comes from a body of work developed by A. Jean Ayres, PhD, OTR/L. This theory has been further developed and refined by the research of Dr. Ayres and other occupational therapists and physical therapists. In addition, literature from fields such as neuropsychology, neurology, physiology, child development, and psychology has contributed to theory development and treatment techniques.
Sensory Integration is the essential unconscious neurological function that involves organizing sensory information for use. Our senses give us information about the physical conditions of our body and the environment around us. Ayres calls sensations the nourishment of the nervous system.
The sensations include
• Sight (or visual sense)
• Hearing (or auditory sense)
• Taste (or gustatory sense)
• Touch (or tactile sense)
• Smell (or olfactory sense)
• Vestibular (gravity, head movement, balance)
• Proprioception (position, movement)
• Visceral sense (from inside the body: sense of hunger, pain, temperature,
bladder/bowel)
Information from each of these sensory arenas is processed and integrated to form multidimensional perceptions of the world. Integration gives meaning by sifting and sorting through the information and selecting what is relevant to focus on. Integration allows us to act or respond to the situation we are experiencing in a purposeful manner, called an adaptive response. When the various sensory systems become more integrated with one another, then the nervous system functions in a more “holistic” manner. The sensations from full-body adaptive responses generate a well-organized and balanced pattern of activity in the brain. When the body and all the senses work together as a whole, adaptation and learning are easy for the brain.
For most children, sensory integration begins in the womb and develops in the course of ordinary childhood activities. The behaviors, the developmental skills, and the academic learning of a child are the visible expressions of the invisible activity of the nervous system. Sensory integration contributes to the development of self-regulation, comfort, motor planning, motor skills, attention, and readiness to learn.