Sensory information processing
The atmosphere The session takes place in a calm, joyfully focused energy, trusting all possibilities. This way a child will discover by him/herself, what his/her possibilities are. Then questions such as: “how do I do this” are then heard less frequently, because from within the body this “how do I do this?” is being created. The power is within you! Feel and follow your body, become aware how it helps you and the rest will fall into place
Helpers:
What I tell the children is: nature is your helper, feel the wind, hear the sounds of the birds, feel the warmth of the sun, see the sparkle of the stars and the quietness of the moon, feel your body in everything it does. It is your helper when you write, read, and do math, especially when you think “I can’t”. There are always the birds, who bring you the letters, when you do reading and spelling, they can even whisper these in your ears. Everything you need is in you and around you, always helping. It is unknown what it is exactly, you can feel that it is.
Parents:
What I tell parents is that the natural body movements really are the yoga movements. Children often perform these movements naturally. It is a natural that bodies move. The body moves, trembles, yawns, feels, rocks, etc to help you cope with life. This is how you feel that you are alive in connection with your energies. Negative thoughts are just that, you may know and feel them, and let go gently, step by step. Everything is open, you never know what will happen, happiness and joy is , sadness and fear, all part of our lives. Then you can teach this to your children.
Sensitivity, HSP, attention and concentration:
Children with a different way of sensory information processing , may experience challenges in daily life and emotional skills. They may not only be inwardly or outwardly reactive, children may also, from one moment to the next, without any reason, change their behaviour from very quietly playing a game to very busy, angry, temper tantrum, crying and sometimes kicking or hitting. This behaviour is often caused by the emotions such as feeling overwhelmed, and powerless. The emotions, which triggers these reaction are often played out using stuffed animals, dolls, or in drama with myself and/or a parent.
Therapy also consists of giving advice, related to the organizing system within the nervous system, the proprioceptive system. It also helps to develop the awareness that you can give heart presents to yourself such as trust, love, light, “yes, I can”, the positive affirmations. The proprioceptive system also helps to regulate the amount of alertness in the body, which leads to better attention and concentration and less outbursts in the behaviour.
Sometimes it is necessary to put in place a more specific program: the pressure brush program according to Wilbarger. Practical advice for home, school and day care is part of the therapy program.
Playing in a tunnel made from elastic material or fleece, like this one on the photo’s. It helps to develop the body consciousness through pressure touch and kinesthesia, the body sense which will help relaxation and concentration.
“Mistakes”
A very well known saying is: If you do not make mistakes, you are unable to learn! Try to do everything “wrong”, what is it that you learn then? The saying: the more mistakes you make the smarter you become is hanging in the waiting room. In Holland we often use the saying: “When you try, learning happens”. Very often the children say this already from within themselves. Many times in group games The one who makes the most mistakes is the winner and vice versa. It tells something about winning and losing.
Strengths:
Treatment is based on the way children process information from the outside world, the sensory information processing and the effects of this on their emotional development. I also observe their strengths and look at their intellectual profile, if this exists. Questions like: are they strong visually, feelers, nature lovers, kinesthetic, musical , are they more inward or outward directed people. Is the child a collector?
There are aspects within the development which are called strengths and other aspects offering possibilities to grow and develop. Often you see in very young children, which .are developmentally challenged, that the process of sensory information processing, develops differently. Children are a little more clumsy in their dressing skills, social skills and learning skills. This may have repercussions for the physical as well as the social emotional development. Whatever diagnostic name this may be given, it can usually be treated successfully.
Strong visual information processing, love of nature and motivation
Max‘s strength is his visual system. He learns very quickly when demonstration is used. He is also able to draw from his fantasy. He knows exactly how to draw a branch from a tree (line). He has an experience with a branch, felt it, played with it and draws it immediately, very well, when I ask him. Because he likes to play soccer, I asked him to draw a soccer ball (circle), then he draws a home for the ball, 4 branches (lines), forming a square. This is a way you learn to draw line, square and circle, without an example, from your natural experience within.
Max is very well able to use his eyes to learn to do!
Puling scotch tape from the dispenser: demonstration using very little language: hold, pull down, and tape to paper, first myself and thereafter Max using verbal guidance, after that Max, by himself, with me supporting him non verbally.
NLD and dyspraxia
Children with a non verbal learning challenge, or we can call it a way of information processing, in which the ability to get a total overview of situations or tasks is challenged, often demonstrate dyspraxia. Complex tasks, such as cleaning up, having an orderly table at school, dressing and undressing, collecting the things you need for school or hobby are targeted.. A certain amount of chaos in this may be present. Dyspraxia is a challenge in the complex task process, which proceeds from idea, to organization and planning thereof, the implementation of the idea and the body feedback thereabout. The challenge may occur in anyone of these area or in a combination thereof
To help develop this area, we work in the task he/she would love to learn best. There is structured free play, in which the child is actively involved, in problem solving and sorting through the situations this play presents. At the same time, attention is given to being in the present moment, the Now, totally, focused on your body and what it does in those complex tasks playful moments. Conscious breathing, feeling your feet and positive affirmations: I am able to learn to do” form an essential part of the therapy.