Occupational Therapist to Pilot Wii Program for School Based Treatment

Using Wii as a therpeutic tool for the geriatric population recieves a great deal of press but the use of Wii based activities for children in school based programs is discussed only occasionally in the news.  In Oregon, an occupational therapist, with the help of the assistive technology specialist and trainer has planned an assessment day during which students will try out several Wii applications.  The OT will gather useful information about which applications are best for various motor levels and abilities.  This fact finding day, described in the May 7,2009 post on No Limit 2 Learning will provide a wealth of information.  Take a minute to read about this well thought out venture by clicking here.

  

Sensory Processing Disorders (Part 3 of 3)

(More on sensory processing disorder…)

 

School-based therapists recognize the entwined nature of the sensorimotor performance components and program plan accordingly.  The Wii provides another tool for the therapists, allowing them to challenge and grade movement through space as well as encourage targeted actions.  Are any readers using the Wii in your setting? 

 

Therapists must also identify issues in other performance areas such as cognitive and psycho-social.   Manifestations of problems within the cognition and psycho-social arenas will be discussed in future posts.

 

Please post your experiences under the comment section because in sharing your experience, you help increase everyone’s knowledge base.

Sources:

·        The Sensory Processing Disorder Resource Center

 www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/sensory-processing-disorder-checklist.html

·        Kranowitz, CS., Miller, LJ. (2005). The Out-of-Sync Child.  New York, NY. Penguin Group.

·        Bhojne,U, Chitnis, A. (2002). VESTIBULAR DYSFUNCTION IN CHILDREN WITH PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER. The Indian Journal of Occupational Therapy. XXXIV(1).3-6. Retrieved from http://medind.nic.in/iba/t02/i1/ibat02i1p3.pdf

 

Sensory Processing Disorders (Part 2 of 3)

(Continued from last post…)

 

More on sensory processing disorder:

• Visual – Refers to the brain’s interpretation of what one sees
• Hypersensitivity – May be sensitive to bright lights and may have difficulty keeping eyes focused on work.
• Hyposensitivity – May have difficulty discriminating between similar shapes, like a square and rectangle or similarly shaped letters like “p”, “q”, “b” and “d”.  Visual processing deficits result in problems described in the previous post on perceptual processing manifestations.  
• Vestibular – Refers to the interpretation of information gathered from the inner ear about one’s position in space, movement and balance.
• Hypersensitivity – May be overly sensitive to motion, avoiding swings or slides.  May get car sick and may be fearful of escalators.   May also demonstrate poor postural control.
• Hyposensitivity – May crave motion.  May spin, jump, run into walls, or purposely fall without the expected negative reaction.  Again, look at the previous posts.  Deficits in this area are closely aligned to deficits classified as motor problems (see October 27,2008 post) as well as perceptual processing problems described in the October 31, 2008 post.
• Proprioceptive – Refers to the interpretation of information gathered from joints and muscles about one’s position in space, movement, pressure and weight.
• May use excessive force when interacting with objects, animals or other people.
• May seek out activities that provide sensory input, like jumping and banging objects. 

 

Please post your experiences under the comment section because in sharing your experience, you help increase everyone’s knowledge base.

Sensory Processing Disorders (Part 1 of 3)

Therapists working with the K-8 population, especially students with diagnoses across the Autism spectrum must be equipped to address sensory processing disorders.  Sensory processing problems impact all areas of function and must be considered on a case by case basis. Subtle differences between children’s abilities require the therapist to individualize treatment protocols.  Components included in the sensory processing performance area are:

 

• Tactile –  Refers to the interpretation of sensory input, including temperature, pressure, pain, and touch, collected from receptors located in the skin
• Hypersensitivity – Tactile defensiveness- may avoid touch
• Hyposensitivity -  Decreased responsiveness to touch- may seek repetitive tactile input
• Auditory – Refers to the interpretation of  sound
• Hypersensitivity – Auditory defensiveness- may be overly sensitive to background sounds
• Hyposensitivity - Decreased responsiveness to sound – may not respond appropriately when called by name, may not be able to locate the source of a sound, or may make repetitive noises for no reason.
• Olfactory – Refers to the brain’s interpretation of  smell
• Hypersensitivity- May be overly sensitive to smells which others may not notice
• Hyposensitivity – May not notice smells others complain about.

 

(Continued next time…)

 

Please post your experiences under the comment section because in sharing your experience, you help increase everyone’s knowledge base.

Using the Wii Therapeutically in a School Setting: PART 1

Jan from Maine writes on October 23, 2008:

Hi There,

I am an OT who would like to use Wii with my kids in the school setting. I am writing a grant for funding this and would like some feedback as to which program might be the best for my K-8 population and with my Autistic population.

Thank you!

Jan from Maine

Thank you, Jan, for your question. This question, of course, covers a very broad subject, so I will break it down into several important areas.  If more specific or timelier information is needed, Jan from Maine could leave a comment with her email address and I could address those specifics directly.

My response to this question will appear in multiple posts.  In the first few posts, I will outline and define several potential areas for occupational therapy intervention for the K-8 population, with a special focus on areas of OT intervention for those with autism.  The second group of posts will give examples of specific Wii activities to address these areas.  And finally, I will suggest some current research to use as supporting literature for a grant proposal. 

Some potential areas for intervention in the K-8 population include but are not limited to:

• Motor
  
• Perceptual
  
• Cognitive
  
• Psycho Social 

Occupational therapy intervention areas for children in this population with Autism include but are not limited to:

• Psycho social
  
• Sensory (processing) Integration
  
• Cognitive
  
• Perceptual
  
• Motor

Deficits in any of these areas can make classroom and daily activities challenging.  Identified students receive needed intervention from Occupational, Physical and/or Speech Therapists. The Nintendo Wii is emerging as a popular tool for therapists working with school aged children with special needs.  Wiihabilitation incorporating Wii Sports and Wii Fit can be used to address many of these frequently encountered problems and strategies for incorporating Wiihab in School based therapeutic programs will be discussed in detail in the latter parts of this segmented post.

Movement disorders in the K-8 (including those with Autism) may result from neuromusculoskeletal issues as well as from a complex mix of perceptual, muscular and motor issues.  Musculoskeletal involvement may result in:

• Alterations in muscle tone – (spastic- increased or flaccid- low/decreased)
  
• Decreased range of motion and/or strength
  
• Poor endurance
  
• Decreased postural control – alignment (standing or sitting)  

Additional motor or movement problems stem from a complex mix of deficits across several systems and may manifest as problems with:

• Coordination –both gross and fine (dexterity)
  
• Bilateral integration (using both sides of the body cooperatively, either simultaneously or alternately)
  
• Crossing the midline (passing one extremity across the midline of the body into the opposite side)
  
• Motor planning (praxis- the ability to perceive [visualize], organize and execute a motion or action accurately)
  
• Visual motor integration (the combined ability to visually perceive an object while accurately grasping and manipulating the object efficiently to complete the desired task)

Problems in any of these areas contribute to a student’s difficulty with classroom and self care activities.

The Wii and Autism

Occupational therapists provide care in diverse settings for a wide range of ages. One of the most rewarding settings for the occupational therapist involves working with children with developmental issues. OT intervention may be offered as soon as the child arrives in the NICU through a hospital based service, once the child goes home through a birth to 3 program, and once the child enters school within the school based setting.  Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder comprise a growing number of the case-load mix.  The occupational therapists’ contribution to these children’s plan of care or IEP includes activities aimed at improving physical, sensory and social issues.

One mother found an innovative way to help her son improve his ability to filter auditory sensory input as well as a way to increase all types of coordination and encourage appropriate social interactions.  This mother, MaryTara Wurmser purchased an Nintendo Wii for her son to use at home.  She tells about her experience and explains the benefits afforded her son from this activity.  She encourages others to “Consider the Nintendo Wii for Kids with Autism.”