Children with sensory processing disorder can be quite eloquent about describing their insights and reflections on their lived experiences with SPD. These insights can be valuable to parents and therapists as a means of increasing understanding and identifying ways to support these children. Here is a description of one boy’s experience with SPD as he describes his sensory motor. Thanks to Simon* and his therapist for sharing! He has some great ideas and insights!
My Sensory Motor
So, my new philosophy on Sensory Processing Disorder is that me and about 100,000 others are not the only ones who have it. How do the others cope with it, then? Well, the answer is: We all have a little motor inside ourselves that generates positive sensory input whenever we’re feeling overwhelmed.
So why do me and a hundred-thousand others still get unorganized? Because our motor isn’t sufficient enough to cope with sensory problems in real time. Other’s motors can produce 100% of the input needed at any given time to not feel overwhelmed, but ours can only provide about 20%.
So how does jumping and OT therapy help? Well, any positive physical activity such as jumping will boot your motor enough to get its production level up to 100%. But how do we use this in overwhelming situatuations? Well, the positive input generated through OT input is stored and taken out and used when needed.
But how do thinking games provide input? Well, it also jogs the motor whenever you do any type of thinking with two exceptions: social thinking and the kind of thinking that it takes to write a document like this.
Also sleeping helps, because it will not jog the motor to 100%, but there is enough time that it can generate enough positive energy for a day at the 20% production rate.
Here are some ways that the sensorially challenged person may jog his or her motor:
Do physical activity. This stimulates the motor into working faster and takes away the effects of any challenging environment, when you feel you have enough positive energy stored up you can get at peace and go back to whatever you were doing.
Sleep. This allows the motor to work enough without being disrupted that it can generate enough positive energy for a tough situation.
Deep Thought. Being deep in thought without disrupting yourself slightly jogs the motor and can provide enough energy for any situation.
A Thinking Game. Any thinking game such as chess, any card game or an engaging game majorly jogs the motor and allows it to work disruption-free for as long as the game continues.
I hope this helps!
Simon*
*The author’s name was changed to protect his privacy.