Posts by Carla Grobler
What is sensory integration (Part 1)?
Sensory registration Our senses gather information from our surroundings, this is called sensory registration. This information is registered through our senses that include seeing, touching, hearing, smelling, tasting, proprioception and our vestibular system. Sensory discrimination This term is used to describe the awareness of the temporal and spatial characteristics of the sensory input we gather…
Read MoreWhat is proprioception and why is it important?
The proprioceptive system is also called the internal GPS of the body or body awareness. This system helps us to determine what our body parts are doing, where they are moving, how hard/soft they are performing tasks and the timing of movements. This system further guides our movements especially when the eyes can’t see e.g.…
Read MoreDo fidget toys work?
Do fidget toys have therapeutic value? We have seen fidget toys crazes come and go. From the cube to the Tri-fidget spinner but do they work? Fidget toys only work when they provide proprioceptive input in the form of resistance or deep pressure input. Proprioception modulates the nervous system. This means the nervous system can…
Read MoreAlternative seating for fidgety kids
Alternative seating for fidgety kids Why do some kids struggle to sit still? Some children have low muscle tone or poor postural control. This causes instability at the big joint and make these children crave vestibular (movement) input and/or proprioceptive (resistance/deep pressure) input. These kids will then fidget, change their posture often, get up, slouch…
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