by Charlise Powvalla

Created on: January 28, 2009

Imagine a world where the touch of a kitten's fur felt like rubbing your hand on a bed of nails, or the air conditioner left you feeling as if you were in the middle of a hurricane in Alaska. What would it be like if your Mother's hug felt like a thousand feathers tickling you all over? How would you respond if suddenly you couldn't taste or smell any food except the spiciest hot sauces? These sensations are real, and children experiencing over or under sensitivities to everything around them are said to have Sensory Integration Dysfunction, which can naturally result in strange and seemingly irrational behaviors, and overwhelmed and heartbroken parents.

Fortunately there is a growing interest in developmental disabilities, and a growing field of research to help understand and respond to this challenging disorder. Sensory Integration Dysfunction is a condition usually associated with an Autism Spectrum Disorder such as Asperger's Syndrome or Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), but can also be present in a child with brain injuries or other disabilities. While there's no cure or pill to remove the symptoms of this disorder, there are ways to minimize the stress and pain of sensory problems, which will make life easier on both the child and the parent.

There are a few steps involved in working with Sensory Integration Dysfunction. The first is to do an evaluation of your child's experience. The second is to assess the home and school environment for sensory stresses. Finally, you'll need to give your child tools to navigate their world, whether it's teaching them skills to overcome or cope with their experiences, or to get professional treatment from occupational therapists or skills trainers.

Evaluating your child's experience involves focusing on each of the senses one at a time and determining the problem areas for your child. He or she may be over sensitive to some stimuli and under sensitive to others. He or she may have problems with touch and smells, but no problems with sight or sound. Also, the delivery method is important. Your child may be able to tolerate a tickling sensation if he is in control of it, but not if it's coming from a caregiver. It is also important to realize that senses can evolve over time. Your child may become more or less sensitive as time goes by, and some days will be easier than others.

Discovering your child's sensory sensitivities may be as simple as asking a few questions, or could be like learning

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