sensory defensiveness??

[Guest guest]

I found these two articles and thought them very familiar- what do you all

think?

Impact of, treatment for sensory defensiveness examined in study

Kinnealey Koenig

Most of us use our senses to understand and respond to our surroundings. The

sense of touch alerts us when something is too hot. Our sense of sight adjusts

to variations in light. And our sense of smell signals nearby nourishment.

But for those with sensory modulation disorders, the senses are out of sync —

they are over-sensitive to everyday stimuli. For example, the sun is painfully

bright, the feeling of their clothing is continually distracting or sounds that

others don't notice hurt their ears.

Until recently, many experts believed children with such disorders would

eventually just " grow out of it. " Lack of physiological evidence of such

disorders further propagated this belief.

Temple researchers, finding the opposite to be true, are examining the lifelong

impact of such disorders and are now completing a study of intervention in

adults with sensory defensiveness, a type of sensory modulation disorder.

Additionally, ongoing research by the group focuses on the neurophysiological

differences between normal groups and those with sensory defensiveness.

" We found that patients with sensory defensiveness are literally wired

differently, " said Moya Kinnealey, professor and chairman of occupational

therapy at the College of Health Professions. " They perceive and react to

sensory stimuli differently than other people at a physiological level (an

elevated sympathetic response) and don't get used to repetitive stimuli like a

skirt brushing against their legs when they walk.

" We also found that people don't grow out of sensory defensiveness. Rather, the

affliction leads to more problems as sufferers get older, often impacting all of

their lives' choices, such as career, residence, friends and hobbies. "

Looking back, one study participant, Craig, age 46, can clearly see that he's

suffered from sensory defensiveness his entire life. But it wasn't until he read

an article about the disorder in The Washington Post that he aggressively sought

help.

His most debilitating symptoms relate to sound. " A ringing telephone can put me

into another zone, as can many people talking simultaneously at a meeting, " he

explained.

Still, the symptoms didn't keep him from achieving a great deal career-wise. He

continually rose to positions of greater prestige and responsibility, but in

almost every case he'd take on too much and would eventually " crash. "

Craig now works for himself with a small roster of clients. During the day, he

often goes out to garden or to take a walk as part of his sensory diet. He also

goes to the gym every day. His therapy has brought great relief and he is now

enjoying a new relationship.

Since the problem is sensory-based, the Temple researchers used sensory-based

solutions, most of which can be self-administered.

" The goal of treatment is to ease the exaggerated and emotional response of the

nervous system to sensory stimuli such as noise, light and touch, " said Kristi

Koenig, another member of the Temple research team.

Traditional treatments like " talk " therapy, pharmacology, behavior or cognitive

therapy might help but do not address the precise problem or lead to

long-lasting relief.

There are three parts to the Temple treatment. First, the therapists explain to

the patients why they respond the way they do to touch, movement, vision, smell,

hearing and taste. With this information, patients begin to gain some control

over the amounts and types of sensory stimuli they encounter and can advocate

for themselves.

Second, patients engage in sensory and physical activities that make them feel

better, such as applying pressure to the skin, experiencing heavy vibration,

jumping on a trampoline, rocking in a rocking chair or more extreme activities

several times per day.

Third, patients are advised to add strenuous activity to their lifestyles, such

as jogging, swimming, aerobics or weight lifting.

Patients often start to feel better right away. " Just being diagnosed is very

liberating for people who thought that they were odd or mentally ill their whole

lives, " Kinnealey said.

" It's amazing how much being diagnosed helps, " said Craig, who participated in

the research study at Temple. " Now I know I'm not crazy. I can self-advocate and

stop and say, `I'm having a moment here.' "

For Abe (not his real name), 34, another participant in the Temple study,

strenuous physical activity has relieved many of his symptoms. But it wasn't

until his 2-year-old daughter, , began to show signs of sensory

defensiveness that he took his therapy seriously.

" Once I saw how much improved with therapy, I returned to my own therapy, "

he said. " She and I both enjoy using the exercise ball to apply pressure to our

skin and bones. "

" When I was growing up, I was very hyper and had difficulty concentrating on

schoolwork, but I was also extremely active and burned off a lot of the tension

riding my bike, hiking and rafting, " Abe said. " As I got older, though, I

stopped most of the physical activity because of work, school and family

responsibilities, and my symptoms increased. I finally sought treatment after my

wife did some research and found out about Temple. "

Another crucial aspect of the Temple research takes place in the Neuromuscular

Function Lab, directed by Sinclair , assistant professor of physiology in

the occupational therapy department. uses noninvasive physiological

assessment techniques to study nervous system responses to sensory stimuli in

patients with sensory defensiveness in hopes of developing better understanding

and insight into possible treatment.

's preliminary studies suggest that sensory-defensive adults have atypical

physiologic responses to sensory stimulation. In an ongoing study of adults with

sensory defensiveness, supported by the Wallace Research Foundation, he is

investigating the response of the autonomic nervous system to sensory stimuli,

somatosensory processing using electroencephalography techniques and brain

metabolism using magnetic resonance imaging.

Sensory defensiveness goes beyond abnormal sensory processing. There is also a

relationship between sensory defensiveness and anxiety, depression and social

emotional issues. Fortunately, as preliminary results of the Temple study have

shown, self-treatment with some guidance is effective, resulting in improved

mood, increased flexibility, improved interpersonal relationships, better focus

and generally better quality of life.

In addition to this study on adults and ongoing research on the

neurophysiological aspects of sensory defensiveness, the group is completing a

study on the effectiveness of intervention in children with the disorder.