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The Power of Play: Supporting Transitions in Your Child’s Development

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THE POWER OF PLAY: SUPPORTING TRANSITIONS IN YOUR CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT 

Did you know that play isn’t just for fun? It’s a powerful tool for your child’s development!? At Explore and Soar, we incorporate play into all our therapy interventions to teach essential skills, including managing transitions. 

Throughout the day, children experience numerous transitions—from waking up and eating breakfast to leaving the comfort of home and adapting to the school environment, to name a few. For many children, moving from one activity or situation to another can be particularly challenging. It can be one of the hardest times of their day, but through thoughtful play, we can help children become more comfortable with these moments and build the confidence they need to handle transitions more easily.

The Importance of Smooth Transitions in Effective Communication

Through play, we are constantly communicating, whether verbal or non-verbal, through words, gestures, or facial expressions. These moments require ‘opening’ the ‘communication circle.’ Children share their ideas, thoughts, wants, feelings, and needs while maintaining a back-and-forth exchange in conversation. Lastly, they need to “close” a communication circle, and when one is finished, they need to transition to the next. This can be challenging, as children may need time to think, can be easily distracted by noise or visual activities, or have different interest points that make this transition time extra tricky.

Therapeutic Strategies

Our Occupational Therapists use play therapy alongside the child’s Speech Pathologists, who help children with communication-based transitions, such as speech and language skills. 

You will see our therapists using a range of strategies to help in directing the communication and play ideas to make this easier for them:

  • Facial Expressions: Use big smiles and animated looks to help children understand emotions and stay connected.
  • Tone and Sounds: Varying our tone—We love to use sound to support transitions throughout our play and hold our clients in the moment with us. We whisper, talk louder in critical moments, or use sounds like “uh-oh” to create excitement or focus.
  • Body Language: Our bodies communicate too! Shrugging, clapping, and arms crossed or waving to show different emotions such as sadness, frustration, or excitement to help children navigate their feelings during play.

Utilising these strategies not only improves communication with our clients but also provides support during challenging times. This approach allows clients the space to work through difficulties together and transition between uncomfortable feelings and enjoyment while playing. This approach is powerful in supporting the development of Emotional Regulation Skills and Social Skills.

The Magic of Pretend Play

Play is a vital part of development. By as early as 13 months, children begin to use functional play themes. Play is an exciting time when a child is learning all about their everyday life activities like sleeping, eating, and bathing. This early play is a sign of your child’s growing memory, as they can remember something they saw or what you did and reenact this. 

As children mature and develop their play skills, they shift from functional to pretend play. This occurs over a period of time, with different skills building upon one another to achieve these skills. This shift to pretend play is paramount as it symbolises that there has been a cognitive shift in their development. They are no longer imitating others but now engaging in activities with intent and a purpose. When children begin developing these skills, they seek solo play or with other children their age, exploring new ways of thinking and creating. (Keep an eye out for an upcoming blog breaking down all information on play). 

However, not all children can easily shift, adapt, and be creative in their play themes with others, often finding it more accessible to play by themselves with their own ideas and internal monologue. This can be challenging in social settings like preschool and peer conversations. This is where Occupational Therapy shines! By using the child’s interests and strengths in play, therapists support children in exploring play themes while building their confidence and skills necessary for play with others. Transitioning from single-play to multiple-person play requires different communication strategies and the ability to connect with the child to support their confidence and skills to play.

Strategies to Develop Play

To enhance play skills, consider these strategies:

  • Interests in Play: Initiate play with themes and interests to engage the child.
  • Creating Challenges: Introduce problems for them to solve together while encouraging collaboration.
  • Predictability: Allows the child to be engaged and develop their play skills while establishing a consistent routine that helps children feel secure.
  • Familiar Environments: Starting play in a safe, familiar space, such as the home loungeroom, helps ease the transition.
  • Humour and Fun: Use playful scenarios to make transitions enjoyable, such as using the child’s toy and self in fun ways, such as getting stuck, falling over, or supporting the child in their play themes and them in transitions. 

Working on these skills as an Occupational Therapist helps support children in having the confidence and skill set to transition into new environments, such as preschool and school when playing with other children with more ease and confidence.

Building Skills Through Pretend Play

If there are set skill sets that your children require additional support for, providing opportunities through pretend play, such as using dolls, teddies or trucks, is a great way to support the comprehension of different transitions, help them encounter potential problems through play, as well as resolving those problems. Pretend play is a gateway to helping our children process what is happening around them, learn from them, and understand what that means to them. Have you ever been playing, and your child has said or done something that has reflected your real life? It’s a natural way for them to make sense of the world!

The Importance of Repetition

As with developing any new skill, learning transitions can be challenging and requires repetition, emotional support, structure and predictability. Providing consistent support and opportunities for your children to practice playing with others is paramount in strengthening these skill sets. 

Another way to support your children with transitions in play is using storytime. Using different visuals and books helps children understand play themes more and a different modality of learning. Repetition through play will help consolidate their knowledge, make them feel confident when something unexpected happens, and help them transition through those changes. 

Remember, all of us are constantly transitioning through changes in our daily lives. Some days, we do it well. Some days, we don’t! This is perfectly normal, and the same is true for our children. If you feel like you need some more tools and strategies in your tool kit, call us so we can help. We’re here to help you navigate this journey together!

Happy Playing!

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If you’d like to chat more, please don’t hesitate to contact us today! Call us on 0477 708 217 or email admin@exploreandsoar.com.au

Until Next Time,
Jess

PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 2024

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Nurturing Early Sensory Development: The Critical Role of Suck-Swallow-Breathe Synchrony in Infants

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NURTURING EARLY SENSORY DEVELOPMENT: THE CRITICAL ROLE OF SUCK-SWALLOW-BREATHE SYNCHRONY IN INFANTS

As paediatric Occupational Therapists, one of the fundamental areas that we assess is infants and young children involving their feeding skills. A critical aspect of these skills is the Suck-Swallow-Breathe (SSB) synchrony. This coordination is essential for safe and effective feeding and plays a significant role in a child’s early sensory development. Today, I would like to delve into how SSB synchrony affects sensory development and why it’s crucial for us to monitor this with our clients.

What is Suck-Swallow-Breathe Synchrony?

Suck-Swallow-Breathe (SSB) synchrony refers to the coordinated pattern of an infant sucking, swallowing, and breathing during feeding. This skill is essential for infants to feed safely without choking and to ensure adequate nutrition. The development of this synchrony begins in utero and continues to refine over the first few months of life. 

Proper SSB synchrony supports not just nutrition but also sets the foundation for the child’s future eating habits and speech development. It is the first developmental pattern that requires timing and sequenced movements. Synchrony and its components are so primal that it is easy to take them for granted.

Suck-Swallow-Breathe Synchrony Involves Three Main Components

  1. Sucking: This involves creating a vacuum in the mouth, which draws milk or formula from the bottle or breast. Effective sucking requires good muscle tone and coordination of the lips, jaw, and tongue.
  2. Swallowing: Once the liquid is sucked into the mouth, it needs to be swallowed. This process requires the soft palate to lift and close off the nasal passage, ensuring the liquid goes down the esophagus and not into the respiratory tract.
  3. Breathing: Infants must coordinate their breathing around the sucking and swallowing actions. They typically breathe in through the nose between sucking and swallowing sequences.

Early Developmental Factors Impacting Suck-Swallow-Breathe (SSB) Synchrony

Several factors during early development can impact the normal development of SSB synchrony:

  1. Prematurity: Premature infants often have underdeveloped muscles and nervous systems, making it difficult to achieve proper SSB synchrony.
  2. Neurological Disorders: Conditions like cerebral palsy (a disorder that affects movement and muscle tone) or developmental delays can interfere with the neurological control necessary for effective SSB.
  3. Structural Anomalies: Issues like cleft lip or palate, tongue-tie, lip tie or other anatomical variations can disrupt normal sucking and swallowing patterns.
  4. Respiratory Issues: Chronic respiratory conditions or frequent respiratory infections can disrupt the delicate balance required for SSB synchrony.
  5. Sensory Processing Disorders: Children with sensory processing challenges may struggle with the textures and sensations associated with feeding, impacting their ability to maintain SSB synchrony.
  6. Primitive Reflex Activation: Primitive reflexes may not activate with the Suck-Swallow-Breathe synchrony, impacting coordination. This often occurs with latching onto the breast or bottle prior to the sucking reflex commencing. 
  7. Birthing Experience: Every child enters into the world differently. Their mother’s experience and their own can, on occasions, be high-stress, or medications administrated at the wrong time can initially impact the baby’s energy levels or alertness to engage in latching to the breast and coordinate the Suck-Swallow-Breathe synchrony.

The Connection Between SSB Synchrony and Sensorimotor Development

SSB synchrony is deeply intertwined with an infant’s sensorimotor and cognitive development. It involves multiple sensory systems and motor responses that enhance neural pathways crucial for later skills, including:

Speech and Language Development: The muscles and neural mechanisms involved in SSB are the same as those used in speech. Efficient SSB synchrony helps strengthen these muscles and neural connections, facilitating clearer speech articulation and language processing skills as the child grows. Early difficulties in SSB can indicate potential speech and language delays, prompting early intervention.

Regulation of State: SSB synchrony contributes significantly to a baby’s ability to regulate physiological and emotional states. This regulation is crucial for attention, learning, and interaction. Feeding times provide not only nourishment but also comfort and security, aiding in the development of self-regulation skills that are vital for emotional and cognitive growth.

Postural Control: Feeding involves more than just the mouth; it requires head and neck stability, trunk control, and, eventually, the ability to sit up independently. The repetitive act of feeding while maintaining SSB synchrony encourages muscle development and coordination, paving the way for improved postural control, which is essential for all future motor tasks, including walking and fine motor skills.

Feeding and Eating Behaviour: The development of SSB synchrony is directly linked to feeding success. Infants who master this coordination are likely to experience fewer feeding problems. As children grow, efficient feeding supports the exploration of different textures and types of food, fostering positive eating behaviours and preferences that contribute to healthy growth and development.

Ego Development: Ego development, or the formation of a robust sense of self, begins in infancy. SSB synchrony supports attachment and trust by allowing effective feeding and interaction with caregivers. Each successful feeding reinforces the infant’s sense of mastery and autonomy, which are critical components of healthy ego development.

Eye-Hand Coordination: While not immediately apparent, the coordination required for effective SSB synchrony can also influence eye-hand coordination. As infants reach and grasp for the bottle or breast, they develop fine motor skills alongside visual tracking abilities, setting foundational skills that later translate to tasks such as writing, typing, and other manual activities.

Occupational Therapy Interventions: How Do We Support This? 

In Occupational Therapy, we use a variety of strategies to support the development of SSB synchrony.

Building Awareness Through Oral Motor Exercises 

C Stretches: This is a facial massage technique that provides tactile input to the cheeks, chin, and lips to activate muscles to assist with oral motor awareness, planning, exploration, developmental structures, calming, and regulation.

ARK Z Vibe: This vibratory oral motor tool can help build oral tone and improve speech, feeding, and sensory skills. The vibration provides a higher level of sensory stimulation to increase awareness and attention to the lips, tongue, cheeks, and jaw. This tool will support the ability to work through ineffective sensory processing capacities, helping the nervous system sort, filter, and organise information.

Suck and Breath Exercises:

Suck Exercises:

  • Using straws, crazy straws, or coffee stirrers for drinking (Consider the diameter and texture of the straw to best fit). 
  • Drinking from sports bottles and small plastic cups with lids and holes for straws.
  • Moving small bingo chips with a straw from one place to another.
  • Sucking in on a piece of theraband or bubble gum over lips, sucking on a sucker/lollipop, pacifier/dummies or finger and creating a loud pop as it is pulled out.

Breathe/Respiration Exercises:

  • Blow bubbles in water.
  • Playing games with the tongue, such as making lip sounds, raspberries or tongue-clicking.
  • Blowing cotton balls, paper wads, and ping pong balls over obstacle courses.
  • Bumper cars: Blow ping-pong balls around a tub of water with a straw or a long piece of tubing.
  • Use toys that offer resistance to respiration.

Why Early Detection Matters?

Goal-Based Face-to-Face Intervention: 

The development of Sucking, Swallowing, and Breathing synchrony is more than just a feeding skill; it’s a cornerstone of early sensory development and has profound implications for a child’s growth and comfort in their environment. Identifying issues with SSB synchrony early can prevent future complications, such as feeding difficulties, speech delays, and sensory processing challenges. Early intervention leads to better outcomes and can significantly improve a child’s quality of life.

As paediatric Occupational Therapists, it’s our role to ensure that this skill develops appropriately, providing the foundation for a healthier, more integrated sensory experience for the child.
Through early intervention and targeted strategies, we can help support not only your child’s ability to eat and grow but also their overall ability to experience and interact with the world around them in a positive way.

Take the Next Step: Contact Us

If you notice any feeding difficulties or have concerns about your child’s Suck-Swallow-Breathe synchrony, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team. Early intervention can make a significant difference. Contact us today to schedule an assessment and give your child the foundation they need for a healthier future.

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If you’d like to chat more, please don’t hesitate to contact us today! Call us on 0477 708 217 or email admin@exploreandsoar.com.au

Until Next Time,
Maddie

PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 2024

REFERENCE: Oetter, P., Richter, E.W. & Frick, S.M. (1993). MORE: Integrating the Mouth With Sensory and Postural Functions. Farmington, MA. Therapro, Inc.

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Sensory Defensiveness: What is this Oversensitive and Overwhelming feeling?

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SENSORY DEFENSIVENESS: WHAT IS THIS OVERSENSITIVE AND OVERWHELMING FEELING?

Spring is upon us, but that also means we are now heading full steam ahead into some of the busiest months of the year. Term 3 is almost over; Term 4 is just around the corner, which means so is Christmas! Just the thought of that alone is overwhelming to me.

The feeling of overwhelm is sometimes linked to being a negative feeling – of being stressed or frustrated that we can not do all that we want to do. But really, we should reframe that feeling of overwhelm into a positive: What can we do to lessen our load? How can we slow down or ask for help? Maybe take a moment of mindfulness.

In our day-to-day lives, we encounter multiple sensory experiences each and every second of every minute. Sit for one minute and notice the world around you:

  • What can you hear? 
  • What can you feel?
  • What can you smell? 
  • What can you taste?
  • What can you see?

Our brain’s job is to take in all of this information and automatically sort, filter and organise that information to produce a meaningful and purposeful response in the way we move, feel or react. This is Sensory Integration. When we see difficulty in the processing of sensory information, we start to look at why this may be happening – is it difficulty with modulation or discrimination of the senses?

When we have difficulty with modulating sensory information, we may only need a small amount of information before our system becomes overwhelmed. Or we may need a large amount of information before our system even notices what is going on. Our own tolerance levels at that point in time will also impact upon our responses. We have expectations of what our response to certain sensory experiences will be – like a hug from a loved one; we expect it to feel good, not painful, or the smell of a BBQ cooking makes us hungry and excited to eat, not fearful.

But sometimes, our body links different sensations to negative experiences. And when these experiences occur, our brain goes into survival mode – fight, fright, flee or freeze. When we react to sensory input in such a way, it is called Sensory Defensiveness.

What is Sensory Defensiveness?

Sensory Defensiveness is an extreme response to sensory input from the world around you when the sensory stimuli are generally considered not threatening or harmful. This could be an aversion to touch, dislike of certain textures or foods, or poor tolerance of bright lights, loud noises or certain smells. Such defensiveness creates a roadblock to being able to do the things that you or your child want to do. It can lead to big emotions, stress and anxiety, as well as behaviour patterns such as avoiding situations or an increased need for control.

So how can OT help with Sensory Defensiveness?

OT can help by creating an individualised sensory diet to work on providing the right sensory information, in the right amount, at the right time, to allow your child to do the things they want and need to do.

Activities may include things such as:

  • DPPT – brushing protocol
  • Auditory interventions 
  • Heavy work ideas 
  • Roughhousing 
  • Oral motor strategies

Please get in touch with us if you want to know more or have any questions. We highly recommend talking with an OT about this, as everyone experiences their sensory world differently. We are here to help and work with you in supporting your child and family.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon. Contact us on 0477 708 217 or admin@exploreandsoar.com.au

Until next time,
Lori

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  • Mindfulness for Parents and Carers – Discover practical tips and insights to enhance your well-being. Take a mindful journey with us – read the full article now!
  • Unpacking Sensory Processing Disorder – Unlock a deeper understanding of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). Explore valuable insights and strategies to support individuals with SPD – start reading now for knowledge and empowerment!
  • Auditory intervention – Delve into the world of Auditory Intervention. Explore the significance of sound in sensory development and discover innovative strategies for positive outcomes. Start your auditory exploration today.
  • Roughhousing – Explore how playful physical interaction can nurture growth and connections. Join the fun and learn more here.

References

Ayres, A. J., Robbins, J. (2005). Sensory Integration and the Child: Understanding Hidden Sensory Challenges. United States: Western Psychological Services.

Bhopti, Anoo & Brown, Ted. (2013). Examining the Wilbargers’ Deep Pressure and Proprioceptive Technique for Treating Children with Sensory Defensiveness Using a Multiple-Single- Case Study Approach. Journal of Occupational Therapy Schools & Early Intervention. 6. pg 108-130. 

Kinnealey, M., Oliver, B. & Wilbarger, P. (1995). A Phenomenological study of Sensory Defensiveness in adults. American Journal of Occupational Therapy. 49(5). pg 444-451

 Stagnitti, K., Raison, P. & Ryan, P. (1999). Sensory defensiveness syndrome: A paediatric perspective and case study. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal. 46. pg 175-187. 

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

Tools to Support our Emotions

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TOOLS TO SUPPORT OUR EMOTIONS

A common ask from our families is help regulate their child’s emotions. 

As the new year is still fresh and we are all working hard to settle into the new routine of life, the big transitions or changes that have taken place, a common theme I’m hearing among our families is Emotional Regulation. 

This allows a lot of reflection in how we explain emotional regulation, what it means and how we show up. Over the last 3 years, we have explored  what emotional regulation is, The Emotional Regulation Continuum and Safety & Connection, they are all essential to every stage of development and emotional awareness. 

What is Emotional Regulation?

Emotional regulation refers to an individual’s ability to recognise, process and act upon the emotions that they feel within different situations on a regular day. It is one’s ability to adjust and control their energy level, emotions, behaviours, and attention to allow for success in connecting with our loved ones and engaging in our daily lives.

Emotional regulation is a continuum, constantly changing

Emotional regulation is vital as it impacts not only our confidence and sense of self but also our ability to interact, develop and maintain relationships with others. As a whole this includes how we talk, listen and act towards others when we are presented with some form of physical, mental, or emotional stimulus.

How does Explore and Soar support our clients?

At Explore and Soar, we describe this as our band of arousal. Within sessions, we work with our families and children to identify their optimal band of arousal (where they feel most comfortable and safe) and work closely with them to expand their optimal band to increase flexibility, adaptability and often more capacity to deal with daily stressors. 

We do this by 

  • Strengthening and developing co-regulation and self-regulation skills,
  • Supporting recovery times and processing,
  • Increasing time spent in optimal,
  • Increasing self-awareness, and
  • Developing the foundational skills of perspective taking and empathising for social development.

The word ‘safety’ can be more deeply explained by Dr Stephen Porges, a pioneer in the field of neuroscience and one of the world’s leading experts on the autonomic nervous system. Dr Porges states that we all have an innate need for safety that is wired into our beings and that when we feel emotionally unsafe, our nervous system goes into a state of defence, creating our fight, flight, fright, or freeze responses.  

As occupational therapists when working with our clients and families, we begin by establishing what safety looks like for each family, so we can adapt our therapeutic practices in the most efficient and successful manner. Before any goals can be targeted or reached, it is essential for a sense of safety and security to be built between our client and their therapist. 

Being ‘Emotionally Vulnerable‘ to feel Safe 

This year, from our previous blog, we are embracing Safety for Vulnerability; focusing on the path of true human connection with the ability to express thoughts, feelings, desires and opinions with yourself, your children, and others around you. 

Vulnerability is consciously choosing to not hide emotions and to be present

Vulnerability is about opening up to emotions and becoming comfortable with the uncomfortable. This allows for emotional safety, allowing feelings and emotions to the surface. 

As Brene Brown states “Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, accountability authenticity”. 

In the sense of emotions, we cannot teach someone to be resilient, curious or to connect. However, we can model this and help to script what this might look like by creating a safe environment for the process to unfold. A child who feels safe, knows that they can express their emotions because they will not be judged for having them. It allows them to be who they really are with anybody. Being able to play ands are in fun positive experiences, as clinicians we establish safe relationship and connections in order for us to being tailoring the therapeutic practices to each child.  

Explore & Soar’s Therapeutic Tools  

DIR Floortime 

DIR stands for the Developmental, Individual-differences, & Relationship-based model. It was developed by the late Dr. Stanley Greenspan to provide a foundational framework for understanding human development. 

The ‘Floortime’ aspects refers to getting down on the floor, interacting with the child on their level and taking their lead in play. 

D – Development 

This is where we look at how the child is developing, emotionally and cognitively. Establishing a firm understanding of how the child is performing in relation to a model of “Shared Attention and Regulation”. This is a foundational pillar that child needs to master beginning at birth. 

I – Individual Difference

 The unique ways each person takes in, regulates, responds to, and comprehends the world around them. Understanding the child’s particular pattern of challenges is essential for helping them. These differences can include sensory processing, motor planning or daily living skills. 

R – Relationship 

This is how relationships fuel our development.  Humans are social beings and relationships are vital  to our human development.  

This approach assists caregivers in developing their relationship with their child, so they can be effective in helping the child learn and grow. The approach also aims to ensure that the child is developing meaningful relationships with peers and siblings. to build healthy foundations for social, emotional, and intellectual capacities rather than focusing exclusively on skills and isolated behaviours. 

Greenspan, S. I., & Wieder, S. (2006). Engaging autism: Using the Floortime approach to help children relate, communicate, and think.

Womb Space 

The in-utero was predictable, constant, and safe, designed for growth and development of the baby. This is In contrast to the complexity of our sensory world, where we know our children can become overwhelmed with sounds, visual stimuli, and fatigue to name a few. 

A womb space is a small, enclosed area that reduces the amount of visual and auditory stimuli in the child’s environment to promote reorganization and self-regulation. It is a therapy tool often used to support children to feel safe when overwhelmed. it is a therapy tool often used to support children to feel safe when overwhelmed. 

A child may independently seek out a womb space, or you can passively facilitate one to help them reorganise. Womb spaces can be temporary or semi-permanent, depending on the situation or environment.

It is a combination of reduction of sensory over stimulation, physical connection, gentle movements, being present and consistent. Ways in which we can create womb space include tents, blanket forts and lycra tunnels, reduced light, foetal positioning, music, respiration and singing. 

The provision of womb space allows time to adapt to the intensity of the sensory world. 

Holding Space 

Holding space means being physically, mentally, and emotionally present for someone.

This involves  putting your focus on the individual to support them as they feel their feelings. It is not about dampening or changing the emotion. An important aspect of holding space is managing judgment while you are present. This sets the tone for curiousness and judgement-free interactions, opening way to safety for vulnerability. 

In this interaction, minimal to no words can be used, being present is enough and wait for them to show you what they need to support their emotions. Being present for each person is different, for one person it might be in a hug, for another it might be side by side or across the room. 

The holding space concept is very powerful, asr the physical space between you does not matter. The other person’s ability to hold space emotionally, mentally or spiritually is enough to allow for calming. 

Have you ever noticed anyone holding space for you when experiencing your emotions?

Therapeutic Use of Self 

At Explore and Soar, the way in which we interact with children and families is built on the foundational beliefs of the value of humanity and the importance of being able connect. 

To create feelings of calm, safety and support we use our powerful and individual therapy tool ‘Therapeutic use of self’ in all interactions. It is a therapist’s conscious efforts to optimise interactions with clients through the use of personal characteristics, which are of benefit to the therapeutic relationship. Conducting ourselves in this way that one becomes an effective tool in the intervention process. 

In essence, it is being aware of yourself in terms of verbal communication, body language, eye contact, our own regulation and overall presence to build trust and comfort. To use yourself therapeutically, you must first be aware of your interactions with the child to then be able to adapt them to suit their needs. 

Being Kind to yourself! 

The process of working through and understanding what it truly means to create safety for vulnerability can be overwhelming. Its acknowledging yourself and others with the complexity of emotions we all have. It is human nature to avoid the uncomfortable, painful, or scary emotions. 

Just know, we are here with you along the journey. 

“Vulnerability is not a weakness; it’s our greatest measure of courage.”  Brene Brown.

Greenspan, S. I., & Wieder, S. (2006). Engaging autism: Using the Floortime approach to help children relate, communicate, and think.

Until next time, 
Maddie

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 27, 2023

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Auditory Intervention – TOMATIS®

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AUDITORY INTERVENTION – TOMATIS®

Recently the OT team at Explore and Soar participated in some professional development training that allows us to provide another auditory intervention to our clients and their families. We are pleased to announce that Explore and Soar is now a certified Level 1 TOMATIS ® Practitioner.

What is TOMATIS ®?

TOMATIS ® is a sound-based neurosensory education program that is used to enhance the connection of the ear, brain and body in order to work together and support the progression of all foundational skills for your child’s development. It is based upon the work of Alfred Tomatis (Tomatis® Method) using a special machine called the TalksUp® device, to produce the Tomatis® effect. 

This time last year we spoke about the complexity of the auditory sensory system and how it is linked to multiple other sensory systems, including the vestibular (movement) system. As such, our ear is regarded as both an auditory and motor organ within our body and is the doorway to our entire nervous system! The way it interprets and processes sensory information from the world around us impacts upon our emotional regulation, fine and gross motor skills, postural activation, spatial awareness and social skills. 

Did you know that one of the primary roles of the ear is to provide energy to the brain – 70-80% of all energy for our brain comes from our ear! 

Of this, 60% is from our auditory system (hearing) while 30% comes from our vestibular (movement) system. Thus, the ear requires both sound input as well as vibrational input for it to energise the brain and allow for sensory processing to occur at a very automatic level. The TOMATIS ®system is the only auditory system to provide both air (sound) conduction and bone (vibrational) conduction in order to simulate the brain. 

Here is a great video that demonstrates how this in fact works within our bodies.

So why would Explore and Soar use TOMATIS® over other auditory interventions?

TOMATIS ® is based on the principals of intensity and breaks. This means that each program lasts 14 days (intensity) with specific time durations (breaks) between the programs to allow for integration and progression of skills. Thus, it is a 14 day commitment, 4 times per year within the first year and minimum 2 to 4 programs upon the second year to complete the listening program of up to 80 miutes duration per day. However, the integration time outside of the listening stage is just as critical to the overall effectiveness of the program. The effects of TOMATIS ® are best seen over time (with multiple programs for increased results); whereas other auditory interventions can elicit an immediate response or change to behaviours or body awareness or require continued daily listening for up to 12 weeks. 

Explore and Soar clinicians apply their knowledge of each of the different auditory interventions we have access to, along with consideration of each individual’s goals, funds and family life to determine which interventions will be best suited for the individual. 

We’ve seen many children gain a range of benefits by completing the program alongside our clinicians. One of our clients who engaged with the Tomatis® method was previously unable to regulate emotions effectively, follow instructions, understand spatial awareness or movement through space. After completing his first 14 day program, the child became better regulated with a reduced recovery time, staying in his regulated state for longer, with a greater sense of awareness within his own space. He was able to engage and communicate his wants and needs in a healthy way, without lashing out and his creative play and expression exceeded all expectations. 

What benefits can TOMATIS® help achieve?

The changes mentioned here are some of the changes observed and reported by parents using the Tomatis® Method around the world. Responses will vary from child to child and can be difficult to predict; however patterns of development allow us to recognise and assist families in preparing for such changes. These benefits include:

  • A child can become either calmer or more alert depending on their sensory profile.
  • A child can appear more focused and more purposeful in their behaviour. 
  • Improved eye contact. 
  • More affectionate. 
  • Children begin to frequently seek their parents out and want to join in on more family activities. 
  • Show increased interest in non-verbal communication such as facial expressions and gestures.
  • A child may increase their self awareness, or become inquisitive about their own self.
  • They show more awareness of their environment around them and may start to notice things they seemed oblivious to before. 
  • Some of the sensory sensitivities that were especially heightened will start to decline.
  • Increased vocalisations or sounds such as babbling or baby sounds in children who are considered non-verbal.
  • Increased recognition of their name or when they are spoken to.
  • Ability to demonstrate an increased understanding of more complex sounds, words and phrases in children who are considered verbal.
  • Ability to understand and follow directions of varying complexities.
  • A child will have increased purposefulness in their communication, behaviours, play ideation and social interactions with others.
  • A child will be less in their own world and more willing to join our world. 

If you would like to know more about TOMATIS ® or the other auditory interventions Explore and Soar can offer as part of our ongoing therapy to assist your child in achieving their goals, please reach out to your treating clinician. 

Read more about the Tomatis® Method here.

Until next time,
Lori

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AUGUST 31, 2022

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