For most children, sensory integration develops through ordinary childhood activities. Children must be able to organize sensory information to function in daily activities, in the classroom, on the playground and in relationships. Please go to our frequently asked questions for details.

Simply put, a Sensory Processing Disorder or Dysfunction of Sensory Integration is the inability to process information received through our senses. A child with a dysfunction of sensory integration cannot respond to sensory information and use it to behave in a meaningful way. Some children are hypersensitive or hyposensitive to sensory information. Either way impairs learning and creates a threatening situation for the child causing increased anxiety and a decreased ability to interpret and respond appropriately to stimuli.

If your child is diagnosed with autism, ADD, ADHD or is hyperactive, he/she may benefit from a referral to a qualified occupational therapist who specializes in SI, and a weighted vest may be an effective component of a comprehensive occupational therapy program.