# 368 onsite Treatment of Motor Issues in Children with Sensory Dysfunction

Course overview

Children with sensory dysfunction are frequently referred to physical and occupational therapy with family concerns of poor coordination, weakness, hypo/ hypertonia, impaired balance and difficulty with motor skills. They are often labeled as awkward, lazy or clumsy, and have difficulty physically keeping up with their peers, or performing basic tasks such as running, jumping, & stairs. Therapists are aware that the difficulty with these skills is related to sensory dysfunction, but the sensory based element of movement is an area that often eludes physical therapists, resulting in frustrating interactions and inferior outcomes. However, synthesizing gross motor function with a sensory system foundation can improve outcomes for this population. This course provides practical insight into therapeutic interaction with children with both sensory system & gross motor dysfunction. Intervention strategies are provided, with the purpose of utilizing the sensory systems to effect change in gross and fine motor performance. This course does NOT aim to teach sensory processing integration therapy. Rather, it proposes how various essential components of sensory-aware intervention may be combined to facilitate purposeful effective results in the context of physical and occupational therapy treatment sessions. The practical application of didactic information by way of simple techniques address the following obstacles to efficient gross and fine motor performance: Sensory dysfunction Insufficient postural control Foundational weakness Instability & related poor mobility & incoordination Poor motor planning