Sensory Integration Education

My Journey into Sensory Integration

I was first introduced to Sensory Integration in my very first post- grad job. I worked in a Learning Disability Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service and was introduced to Sensory Integration by the Occupational Therapist in the team. I was fascinated by the functional impact of SI on the children we worked with and the potential for therapy for these issues. In my current role as a paediatric Specialist Speech and Language Therapist for Autism, I could see how important addressing the sensory needs of the children we work with is for supporting attention and concentration, learning, engagement, regulation and sensorimotor development. My SI journey started in 2018, and I am now an Advanced SI Practitioner, with PGDip, working on my master’s project on sensory experiences of autistic teenage girls.

How I use SI in my practice

A key part of my practice is providing advice and support to parents and professionals, as well as designing and delivering training. It is vital to understand the underlying neurology which results in the behaviours we see in schools and homes. My learning from my SI journey enables me to coach others to support the young people across home, school and in the community.

Why I am committed to supporting others to study SI

SI is an invaluable addition to my therapy “toolkit”, and I am excited to support fellow SLTs, OTs and PTs to add SI to their toolkits! Having the opportunity to think about and practice my clinical reasoning skills through the content of the module and engaging in the study group discussions have greatly enhanced my clinical skills. Engaging in the learning activities are valuable from a professional development perspective, and to practice critical thinking and reflection.