Date Presented 04/05/19
The purpose of this study is to explore if children with learning disabilities experience praxis deficits due to sensory processing disorder. Results suggest that individuals with learning disabilities and ADHD score much more than others on movement processing and body positioning processing. Relationships between praxis skills and sensory processing were inconclusive.
Primary Author and Speaker: Phil Esposito
Additional Authors and Speakers: Del Aguilar
PURPOSE: Sensory processing disorder is a concept that is generally accepted within occupational therapy communities and is characterized by an inability or difficulty converging several pieces of sensory information at one time. Difficulties processing and integrating sensory information are found in children with a variety of diagnoses including learning disabilities. Children with learning disabilities also tend to struggle with effective motor planning, or praxis. This dyspraxia is commonly seen coupled with sensory processing disorder due to improper planning and organization of movements. The purpose of this study is to explore if young children with learning disabilities experience praxis deficits due to sensory processing disorder.
DESIGN: 24 participants (ages to 7-13, 18 Males, 6 Females) were recruited from a laboratory school located on a university campus to participate in this descriptive study. All participants had a documented learning disability by a school-based clinical psychologist. Eight of the participants had a co-morbid diagnosis with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
METHOD: Participants completed a praxis assessment of gross and fine motor skills (Fidler, Hepburn, Mankin, & Rogers, 2005). The Winne Dunn Child Sensory Profile 2 Questionnaire was used to assess children’s sensory processing patterns. The Winne Dunn was completed by a parent or guardian. Winne Dunn breaks sensory processing into several categories: Auditory Processing, Visual Processing, Touch Processing, Movement Processing, Body Position Processing, Oral Sensory Processing, Conduct Associated with Sensory Processing, Social Emotional Responses Associated to Sensory Processing, and Attentional Responses associated with Sensory Processing.
RESULTS: Participants scored higher on gross motor praxis tasks compared to fine motor tasks. Winnie Dunn Sensory Profile results showed participants with co-morbid learning disability and ADHD most commonly scored “More Than Others” or “Much More Than Others” in the Visual, Movement, Touch, Conduct, and Attentional categories. They also frequently scored as “Seekers” or “Sensors” for their sensory quadrants. Participants with learning disability and ADHD were found to have a strong, negative relationship (0.93, p<0.05) between the Visual Raw Scores and the Fine Motor praxis scores.
CONCLUSION: Children with learning disabilities and ADHD were more sensitive to visual and movement stimuli. Relationships between sensory processing and praxis were highly variable making it difficult to establish a relationship. Results from this study provide insight into a child’s specific sensory patterns. Although a child may perform just like a majority of children their age overall, sensory processing disorder is applicable to issues with specific sensory patterns that disrupt a child’s ability to function properly at home and school. Identifying relationships or predictors of sensory issues could be of benefit to those working with children with learning disabilities or ADHD.
IMPACT STATEMENT: A long-term goal is to better understand how Sensory Processing Disorder relates to deficits in praxis in individuals with various types of disorders. Further research should be done to examine the connection between learning disabilities and motor skills to provide useful information to the special education and occupational therapy field.
References
Ahn, R. R., Miller, L. J., Milberger, S., & McIntosh, D. N. (2004). Prevalence of Parents’ Perceptions of Sensory Processing Disorders Among Kindergarten Children. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 58(3), 287-293. doi: 10.5014/ajot.58.3.287
Fidler, D. J., Hepburn, S. L., Mankin, G., & Rogers, S. J. (2005). Praxis Skills in Young Children With Down Syndrome, Other Developmental Disabilities, and Typically Developing Children. The American Journal Of Occupational Therapy, 59(2), 129-138. doi:10.5014/ajot.59.2.129
Chuang, T. Y., & Kuo, M. S. (2016). A Motion-Sensing Game-Based Therapy to Foster the Learning of Children with Sensory Integration Dysfunction. Educational Technology & Society, 19 (1), 4–16. doi:10.1007/s11423-016-9505-y
Polatajko, H. J., & Cantin, N. (2010). Exploring the effectiveness of occupational therapy interventions, other than the sensory integration approach, with children and adolescent. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2010.09072
