Building Bridges Occupational Therapy

Our registered Occupational Therapists are skilled in the evaluation of gross motor, fine motor and oral motor areas of development. While we are experienced in treating all ages of children with physical impairments and learning disabilities, we have a particular expertise in the area of Sensory Integration. Scroll down this page to learn more about the various forms of Occupational Therapy that we provide, or click on one of the links below.

Sensory Integration

Sensory experiences include touch, movement, body awareness, sight, sound, and the pull of gravity. The process of the brain organizing and interpreting this information is called sensory integration. Sensory integration provides a crucial foundation for later, more complex learning and behavior For most children, sensory integration develops in the course of ordinary childhood activities. Motor planning ability is a natural outcome of the process, as is the ability to adapt to incoming sensations. But for some children, sensory integration does not develop as efficiently as it should. When the process is disordered, a number of problems in learning, development, or behavior may become evident.

If a child is suspected of having a sensory integrative disorder, an evaluation can be conducted by a qualified occupational therapist. An evaluation usually consists of both standardized testing and structured observations of responses to sensory stimulation, posture, balance, coordination and eye movements are also evaluated. After carefully analyzing test results and other assessment data along with information from other professionals and parents, the therapist will make recommendations regarding the appropriate course of therapy.

Signs of Sensory-Integration Disorder

Typically, a child with a sensory integrative disorder will show more than one of the following signs.

· Overly sensitive to touch, movement, sights, or sounds

· Easily distracted

· Activity level that is unusually high or unusually low

· Impulsive, lacking in self-control

· Inability to unwind or calm self

· Poor self concept

· Under-reactive to touch, movement, sights, or sounds

· Social and/or emotional problems

· Physical clumsiness or apparent carelessness

· Difficulty making transitions from one situation to another

· Delays in speech, language, or motor skills

· Delays in academic achievement

Therapeutic Listening

Therapeutic Listening is a sensory technique targeting the vestibular and auditory systems through specially designed music and equipment. Provided by certified therapists, this tool can be a wonderful adjunct to traditional therapies and can positively affect many areas related to sensory-integrative dysfunctions. Through our own experiences with music, we know how different types of music affect us, from nature sounds to classical music, to rock and roll. Music itself, as a type of sensory input, is often used by therapists to assist with the sensory integrative needs of children. Therapeutic Listening is similar to this approach, however, it is a much more specialized technique. It is ultimately hoped that this technique will help promote change in the skill of "active listening," a skill requiring significant coordination of the vestibular and auditory systems.

For more information on Therapeutic Listening, visit the website www.vitallinks.com

Handwriting Without Tears

Handwriting Without Tears is a simple, developmentally based curriculum for writing readiness, printing and cursive. Developed by Jan Olsen, OTR, HWT is a multi-sensory approach to writing that is suitable for children with a variety of learning styles - visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic. The program uses unique materials that appeal to kids who need help with letter formation, reversal, legibility, spacing and cursive connections. The staff at Building Bridges is trained in this special technique. Individual handwriting therapy is available throughout the year, with special handwriting groups during the summer months.

Visual Processing Disorders

Sight is being able to see. Vision, however, is the ability to understand what we see. It is a learned process. Visual disorders are divided into two broad categories - visual efficiency problems and visual processing problems. Efficiency disorders interfere with a child's ability to see clearly and to take in information for sustained periods of time. They are characterized by:

· Nearsightedness - inability to see distance

· Farsightedness - inability to see close up

· Astigmatism - blurred vision for distant and close up things

· Teaming Disorders - eyes drift inward, outward, or upward

· Focusing Disorders - inability to contract or relax the eyes' focusing muscles

· Tracking Disorders - inadequate ability to scan along a line of print

Visual Processing problems have to do with making sense of incoming visual information. They include:

· Difficulty with laterality and directionality

· Faulty visual form perception

· Faulty visual memory

· Faulty visual motor integration

Our Occupational Therapy staff has the expertise to provide a visual processing screening and to implement appropriate treatment procedures for children with visual processing disorders.

Oral Motor Therapy

Oral motor therapy utilizes techniques that increase the coordination, tone, and muscle strength of the face and oral structures including the tongue, lips, and jaw. Improved oral motor abilities can lead to improved, feeding, swallowing and articulation skills.

Sensory Integration

Occupational Therapy / Sensory Integration

Therapeutic Listening

Handwriting Without Tears

Visual Processing Disorders

Oral Motor Therapy

Phone: 734-454-0866 Fax: 734-454-1744 Address: 9357 General Drive, Suite 101, Plymouth, MI 48170

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