Do you know a child who plays too rough, is uncoordinated, hates being touched, is ultra-sensitive (or unusually insensitive) to noise or sensations of heat and cold? Many pediatricians and other experts are beginning to recognize a link between some of these apparently unrelated behavior patterns. Children with perfectly normal "far senses" (such as sight and hearing) may have, because of a poorly integrated nervous system, serious problems with their "near senses," including touch, balance, and internal muscle sensation. It's called Sensory Integration Dysfunction, or SI. The announcement of yet another new syndrome is bound to raise skeptical eyebrows--and with good reason. (How do we know which child really has SI, and which one just happens to share some of the same symptoms?) Author Carol Stock Kranowitz argues convincingly, however, that for some children SI is a real disorder, and that it is devastating partly because it so often looks like nothing so much as "being difficult." And, whatever the scientific status of SI, Kranowitz carefully details many routines and remedies that will help children--and the parents of children--who exhibit the behaviors described. This book is a must-read for all doctors, pediatricians, and (perhaps especially) childcare workers. --Richard Farr


From Publishers Weekly
Kranowitz, a teacher who has worked for 20 years in the field of sensory integration dysfunction and has developed a screening program for its early identification, writes intelligently about a bewildering topic. Fairly common (an estimated 12%-30% of children are affected), the disorder is nevertheless baffling to experts and parents alike, in part because of its diverse, contradictory symptoms: such children may be either hypo- or hypersensitive. Often erroneously diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) or labeled "difficult, picky, clumsy, oversensitive, or inattentive," children with SI dysfunction exhibit unusual responses to touching and being touched, and/or to moving and being moved. In concise, well-organized chapters, Kranowitz reveals how the tactile, vestibular (pertaining to gravity and movement) and propriaceptive (pertaining to joints, muscles and ligaments) senses operate. Checklists and sidebars throughout the text compare the "normal" child in various situations to the child with sensory integration dysfunction. Asserting SI dysfunction is best treated by occupational therapy, not by medication, Kranowitz helps clear the way for families to understand a disorder that they may suspect but not have been able to pinpoint. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
Children who behave atypically are a challenge to parents and teachers. These two videos present creative solutions to apply with children who have trouble in their home or school environment. While the videos use a lecture format, the dynamic speakers hold the viewer's attention with humor, anecdotes, and the presentation of interesting ideas. Ross W. Greene, director of cognitive-behavioral psychology at Massachusetts General Hospital and associate professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School, presents a two-hour seminar for the Cleveland Clinic's Health Talks series on explosive and noncompliant children. Greene favors a better approach than the reward and punishment method and presents his "children do well if they can" idea by emphasizing five basic strategies for parents and teachers to employ, including how to avoid "meltdowns." Offered in a clear, well-spoken manner, Greene's explanations and anecdotes are to the point, witty, and enlightening. By Carol Stock Kranowitz, the author of the book of the same title, The Out-of-Sync Child discusses the manifestations and causes of sensory integration dysfunction whereby preschool children exhibit behaviors that indicate all of their sensory apparatus are not processing correctly. Kranowitz presents strategies for parents and preschool teachers, such as fun movements to music and games to increase children's sensory development. Kranowitz's involving presentation includes a video of her using various sensory-engaging techniques with her class of three- to five-year-olds. Both of these videos are highly recommended for parenting collections in public libraries or education/psychology collections in academic libraries.Trudie A. Root, Pinellas Cty. Law Libs., Clearwater, FL Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Book Description
"Difficult." "Picky." "Oversensitive." "Clumsy." "Unpredictable." "Inattentive." Children who have been labeled with words like these may actually be suffering from Sensory Integration Disorder-a very common, but frequently misdiagnosed, condition that can manifest itself in excessively high or low activity levels, problems with motor coordination, oversensitivity or undersensitivity to sensations and movements, and other symptoms. This guide, written by an expert in the field, explains how SI Dysfunction can be confused with ADD, learning disabilities, and other problems, tells how parents can recognize the problem-and offers a drug-free treatment approach for children who need help.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

NEWLY REVISED AND UPDATED

The Out-of-Sync Child broke new ground by identifying Sensory Processing Disorder, a common but frequently misdiagnosed problem in which the central nervous system misinterprets messages from the senses. This newly revised edition features additional information from recent research on vision and hearing deficits, motor skill problems, nutrition and picky eaters, ADHA, autism, and other related disorders.

Author Biography: Carol Stock Kranowitz, M.A., has been a preschool teacher for more than 25 years. She has developed an innovative program to screen young children for Sensory Processing Disorder, and writes and speaks regularly about the subject. She has an M.A. in Education and Human Development.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly