The use of a computerized handwriting system provides objective temporal measures of handwriting performance, and may lead to the development of additional tools for the evaluation and treatment of handwriting difficulties.
Participation in childhood daily functional performance was examined in 78 children: 44 with sensory modulation disorder (SMD); (33 males, 11 females; mean age 7y 6mo [SD 1.20]) and 34 without SMD (18 males, 16 females; mean age 7y 8mo [SD 1.33]). Group classification was determined using two measures: the Short Sensory Profile (SSP) and the Full-form Sensory Profile. Parents completed a battery of caregiver questionnaires. Children with SMD scored significantly lower on all three participation scales than the control group. A high correlation was observed between level of activity performance of the Participation in Childhood Occupations Questionnaire (PICO-Q) and the SSP, and a moderate correlation was observed between the Enjoyment of Performance of the PICO-Q and the SSP. A low correlation was observed between Frequency of Performance of the PICO-Q and the SSP. Logistic regression indicated that all three participation scales (level of activity performance, level of enjoyment of the activity, and frequency of performance of the activity) are significantly associated with group classification, with odds ratios of 3.13, 2.05, and 1.73 respectively. These findings are the first, to our knowledge, to confirm claims of limited participation in daily activities among children with SMD. Our results have significant clinical implications and provide support for the need for practitioners and caregivers of children with SMD to facilitate participation.The term 'sensory modulation' refers to a complex process of perceiving sensory information and generating responses that are appropriately graded to, or congruent with, the situation. 1 It describes the ability to regulate and organize reactions to sensory input, filter out unnecessary stimuli, and attend to relevant stimuli while maintaining an optimal level of arousal. [2][3][4] This capacity is a critical component of human function that affects the efficiency of one's interactions with the physical and human environment, ability to adapt to daily life challenges, and quality of life. [5][6][7] Individuals with sensory modulation disorder (SMD) routinely demonstrate exaggerated avoidant and defensive behaviours or inappropriate responses to benign sensory input 2,5,8,9 that do not match environmental demands or expectations. 3 Studies of children with SMD have provided evidence of psycho-physiological impairments of sympathetic and parasympathetic reactions in a laboratory setting presenting a series of sensory stimuli.
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