Alison Paediatric Occupational Therapy

25/07/2025

17/07/2025

14/07/2025

07/07/2025

Set up this fun pretend hair styling station with mop hair! So fun! 😍

Spotted on Pinterest

24/06/2025

12/06/2025

Big News in Sensory Integration + Autism Research!
A new PhD study from UCLA by Dr. Melis Ezgi Cakar has just confirmed something many Ayres Sensory Integration® (ASI) therapists have known for years:

The cerebellum (the “little brain” that helps us move, balance, and process sensations) plays a big role in Sensory Over-Responsivity (SOR); especially in autism.

What the research found:
• Autistic children with SOR had overactive cerebellum responses to sound and touch
• Their brains didn’t “habituate” or settle down with repeated input like typical brains do
• There was also weaker calming input from the brain’s regulation centres (like the prefrontal cortex)
• And lower levels of a key calming brain chemical: GABA

Why it matters:
This study gives strong neuroscience backing to what ASI does best; using playful, sensory-motor activities to build body awareness, regulation, and adaptive responses. It’s more than just fun: it’s neuroplasticity in action.

If you’re an OT, PT, parent, or educator using ASI, this is a proud moment. Science is catching up with what we’ve seen in practice for decades.

Read more here: https://sensoryproject.org/2025/06/06/research-alert-the-cerebellums-role-in-sensory-over-responsivity-in-autism/

Dissertation title: The Involvement of the Cerebellum in Sensory Over-Responsivity in Autism
Author: Dr. Melis Ezgi Cakar, UCLA, 2025

04/06/2025

Procrastination inflates the weight of the task.

Action deflates it.

Image credit: Roberto Ferraro

29/05/2025

Ever wondered why your child melts down over something that seems tiny to you?

It’s not about being dramatic, disobedient or difficult — it’s about perception.

Yes, it could as easily be Brussel sprouts as a tiger loose in the house!

If we can understand how a child perceives the world, we can begin to understand why they react the way they do.

Their brain isn’t making a fuss — it’s trying to keep them safe. Even if the 'danger' is just a change in routine, a raised voice, or a loud noise.

29/05/2025