What is Executive Functioning?

Executive functioning is an umbrella term that covers an array of skills required to
engage in and complete everyday tasks. Deficits in executive functioning skills can
impact their ability to independently complete age appropriate tasks, engage
appropriately in social interactions, pay attention in class, and even be able to navigate
and adjust to new situations and environments.

Examples of executive functioning skills include:

• Being able to start (initiate) a task
• Planning, sequencing, and executing a task
• Attention
• Impulse control
• Problem solving
• Time management
• Following directions
• Decision making
• Cognitive flexibility
• Organization
• Working memory
• Emotional regulation
  These skills continue to develop as your child grows, but if your child is struggling with
  paying attention in school, remembering details or instructions, being flexible and
  adapting to change, controlling their emotions and impulses, or any other skills listed,
  they may benefit from an occupational therapy evaluation to address executive
  functioning.

What is Sensory Processing?

Sensory Processing is the way we all experience the world around us through our
senses. We are all aware of the typical five senses – sight, smell, taste, touch, and
hearing. In occupational therapy, we also refer to three additional senses –
proprioception, vestibular, and interoception. Sometimes when children are
demonstrating behaviors or having difficulty completing age appropriate tasks, it is
because their sensory processing may be imbalanced or impaired. They may require
more input in certain sensory areas, or they may become overstimulated in areas. This
can happen at the same time in different sensory categories. When their body is
constantly overstimulated or craving more input, they are going to be more sensitive to
challenging tasks or demands. It can be similar to how we tend to get more irritated
when we are hungry or tired. Additionally, some sensory aversions may directly impact
a child’s ability to complete certain tasks due to the nature of the tasks (particularly with
tactile aversions).

Some signs of sensory processing difficulties include:

• More energetic that other same-aged children
• Becomes easily frustrated and has frequent/over the top emotional outbursts
• Sensitive to loud noises
• Prefers small spaces, hiding under blankets, or being “squished”
• Excessive movement (flapping hands, jumping, spinning, etc.)
• Clumsy, poor body awareness
• Does not tolerate grooming tasks (brushing hair, brushing teeth, washing face,
  etc.)
• Does not notice when their face is messy
• Does not like to be messy
• Only tolerates specific clothing or textures
• Puts everything in their mouth, or chews on their shirt, pencils, hair, etc.
• Seems to have a high pain tolerance or poor awareness of temperature
• Seems to have difficulty recognizing when they are hungry, tired, have to go to
  the bathroom, identifying emotions, etc.
  Everyone has sensory preferences, but if your child is exhibiting symptoms of sensory
  processing difficulties that are interfering with daily life or keeping your child and your
  family from participating in normal activities, they may benefit from an occupational
  therapy evaluation to identify strategies to help them become more regulated and feel
  more comfortable in their own bodies.