Anne's Occupational Therapy for kidsSensory Evaluations:
There are several different assessment tools available to determine sensory integration difficulties or sensory processing disorders. The most thorough (but also the most expensive) is the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT). Other assessments, such as The Sensory Profile and The Sensory Processing Measure, are questionnaires.
Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT):
This evaluation can only be performed by a therapist certified in the SIPT. A SIPT-certified therapist is often referred to as being Sensory Integration certified or SI certified. A therapist goes through an intensive training course in order to get their certification. The SIPTs consist of 17 tests for children from 4 years old through 8 years 11 months, and cover all areas of sensory integration. Testing times vary from 2.5 hours through 4 hours, and is often broken into two sections.
The Sensory Profile
There are three Sensory Profiles:The Infant Sensory Profile (0-3 years), The Sensory Profile (3-11), and the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (11-adult). The first two are completed by the parent/caregiver, and the third one is completed by the person him/herself. These profiles are easily scored but should be interpreted by a therapist experienced in sensory processing disorders.
The Sensory Processing Measure (SPM)
This questionnaire, for the school-aged child, is in two parts. One section is completed by parents/caregivers and the other is completed by the teacher/school staff. The SPM provides norm-referenced standard scores for two higher level integrative functions--praxis and social participation--and five sensory systems--visual, auditory, tactile, proprioceptive, and vestibular functioning.