Event summary
Date
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St. Columba's Boys' National School, Cork, Cork
Autism and Sensory Processing
Sensory processing refers to the ability of a child to register, interpret and respond to sensory information. This is a complex process involving all the sensory systems, auditory, gustatory, visual, olfactory, tactile, proprioceptive, vestibular, and interoception. When sensory processing is working well, a child can engage in daily activities and social interaction. Sensory processing differences are prevalent in autistic children and can affect every aspect of life and development.
This session examines the sensory processing differences experienced by many autistic children and will demonstrate how such differences impact on learning, play, social interactions, and behaviour for the primary school aged child.
Participants will:
- Develop an understanding of the sensory processing differences.
- Appreciate how sensory processing differences can affect the child’s experience at school.
- Understand how sensory processing differences can influence the child’s participation in daily activities.
- Develop an understanding of general intervention supports to accommodate sensory processing differences in daily activities at school and beyond.
- How sensory processing differences can present in an autistic child.
- Supportive approaches to address sensory processing differences in school or the family home.
Location
St. Columba's Boys' National School
West Douglas Street, Douglas
Cork
Cork
T12 FW11
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Joan McDonald
Following many years teaching in mainstream classrooms, Joan worked on individual planning in centres for adults with learning disabilities and those with mental health struggles.
She, then, became one of the first SENOs in Ireland, observing and providing school supports for students with atypical needs across eighty rural schools.
While studying for an M.Ed. in Autism, Joan was taught by and met a variety of autistic adults, which ultimately led to her own autism assessment. Prior to meeting such a diverse range of autistic people, Joan would only have recognised autism in people with profound and complex support needs.
Joan is passionate about using students’ interests to support autistic learners of all levels of cognitive ability to access education and contented lives.
She currently works on a variety of projects with agencies such as Middletown Centre for Autism, Dublin City University, Nua Healthcare, Fingal Libraries. In recent years, creating and delivering the Posauteen and Posaudult courses to help autistic people understand and advocate for themselves has been a major focus of Joan’s time.
Event summary
Date
Start Time
End Time
St. Columba's Boys' National School , Cork , Cork