Sensory Processing Problems and Vision Therapy

Do you or someone you know (child, relative, friend) suffer from any of the following difficulties:
-Sensory processing disorder
-ADHD
-Autism spectrum disorder
-PTSD
-Behavioral difficulties
-Post-concussion syndrome
-Chronic dizziness/imbalance

Introducing Optometric Multi-Sensory Training (OMST)
Vision therapy is often recommended to improve fine motor coordination of the eyes so that an individual can improve eye-hand coordination, depth perception, and mental clarity. However, improvements are painfully slow if the individual has trouble with MULTISENSORY PROCESSING. Multisensory processing is the process by which the brain takes in sensory information from different modalities at the same time: Vision, Hearing, Touch, Proprioception, Vestibular, etc. An individual (such as someone with head injury or a child with autism/ADHD) has difficulty processing these inputs simultaneously and many of their symptoms are a result of this dysfunction. OMST (Optometric Multi-Sensory Training) is successful at facilitating a child’s self-development of multi-sensory processing once it has become apparent that they have delays in this skill (autism, ADHD, behavioral, etc.). Also, OMST helps patients with concussions regain efficiency in their multi-sensory pathways after having been compromised as a result of the head injury.
These issues are strongly associated with many delays in visual skills. Directly trying to treat these delays with vision therapy may be difficult due to underlying sensory processing difficulties.

For children with developmental delays:

Developmental and learning delays are often a result of a child not having optimal multi-sensory processing skills. OMST helps a child learn the subconscious skill of multi-sensory modulation.
OMST has also been shown to be very effective clinically in assisting children (non-concussion based) overcome delays in sensory processing disorders often associated with ADHD, anxiety, or autistic based delays. OMST is designed to help these children be calmer and more confident in their environment (both new and familiar) and therefore more fully engage in life activities. This includes school, home, social encounters, tutoring, and optometric vision therapy.

For those with traumatic brain injury:

Concussion can cause disruption of the neuro-pathways that provide multi-sensory processing. Many of the persistent symptoms associated with it are a result of this disruption.
OMST helps the concussed patient relearn the subconscious skill of multi-sensory filtering through a repetitive, non-cognitive, safe, and controlled protocol.

What are OMST Success Rates?

92% of parents report that OMST was effective for their child. Research on post-concussion patients shows that 96% report improvement within 38 days of OMST. Symptoms decrease by 40-50%.

Abilities Affected by OMST:

Emotional and behavioral regulation – manage emotions and behaviors on “autopilot”
Gross & Fine Motor Control – coordinate use of muscles instinctively
Balance – maintain stable stance and gait on “autopilot”
Memory – store and retrieve words, facts, skills, concepts, and experiences
Organization – maintain orderliness in thoughts and activities
Planning – set goals and the sequences of actions to reach them
Judgment – consider potential outcomes of a situation and choose a safe and competent course of action
Mental Flexibility – shift from one way of looking at something to another
Receptive/Expressive Language – understand words and sentences/express thoughts easily and automatically
Sensory Modulation – respond to sensory environments without being overwhelmed or confused; attend to what is important and disregard what is not at any given moment
Sleep – establish improved circadian rhythm for improved mental and physical stamina

How is OMST Different from Regular Vision Therapy?
OMST helps the brain learn or relearn multi-sensory filtering (processing). It involves the simultaneous application of prescribed frequencies of colored light, vestibular (motion) stimulation, auditory training, somatosensory input, and optometric vision therapy. It is NOT a stand-alone intervention, but rather a powerful adjunct to the overall optometric care of concussed patients and children suffering delays in sensory processing disorders often associated with ADHD, anxiety, or autism.

OMST provides a multisensory effect that is spread out amongst several sensory systems. This creates opportunity for the stronger systems to support the weaker systems until all reach the balanced status that is expected of the child OR that existed before the brain injury.

OMST differentiates itself from all other interventions because it is:
-input vs output
-passive vs active
-subconscious vs conscious
-subcortical vs cortical
-bottom-up vs top-down

Therefore, OMST is designed to provide the foundation for higher level interventions. These include optometric vision therapy, classroom instruction, speech therapy, cognitive therapy, occupational therapy, tutoring, and any other top-down/cortical-based approaches that presume a solid base of multi-sensory processing exists in the patient.

OMST is based on the neuroscience that we are born with single sensory neural network capability only. However, appropriate successful child development depends on acquisition of multi-neuronal processing which occurs beginning at birth. OMST helps a child enhance and accelerate their self-development of multi-sensory processing. It also helps concussed patients regain efficiency in their multi-sensory pathways after having been compromised as a result of the head injury.