ASP Brings Back Top OT

By: Abegail Mendoza, Program Assistant

To respond to the demand of members for another seminar on Sensory Integration (SI) and a seminar to understand the feeding issues of individuals with autism, ASP brought back T. Lady Suarez, OTRP last March 26 for a back to back seminar on “Sensory Integration (SI)” and “Understanding the Picky Eater”.

Teacher Lady Suarez with the participants

Teacher Lady is a sought after speaker on SI and Feeding Issues. She has a certification for Wilbarger Protocol and also a certification for the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Feeding Approach.

Sensory Integration (SI)

Although the topic was sort of technical in nature, the speaker was able to explain it in a laymen’s term for the audience to understand it. She even translated English technical terms in Tagalog.

Foremost was the definition of Sensory Integration which is a neurological process that organizes sensation from one’s own body and the environment, thus making it possible to use the body effectively within the environment.

She also discussed the Three Powerful Systems: the Tactile which one of the functions is to recognize or identify touch inputs; the Vestibular which one of the functions is provides information about where our body is in space; and the Proprioceptive that tells the brain where body parts are in space and in relation to each other.

Understanding the Picky Eater

As a feeding specialist, Teacher Lady was greatly appreciated by the participants. She is really an expert in this field. She did not just explained the contents of the seminar but provided an experiential learning by letting the participants tastes, smell, eat and swallow the different foods that she brought along with her.

She also showed the audience her different eating tools and materials that she uses to assess the feeding issues and develop the feeding program of her patients. T. Lady also discussed the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) feeding approach that she is using. SOS Feeding Approach is an effective way to address problematic feeding behaviors in a variety of settings and populations.

Participants were also given opportunities to learn some simple techniques to help address the feeing concerns of children with autism (CWA).

Ninety six (96) attendees were so satisfied of what they got from the two seminars. A participant recommended that “the seminars must be promoted in a large scale market or a group so that lot of people can learn more.”

Yes, the seminars of T. Lady will be brought to other ASP chapters. She will speak in San Fernando City, Pampanga and Cebu City this coming July.