What is Sensory Processing Disorder?

Bright lights, loud sounds, certain smells, particular colors, specific textures….People with Sensory Processing Disorder exhibit extreme sensitivity when they are exposed to one or more of these conditions.  Yet many parents and caregivers lack a complete understanding of SPD even after their loved one has received the diagnosis.  During this workshop, occupational therapists from Children’s Specialized Hospital will explain exactly what Sensory Processing Disorder is, the different types of SPD that exist, signs that your loved one may have SPD, how to cope with meltdowns that may occur as a result of exposure, and treatment options.  Please register.

Elke van Hooydonk, OTD, OTR/L, a foreign trained occupational Therapist, has worked with adults and children for over 30 years in rehabilitation and outpatient settings. After completing her coursework in Gent, Belgium, she worked in pediatric and young adult settings in Belgium. She then moved to work at Klinik Valens in Switzerland for several years. For the past 22 years she has worked at Children’s Specialized Hospital in Toms River, NJ. She completed her doctoral work more than 10 years ago and focused on honing in on providing exceptional services to children using the Ayres Sensory Integration model of therapy. Advanced training, participation in highly regarded research projects in collaboration with Dr. Schaaf, Dr. Mailloux and other masters in this field provided further supports in achieving knowledge and mastery of skills. As a senior therapist, she enjoys supporting, guiding and providing continued clinical development to all OT’s and therapists in other disciplines. It is her greatest honor to work with children and their families to support their growth and development to the fullest.

Dr. Patti Faller received her degree of Doctor in Occupational Therapy from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA. She has been working as a Pediatric Occupational Therapist for 31 years.

Patti has worked in a variety of settings, including: Private Practice, school based, early intervention, outpatient clinic and currently works at Children’s Specialized Hospital, Toms River, NJ. Dr. Faller was a co-investigator in the randomized controlled trial investigating the effects of treating children with autism within the Ayres Sensory Integration® (ASI) framework. She has been an author and co-author of several articles supporting evidence of ASI and the use of the Data Driven Decision Making model. Patti has presented nationally and internationally. She received an advanced practice certificate in autism as part of her completion of the doctoral program at TJU, and has been part of a multidisciplinary Autism diagnosis team at Children’s Specialized hospital. She continues to have a strong focus on ASD and ASI.