Sensorimotor therapy: using stereotypic movements and vestibular stimulation to increase sensorimotor proficiency of children with attentional and motor difficulties.

The current naturalistic study examined whether sensorimotor therapy utilizing the training program, Retraining for Balance, might be an appropriate technique for sensorimotor proficiency. The 232 children (181 boys, 51 girls), whose mean age was 9.3 yr. (SD = 2.7), presented attentional and motor difficulties (according to the School Health Care) as indicated by their parents before starting therapy. The children were divided into three groups, i.e., a younger group (7 yr. old or younger, n = 65), a middle group (8 to 10 yr. old, n = 91), and an older group (11 yr. old or older, n = 76). The program has seven parts, including fetal and neonatal movements, vestibular and auditory perceptual stimulation, and gross motor movements, among others. The treatment period was close to 3 yr. on the average. Analyses in a repeated-measures design indicated significant improvement of sensorimotor skills among the three age groups, but the older children performed better than the others on several tests. There were only a few sex differences. Retraining for Balance may be a functional technique for training children and youth with sensorimotor difficulties and might constitute a complement to regular treatment of Developmental Coordination Disorder, Learning Disability, and ADHD, but controlled studies are necessary before more decisive conclusions can be drawn.