Therapy Inclusion Partnership
Introduction to the Alert Programme
Recent work undertaken by the TIP team has been the introduction of some ideas based on the ALERT Programme devised by Mary Sue Williams and Sherry Shellenberger.
The underlying principals are based on the process of Sensory Integration identified by Dr Jean Ayres.
This process involves what the child sees, hears, touches, tastes and smells and in addition how gravity and movement are experienced.
Children with learning and attention difficulties often have difficulty achieving their full potential.
‘Arousal’ can be considered a state of the nervous system which describes how ALERT we feel.
To attend, concentrate and perform tasks well – our nervous system had to be in an optimal state of alertness.
Reflect on how alert you feel at this moment.
Some of you may feel that to attend and listen you need to calm down.
Therapy Inclusion Partnership, Children’s Services,
LothianUniversityHospital Division, NHS Lothian
Therapy Inclusion Partnership
Or some of you may feel that to attendyou need to move around in your seat and change your position frequently to stay alert. Or suck a sweet, chew some gum or fidget with some of your belongings.We are all different.
The ALERT programme suggests that heavy muscle work such as pushing, pulling, lifting, tugging and towing can affect our state of alertness.
An analogy of a car engine is used to illustrate the concept.
When the brain is in high gear and participates in heavy muscle work a message is sent to the brain and the body to ‘calm down’. This assists us to relax and focus.
When the brain is in low gear and participates in heavy muscle work a message is sent to the brain to ‘be alert, wake up, to assist us to get going and focus.
NB: It should be noted however that attention problems can also be attributed toother sensory factors such as being abnormally sensitive to noise, light or being too close to other people for example and some children may need further assessment if these approaches are ineffective.
Therapy Inclusion Partnership, Children’s Services,
LothianUniversityHospital Division, NHS Lothian