Summary: Stephanie Capshaw, OTD, OTR/L, presents on this essential topic for educators. For children who have difficulty processing everyday sensations, the school day can be a very challenging time. The ability to have adequate arousal throughout the school day, maintain focus and attention, develop healthy peer social relationships, and acquire higher level cognitive skills are all dependent on a strong foundation of efficiently processing sensations in the busy world around them. Teachers have an opportunity to support all children in addressing their underlying sensory needs throughout the school day.
Level: Introductory
Intended Audience: Parents, caregivers, home school parents, teachers, and special education providers
Prerequisite: None
Presenter: Stephanie Capshaw, OTD, OTR/L has a doctorate (OTD) from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences with a research focus on sensory processing in children adopted from Guatemala. She received her Bachelor of Science and master's degrees in Occupational Therapy with a specialty certificate in School-based OT from Texas Woman's University. Dr. Capshaw's clinical expertise is intervention for children from birth to 21 in the public schools, outpatient clinical settings, and in the home. She was also a trade show consultant and national workshop presenter for Handwriting Without Tears. Stephanie was the Director and is a Clinical Associate Professor (responsible for teaching the pediatric content of the curriculum), of the graduate Occupational Therapy Program at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). Prior to rejoining the faculty at UTEP, she was an advanced occupational therapist and Director of Education at STAR Institute. She has completed the STAR Institute's Intensive Mentorship Programs, Levels 1 and 2, and is certified in the administration and interpretation of the Sensory Integration and Praxis Test.
Learning Objectives:
- Define the eight sensory systems
- Describe Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) subtypes, and how it can interfere with academic performance
- Identify classroom strategies for children with different sensory processing challenges
Continuing Education: STAR Institute for SPD is an AOTA Approved Provider of Continuing Education. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA.
Upon full completion of the course video, participants must complete and pass a quiz with at least 80% accuracy to receive a certificate of completion.