A STUDY TO ASSESS THE CONCLUSION OF SENSORY STIMULATION TECHNIQUES ON SENSORY PERCEPTUAL ABILITY OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY IN CHILDREN AMONG SPECIAL SCHOOLS OF MADHYA PRADESH

Abstract

Intellectual disability (ID) in children represents a significant public health and educational challenge worldwide, particularly in developing countries like India where disparities in early identification, intervention services, and special education resources continue to persist. Children with intellectual disability often experience marked limitations not only in intellectual functioning but also in adaptive behavior, including conceptual, social, and practical skills. Among these, sensory perceptual ability plays a foundational role in shaping learning, communication, motor coordination, emotional regulation, and social participation.

Sensory perception refers to the brain’s ability to receive, organize, interpret, and respond to information obtained through the sensory systems, including visual, auditory, tactile, vestibular, proprioceptive, olfactory, and gustatory modalities. In children with intellectual disability, sensory processing and perceptual integration are frequently impaired, resulting in difficulties in attention, learning, self-care, behavior regulation, and academic performance. These deficits often manifest as sensory under-responsiveness, over-responsiveness, or sensory-seeking behaviors that interfere with daily functioning and educational attainment.

Sensory stimulation techniques constitute a structured set of therapeutic activities designed to enhance sensory awareness, integration, and perceptual discrimination through planned exposure to sensory experiences. These techniques include tactile stimulation, auditory stimulation, visual stimulation, proprioceptive input, vestibular activities, and multi-sensory integration approaches. Evidence suggests that systematic sensory stimulation can facilitate neural plasticity, enhance sensory processing efficiency, and improve adaptive functioning among children with developmental disabilities.