Imagine that we are standing on top of a snow-covered mountain. In front of us is a ski slope that we have to ski down. The track is sometimes steep, sometimes bumpy, sometimes icy. We don't know exactly what to expect. We stagger a bit because of the strong wind. Our equipment is not exactly the best. The edges of the skis are slightly blunt. Our clothing is quite thin, and the wind blows through it. We wear a thick hat, and a hood, because the cold makes our ears very cold. Thanks to the two layers, our ears do not freeze, but we hear almost nothing from the surrounding environment. The weakest point is our ski goggles. It keeps fogging up and is a bit scratchy. So we barely see anything.
Despite all the challenging circumstances, we have to ski down, we have no other choice.
We are nervous. We don't know what awaits us. Oops! Someone pushes us and our skis begin to move.
At the beginning, we manage to stay upright, but we have to concentrate and fight. We can't see the course, the bumps, the turns or the other skiers clearly. Due to the double layer on our heads, we cannot hear if someone is coming behind us or if a skidoo’s warning signal is beeping. We are tired. It's getting harder and harder to concentrate, even though we started from the top of the mountain just two minutes ago. A bend is coming, another bump. The ground slips out from under our feet. Both figuratively and literally. We tumble. We slowly get up. One of our skis is missing. We don't know where to look. Did it dig into the snow piled up on the side of the track? Or did it slide down the slope? Maybe it flew over the edge and we will never see it again? We are bewildered, because we can hardly see with the ski goggles. We can't take them off because it's snowing. Finally, someone helps us up, and another person brings over the missing ski. We strap it on, with a little assistance, and set off again on the unknown slope with trembling legs.
How many more times will we fall? Will there be someone to help us up? It's snowing more and more. What if we get stuck on the slope and the last bus leaves?
We don't know for sure, but children whose "sensorimotor integration" is not perfect, is delayed, blocked, or permanently stuck may feel the same way. Lots and lots of stumbling, falling, and unpredictable situations...
With my short writings, I want parents, teachers, or anyone who plays a role in a child's life to understand the importance of sensorimotor integration. To get an idea of the problems behind the immature nervous system. To be aware of how you can help a child in your own care, so that "he can ski without falling, even on a slope made difficult by bumps, ice, or snow, and even enjoy it."
In addition, I will answer (to the best of my knowledge) the multitude of questions that come to me every day through different channels.
You can also read about sensorimotor integration in my book The Stephens-Sarlós Program, now available in English, and use my video exercise packages designed to test for and inhibit primitive reflexes.