Sensory Integration Room
Senses, awareness, and active participation
What is a sensory integration room?
A sensory room is a dedicated space for the practice of sensory integration. This psychophysical process aims to stimulate, through play and other activities, the five senses of children (but also of adults and seniors with specific conditions). The goal is to help them learn how to integrate and organize inputs and sensations from both inside and outside, in order to process and understand them correctly, together with the world around them.
The final results of proper sensory integration are praxis and perception, meaning the ability to know what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. When sensory information is correctly processed, the individual can respond adaptively in line with their environment, actively and meaningfully participating in it. They perceive, understand what to do, when, and how to respond to stimuli — even unexpected ones.
This practice, recommended in cases of sensory integration dysfunctions, increases autonomy and consequently also the ability to make choices and participate in daily life activities.
Sensory Integration Dysfunction: what it is
The term sensory integration dysfunction refers to an alteration of the Central Nervous System (CNS). In these cases, the CNS struggles to properly process and organize the inputs received from the environment through the senses. As a result, it does not send accurate information to the brain, which may lead to emotional and behavioral difficulties.
The treatment approach
Occupational Therapists specialized in Sensory Integration follow key principles that guide clinical reasoning and ensure a practice based on Parham’s fidelity criteria. The core principles of this approach are:
- “Just right challenge”: goals must be achievable for the child while still including a level of challenge that allows participation and success.
- “Adaptive response”: the child responds to the challenge by using new strategies and demonstrating the ability to adapt.
- “Active engagement”: the environment is rich in stimuli and encourages the child to take part.
- “Child-led intervention”: the therapist observes the child’s signals and uses them to create activities full of sensory experiences.
The aim of this approach, also adopted at our Center in Lugano-Paradiso, is to improve the ability to process and integrate sensory information, thereby enhancing autonomy and participation in everyday activities.
For whom it is indicated
Sensory integration therapy sessions with an occupational therapist are recommended for
children and other patients with significant motor and proprioceptive limitations.
Through these exercises, it is possible to regain full control of body and mind in space,
learning how to better understand the environment and respond appropriately to stimuli.
The conditions most commonly treated with this approach include
motor development disorders, graphomotor and handwriting difficulties,
attention deficit and hyperactivity, visuospatial issues, and dyspraxia.
It is also effective in cases of autism, visual disorders, and physical conditions resulting from accidents or trauma, such as
cerebral palsy and traumatic brain injury.
What a sensory integration room for children contains
A sensory integration room is a completely safe and reliable space, designed to support
occupational therapy
and rehabilitation practices.
The equipment, certified according to the international Sensory Integration approach
Ayres Sensory Integration (ASI),
consists of games and installations designed to stimulate adaptive responses of the central nervous system.
Only in an environment carefully structured and tailored to the areas that need stimulation can a child truly
learn to integrate new sensations, giving the brain the opportunity to organize and respond effectively.
Sensory integration in Ticino
How to access our sensory integration service in Lugano
Located in Lugano Paradiso, the sensory room for children at the Polispecialistico Paradiso is open to all, provided certain requirements are met. To access the service, a referral from your pediatrician or family doctor is required. In most cases, two initial assessment sessions are scheduled, during which the occupational therapist observes the child in action, using both quantitative and qualitative tests to evaluate motor, sensory, social, relational, and cognitive functions. At the end of these sessions, the therapist prepares a detailed report indicating whether or not a proprioception program is recommended. If necessary, the pediatrician will then issue the official prescription.
The sensory integration room is also available at the City Center in Lugano, Via Lucchini 7.
The team
Our Occupational Therapists
centro specializzato
How occupational therapy sessions work
With regard to how the service is provided, occupational therapy sessions are generally reimbursed by the basic health insurance fund, with the family only paying 10% of the final bill issued for the specialist service.
Ergotherapy cycles consist of 9 sessions, at the end of which a new prescription will be required unless the same health insurance company has
indicated a longer period. If the patient is covered by Invalidity Insurance, all treatment costs will be covered by it.
For details on session duration and package price for access to our sensory integration room in Lugano Paradiso, or to book your first treatment, please contact us!
Explore Our Sensory Integration Room
Book a session tailored to your child’s unique needs at our centre in Paradiso.
📍 Viale Giuseppe Cattori 3, 6900 Paradiso – Lugano
📍 Centro City – via Lucchini 7, 6900 – Lugano
📧 info@polispecialisticoparadiso.ch
📞 +41 76 539 49 68
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Partnerships and accreditations
We are accredited by health funds, private, social, and supplementary insurance providers, also for services such as Pilates Reformer and therapeutic massage.
