For example, the child may line up toy cars but does not pretend they are going places or experiment with rolling them down an incline. The child appears clumsy, trips easily, has poor balance. The child may experience an excessive number of bumps, bruises, stitches, or broken bones. The child has difficulty calming himself after exciting physical activity or after becoming upset. Tantrums may last for hours, or the child may become so excited after vigorous play that he continues high activity levels long after the event.
Dinner time becomes chaotic and the child has extreme difficulty falling asleep at bedtime.
The child seeks excessive amounts of vigorous sensory input. The child may spin himself on playground equipment or twirl around a room for prolonged periods without experiencing dizziness. Another child may continually throw himself on the floor, deliberately hurl himself against people and things, or jump excessively. Behaviors Sensory integrative dysfunction can adversely affect many areas of a child's development, including emotional and social. Many children become discouraged or develop poor self-concept, especially if they become aware of differences in their function and those of their peers.