Siskin Children’s Institute is a staple in Chattanooga. They work to improve the quality of life for children with special needs and their families. They serve over 2,200 children a year through education, pediatric healthcare services, home & community-based programs and outreach services in the field of developmental disabilities. Our $3,000 grant will bring them two sensory paths, one in their Early Learning Center and the other in their Center for Developmental Pediatrics.
When a child with a sensory processing disorder such as Autism is in a general education classroom, their brain is trying to process several different things at once. From sitting up in the chair, the climate in the room, the other children next to them, the smells, the teacher talking, another child talking, the movements in the room, everything we usually can tune out, they are tuning into.
SIskin’s children will have the opportunity to enjoy the sensory paths when they are feeling overwhelmed, need a break, or need to master a new skill. Their staff can also use it as a motivator as well as a tool for children to reach certain goals, such as following simple directions, counting to a certain number, recognizing letters, and so on. Parents will also benefit from having the sensory path as a motivator for their children and can enjoy seeing them achieve their goals. #winning