Sensory wall

Title

Sensory wall

Creator

Cheyenne Peterson-Gurak

Description

Being the youngest, I had two older brothers who encouraged me to view the world from a unique perspective. They also taught me to care, to be kind and understanding, they did all this unintentionally. My oldest brother is autistic, requiring help from a variety of disciplines, I was exposed to the world of therapies, and how medicinal treatments are not always the answer, which inevitably led me to pursue occupational therapy to give back to a field that is inspiring and that has impacted my family. The second oldest sibling is a Type 1 diabetic, he taught me things are not always what they seem, but they have the potential to do the unexpected. This taught me to not set limits for myself or others, because there is always a way a clearing to embark on a new path in life. I also grew up with a parent who inspires me to give back, a mother who is a graduate of the RVCC RN program, and a father who works through rough conditions to provide for his family and volunteers as a firefighter to give back to the community. My family continues to inspire me and support the path I make for myself. Although my academic journey began as an aspiring photographer, I appreciate all the events that have guided me to pursue a degree as an Occupational Therapy assistant. Moving forward, the goal is to continue to grow in knowledge, and further my degree so I can provide maximum opportunities for treatment and a multitude of options to achieve maximum care in Occupational Therapy Practices.

The sensory wall is comprised of eight panels with different textiles and a 'bubble pop' pathway. The project stimulates a child's senses through various textured objects placed on a designated wall. The panels are interchangeable, allowing the installation to be flexible. Stretching across about 6 feet long and 4 feet tall, the wall panels are accompanied by a pathway of laminated bubbles for the kids to take part in a game of hopscotch. The interchangeable panels measure ~1' x 1.5'. The wall is an installation at the Hope For All Learners Sensory Gym, it is meant to help kids regulate through sensory stimulation while transitioning to different rooms and activities. The wall obtains tactile, auditory, visual, vestibular, proprioceptive, and interoceptive stimuli, reaching a considerable sum of the senses to achieve maximum input. Half of the panels are ADLs to encourage skills and interest in independently achieving the aptitudes required for the task.