Multitexture Walk Holding a Bear - Explained (Sensory Enrichment)

This exercise requires the person to walk barefoot on a line of different textured surfaces. This is done while holding a teddy bear above his head.

By holding the teddy bear above his head, they will not be able to use their arms to balance. They will also have to re-adjust how they walk and focus on body positioning with each new texture they steps on.

We don’t typically walk on different textures with each foot step. This novel sensation will prompt the brain to focus on the information coming from the feet.

This exercise not only helps with tactile processing, but also with building a stronger mental
awareness of self.

As that information makes its way along the longest neuronal pathway in the body, some good things will happen, like an increase in self-awareness to maintain safety, by doing things like adjust posture and gait.

As explained by researchers at Vanderbilt University, "Perceived body ownership and self-other relation are foundational for development of self-awareness, imitation, and empathy."

There is also going to be an uptick in Serotonin and the creation of new connections in the brain to process these new sensations from the environment.

All you did was provide a new way of experiencing the environment.

* Autism. 2012 Jul;16(4):406-19. doi: 10.1177/1362361311430404. Epub 2012 Mar 7.
The rubber hand illusion in children with autism spectrum disorders: delayed influence of combined tactile and visual input on proprioception.
Cascio CJ, Foss-Feig JH, Burnette CP, Heacock JL, Cosby AA.

Abstract
In the rubber hand illusion, perceived hand ownership can be transferred to a rubber hand after synchronous visual and tactile stimulation. Perceived body ownership and self-other relation are foundational for development of self-awareness, imitation, and empathy, which are all affected in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We examined the rubber hand illusion in children with and without ASD. Children with ASD were initially less susceptible to the illusion than the comparison group, yet showed the effects of the illusion after 6 minutes. Delayed susceptibility to the illusion may result from atypical multisensory temporal integration and/or an unusually strong reliance on proprioception. Children with ASD who displayed less empathy were significantly less likely to experience the illusion than those with more intact ability to express empathy. A better understanding of body representation in ASD may elucidate neural underpinnings of social deficits, thus informing future intervention approaches.