S. I. Focus

Platinum & Gold Creative Awards 2008 fromMarCom!

To inspire families and professionals to become more aware of how to improve sensory processing in our environments. We strive to enlighten individuals on how to recognize, assess and recover from sensory deficits in every stage of development. We share the latest research, ideas and experiences in a practical, clear, easy to understand format that motivates our readers to make educated decisions for themselves and their families. We inspire positive changes in their lifestyle, resulting in an improved quality of life for both adults and children. Our editorial content guides people to sources of high-quality products and information. The content of this magazine should not be used as medical advice. Products, suggestions, services or websites contained in this publication are offered to share information, ideas and awareness. They are not intended to replace the consultation, evaluation or recommendations of a qualified health care professional for any individual.

A Few of Our Human Resources

Kathleen E. Morris, MS, CCC/SLP - publisher/founder

Kathleen E. Morris, MS, CCC/SLP is a pediatric speech pathologist who has been in private practice for over twenty years. In 1990 she founded Lakewood Pediatric Therapy in Dallas,Texas, which has additionally become The Sensory Integration Center of Dallas with a satellite clinic, the S.I. Center of Coppell. As Executive Director of both clinics she speaks to parents and professionals regularly, in addition to volunteering in orphanages in Russia and Romania. She also founded the Pediatric Network Foundation, a non-profit organization to provide education on sensory integration as well as support its research. Her passion for providing much-needed information to families, teachers and other professionals led to the goal of educating individuals on a much broader scale beyond her individual speaking opportunities. S.I. Focus magazine is the realization of that goal.

A. Jean Ayres, PhD, OTR - Contributor in absentia

A. Jean Ayres, PhD, OTR (1920-1988) was an occupational therapist and creator of Sensory Integration Theory. Her life was dedicated to the development of S.I. theory and treatment in an effort to help children who otherwise would fall between the cracks in our health care systems and schools. Dr. Ayres drew on her knowledge and available information from the fields of psychology, child development, neurology, physiology, neuropsychology, physical and occupational therapy. Her insight, personal wisdom and writings will be made available to S.I. Focus magazine through the generous offering of her family who wish to share her work with our readers.

Carol Stock Kranowitz, M.A. - Editor-in-Chief

Carol Kranowitz is the author of The Out-of-Sync Child, the bestseller that demystifies Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). Her other books include The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun, The Goodenoughs Get in Sync , and Preschool Sensory Scan for Educators (Preschool SENSE). As a music, movement and drama teacher for 25 years, she developed a purposeful curriculum that integrates sensory-motor activities into the preschool day. In her presentations, she shows parents, educators, caregivers, and other early childhood professionals what healthy sensory integration/sensory processing means for the whole child, how SPD gets in a child's way, and how we can help.

Carol received a B.A. in English from Barnard College in 1967 and an M.A. in Education & Human Development from The George Washington University in 1995. She lives in Bethesda, Maryland. She has two married sons and four grandchildren.

ELAINE JEAN STRUTHERS, MA, MOT, PhD, OTR/L - Technical Editor

Dr. Struthers specializes in pediatric neurodevelopmental processes and sensory integration therapy techniques as developed by Dr. A. Jean Ayres. She has received training and mentorship from Pat Wilbarger, OTR/L, FAOTA, Lawrene Kovalenko, OTR/L, and Debra Beckmann, MS, CCC-SLP. Since attaining National and State occupational therapy credentials in 2000, Dr. Struthers has treated and advocated for children with neurodevelopmental challenges in many settings including Tacoma Children's Hospital, Public School Systems of Washington, and an NPO. Dr. Struthers maintains a private practice in a clinical setting with specialized equipment that primarily serves families in Whatcom and adjacent counties of Northwest Washington. Her practice focuses on children under the age of 10 years. Therapy involves intense and continual one-on-one interaction with each child throughout their clinic time, as well as highly individualized, family-centered treatment planning. Treatment planning may include home adaptation, collaboration with and referral to other specialists, home visits, and identification of appropriate community resources to facilitate "just right challenges" for each child.
Dr. Struthers is formally trained as an anthropologist, behavioral scientist, and occupational therapist and has extensive field experience in human health systems and cross-cultural practices, as well as in the behavioral biology of the great apes. Prior to attaining occupational therapy credentials, Dr. Struthers was environmental enrichment coordinator for NMSU primate research institute, and later the director of behavioral sciences for the White Sands Research Center / Coulston International primate research center.