Clinical indications for qigong sensory treatment

QST is clinically indicated when assessment reveals clear impairment in one or more of the following domains.

1. Sensory processing impairment

QST is indicated when a child shows consistent signs that sensory input is unreliable, overwhelming, distorted or painful.

This may include:

• chronic sensory overload or shutdown

• sensory pain (particularly tactile)

• hyper-responsivity, hypo-responsivity or unstable fluctuation between both

• defensive or avoidant responses to everyday sensory input

• poor differentiation or integration of sensory signals

These patterns indicate that the sensory nervous system is not providing clear or safe input, which undermines regulation and development.

2. Impaired physiological self-regulation

QST is also indicated when a child shows reduced capacity to maintain physiological stability, even when sensory input is not obviously extreme.

This may include:

• rapid escalation into stress responses

• difficulty returning to baseline after stimulation

• persistent autonomic activation (fight, flight, shutdown)

• low tolerance for everyday demands

• regulation that collapses under minimal load

Self-regulation impairment may be secondary to sensory impairment or may present as the primary entry signal for QST.

Research shows a direct relationship between the level of tactile sensory impairment and the level of physiological self-regulation impairment.

In clinical and research observations, higher levels of tactile impairment are consistently associated with more severe difficulties in self-regulation. Conversely, improvements in tactile sensory processing are accompanied by proportional improvements in self-regulation capacity.

This relationship is not incidental. Tactile input provides a primary source of information for the nervous system about safety, boundaries and bodily organisation. When tactile input is distorted, unreliable or painful, the nervous system remains in a defensive or unstable state, limiting its capacity to regulate.

When tactile sensory processing improves through consistent application of QST, the nervous system receives clearer and more predictable input. As a result, self-regulation capacity improves in parallel, without the need for direct behavioural or emotional training.

This explains why changes in regulation observed during QST follow tactile sensory change in equal measure, and why tactile repair is a central mechanism within the method.

In clinically indicated cases, sensory and regulatory impairment often express themselves through behaviours that are otherwise labelled as:

• emotional disregulation

• behavioural difficulties

• attention problems

• social withdrawal or avoidance

• resistance to touch, movement or interaction

In QST, these are understood as adaptive responses to an unreliable or overwhelming sensory environment, not as primary targets for training or correction.

QST is typically considered when structured assessment shows deviations of more than two points on one or more of the following domains:

• tactile responsivity

• sensory processing and integration

• physiological self-regulation

Assessment is supported by:

• direct observation of sensory responses

• evaluation of recovery and regulation capacity

• parenting stress

• developmental milestones

• clinical reasoning by a trained QST professional

QST is never applied solely on the basis of parent report or diagnosis.

Sense and Self-Regulation Checklist (SSRC)

Clinical indication for Qigong Sensory Treatment QST is supported by structured assessment using the Sense and Self-Regulation Checklist (SSRC), a scientifically validated instrument developed by Dr. Louisa Silva and used consistently across her research studies.

The SSRC assesses both sensory processing and physiological self-regulation across multiple domains, including:

• tactile and oral sensory processing

• visual, auditory and olfactory processing

• orientation and attention

• sleep and self-soothing

• behavioural stress responses

• digestion and toileting regulation

Scores reflect the frequency and persistence of sensory and regulatory difficulties, allowing clinicians to distinguish between isolated behaviours and systemic sensory-regulatory impairment.

In QST, clinical indication is typically considered when SSRC results show clear and persistent deviations, often exceeding expected thresholds across sensory and/or self-regulation domains. These patterns indicate that the nervous system is not reliably processing input or maintaining physiological stability under everyday demands.

The SSRC is used as part of a broader clinical assessment, alongside observation and professional judgement. It is not used as a standalone diagnostic tool.

Because QST relies on sensory repetition and nervous system adaptation, clinical indication also depends on feasibility of:

• daily application by parents, under professional guidance

• regular professional sessions (typically one to two per week)

QST requires high consistency. If a family cannot sustain near-daily application [at least 5 times per week], QST is unlikely to be indicated.

QST may not be appropriate when:

• sensory processing and self-regulation are intact and stable

• difficulties are primarily situational, relational or environmental

• acute medical conditions require priority treatment

• psychoactive or nervous-system-altering medication significantly interferes with sensory assessment

• seizure activity (e.g. epilepsy) is present without adequate medical stabilisation or monitoring

In such cases, medical stability and interdisciplinary coordination are required before considering QST.