As a music and movement teacher for 25 years, Carol observed many out-of-sync preschoolers. To help them become more competent at work and play, she studied sensory processing and sensory integration (“SI”) theory. She learned to identify her students’ needs and steer them into early intervention. In writings and workshops, she explains to parents, educators, and early childhood professionals how sensory issues play out – and provides enjoyable sensory-motor techniques for addressing them at home and school. Carol is best-known for her first book in the “Sync” series, The Out-of-Sync Child.

Hundreds of sponsors have brought Carol to their communities for presentations, both in the United States and abroad — including Australia, Canada, England, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Singapore, and Switzerland. Click EVENTS to learn about her presentations.

Carol is a graduate of Barnard College of Columbia University, which gave her its Distinguished Alumna Award in 2017. She has an M.A. in Education and Human Development from The George Washington University. She lives in Bethesda, Maryland, and has two wonderful sons and daughters-in-law and five sensational grandchildren. For fun, she plays the cello and, because of a high movement quota, gets at least an hour of exercise every day.

To help families, teachers, and professionals understand SPD in children and adolescents, she has written several books, manuals, and other publications, some of which are listed below. Click HERE to learn more about books and translations, manuals, DVDs and CDs, and where to purchase them.  (Brief descriptions are below.)

BOOKS AND MANUALS

The Out-of-Sync Child (3rd edition): Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Differences (TarcherPerigee, 2022). This groundbreaking book explains SPD and presents a drug-free approach that offers help and hope for parents. A Mom's Choice Gold Award Winner in 2022, the book has sold 1,000,000 copies since publication in 1998 and has been translated into 15 languages.

The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun: Activities for Kids with Sensory Processing Disorder  (Perigee, revised 2006) is chock full of fun and functional activities to improve children’s sensory systems (touch, movement and balance, body position, vision, hearing, smelling and tasting) and their sensory-related skills (oral-motor skills, motor planning, fine-motor skills, bilateral coordination and crossing the midline).  These activities are suitable for all children.

The Out-of-Sync Child Grows Up: Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder in the Adolescent and Young Adult Years (Tarcher/Perigee 2016) is the newest addition to the “Sync” series. This book offers essential information for tweens, teens, and young men and women in their 20s who have SPD — and for their parents and friends, too. Insightful and poignant contributions from more than 50 young people who have grown up with SPD help readers navigate the adolescent years.

Growing an In-Sync Child: Simple, Fun Activities to Help Every Child Develop, Learn, and Grow (Perigee, 2010), co-authored with Joye Newman, is a fresh approach to understanding the profound impact of motor development on children of all ages and stages. The book includes 60 beginner, intermediate, and advanced activities to help all children — with and without disabilities — to develop and enhance their sensory-motor, perceptual-motor, and visual-motor skills.  The book received a Teachers' Choice Award for the Classroom, 2013.

The In-Sync Activity Cards: 50 Simple Activities to Help Children Develop, Learn, and Grow! (Sensory World, 2015), co-authored with Joye Newman, is a sequel to Growing an In-Sync Child. A Mom's Choice 2013 Gold Award winner, the cards are also available in book format and in digital format.

The Goodenoughs Get in Sync: 5 Family Members Overcome Their Special Sensory Issues (Sensory World, revised 2010) is an illustrated book for 8-12 year-olds. The book is an i-Parenting Media Award winner, a ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year finalist, and a Creative Child Magazines' Preferred Choice Award winner in 2010.

A Year of Mini-Moves for the In-Sync Child (Sensory World, 2022), with Joye Newman, is a 52-week calendar with "quicky" movement activities for young children.  The book received a Mom's Choice Gold Award and a Creative Child Magazine 2021 Product of the Year Award.  Available in a hardcopy and in digital format.

Answers to Questions Teachers Ask About Sensory Integration (Including Sensory Processing Disorder) 3rd edition (Sensory World, 2014), with Jane Koomar, PhD, Stacey Szklut, Lynn Balzer-Martin, PhD, Elizabeth Haber, and Deanna Iris Sava, includes forms, checklists, and practical tools for teachers and parents. This manual received the Teachers’ Choice Award from Learning Magazine in 2004.

Preschool Sensory Scan for Educators, or “Preschool SENSE” (Sensory Resources, 2005) is a screening tool to help occupational therapists and early childhood teachers collaborate and quickly identify children who may have SPD and may benefit from occupational therapy using sensory integration techniques.

101 Activities for Kids in Tight Spaces (St. Martin’s, 1995) is an activity book for children of all abilities.

CHAPTERS

"In-Sync Activities to Help Kids Cope with Being Cooped Up," in Autism in Lockdown: Expert Tips and Insights on Coping with the COVID-19 Pandemic (2020). Arlington, TX: Future Horizons. 

“Sensory processing disorder,” in Early Childhood Education: An International Encyclopedia (2007). Eds., R. New & M. Cochran. Westport, CT: Greenwood.

“Kids gotta move: Adapting movement experiences for children with differing abilities” and “Music and movement bring together children of differing abilities,” in Curriculum: Art, Music, Movement, Drama – A Beginnings Workshop Book (2006). Ed., B. Neugebauer. Redmond, WA: Exchange Press.

“Sensory integration dysfunction,” in The Educator’s Guide to Medical Issues in the Classroom (2001). Co-author: L. A. Balzer-Martin. Eds., F.M. Kline, L.B. Silver, & S.C. Russell. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.

“The outstanding, but out-of-sync, student,” in Uniquely Gifted: Identifying and Meeting the Needs of the Twice-Exceptional Student (2000). Ed., K. Kay. Gilsum, NH: Avocus.

“Promoting outdoor play: The obstacle course,” in Beginnings and Beyond: Foundations in Early Childhood Education, 3rd ed. (1993). Eds., A. Gordon & K.W. Browne. Albany, NY: Delmar.

“Obstacle courses are for every body,” in Alike and Different: Exploring Our Humanity with Young Children, rev. ed. (1992). Ed., B. Neugebauer. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

FOREWORDS

Sensorimotor Interventions: Using Movement to Improve Overall Body Function (2017), by C. Koscinski. Arlington, TX: Sensory World.

Building Bridges Through Sensory Integration, 3rd ed. (2015) by P. Aquilla, E. Yack, and S. Sutton. Arlington, TX: Sensory World.

The Ultimate Guide to SPD (2009), by R. Ostovar, PhD. Arlington, TX: Future Horizons.

No More Meltdowns! (2008), by Jed Baker, PhD. Arlington, TX: Future Horizons.

Toilet Training for Individuals with Autism or other Developmental Issues (2007), by Maria Wheeler. Arlington, TX: Future Horizons.

Sensational Kids: Hope and Help for Children with SPD (2006), by Lucy Jane Miller, PhD, OTR. New York: Putnam.