Don’t ignore your child’s sensory needs
Understanding Sensory Needs in Children: How to Support and Address Sensory Sensitivities
Many children I work with have sensory needs that occur alongside other challenges. Sensory experiences can deeply influence how children engage with the world, and for some kids, sensory sensitivities can be especially overwhelming. These sensory preferences or aversions might look like:
A strong dislike of certain noises, lights, or tactile sensations (e.g., tight clothes, tags, or messy hands).
The need to suck or bite objects to self-regulate.
A preference for certain foods or textures.
Seeking constant movement or appearing hyperactive.
These sensory experiences can make it difficult for children to focus, fully participate in activities, or even engage in conversations. As one Occupational Therapist (OT) explained to me, “Imagine being covered in mosquito bites—so itchy—that you can't think of anything else but the need to scratch. Now imagine being told to sit still for 20 minutes without being able to scratch!” That constant distraction is something many children with sensory needs experience regularly.
How Occupational Therapy Can Help: Supporting Sensory Processing Needs
As a therapist, I often refer families to Occupational Therapists (OTs) for a thorough sensory assessment. This can be life-changing, as it helps uncover the root of sensory challenges and provides tailored strategies to help kids self-regulate their sensory input. Once we address sensory needs, kids can thrive in learning, play, and social activities with more comfort and focus. 🌟
If your child is in school or kindergarten, sharing information about their sensory sensitivities with teachers can create a more supportive learning environment, allowing them to participate fully in class.
Support for Sensory Processing Challenges
If you suspect sensory processing challenges are affecting your child, I encourage you to reach out to an Occupational Therapist. There are so many skilled, compassionate OTs who can make a huge difference in supporting your child’s sensory needs! 💙
About the writer:
Lauren is a speech pathologist who has over 18 years experience working with children and teenagers who present with a range of learning and communication differences. Lauren is passionate about helping others and loves to find simple and creative ways to make learning fun!
The blog posts featured on this site are written on behalf of Remindables and are intended for educational purposes only and to provide general information and an understanding on a particular topic. By using this blog site, you must be aware that the information shown is not to be used as a substitute for therapy advice and you should therefore seek the opinion of suitable professionals to assist you. The views expressed here are the author’s views alone and not those of their employer or others, unless clearly stated. ⠀⠀⠀