Understanding Sensory Processing Challenges in Kids: What Parents Should Know
Movement and tactile exploration are essential for a child’s development, fostering body awareness, motor skills, emotional resilience, and self-regulation. Through active play and hands-on exploration, children learn to process sensory information in ways that support focus, calmness, and adaptability. Yet, with today’s fast-paced, high-stress lifestyles, children often have fewer opportunities for unstructured movement and sensory-rich activities, which can hinder their sensory development.
For some children, the world can feel too bright, too loud, or simply overwhelming. Sensory processing refers to the brain’s way of organizing and interpreting information from the environment and the body, allowing us to react to and engage with our surroundings. When sensory processing doesn’t function properly, everyday experiences can become overwhelming or underwhelming, limiting a child’s ability to learn, connect with others, and regulate emotions. Known as Sensory Processing Dysfunction (SPD), this condition is increasingly common in children and is often linked to other developmental challenges, such as Autism and ADHD. Understanding SPD and ensuring daily sensory experiences that foster balanced development are essential to supporting a child’s growth and well-being.
What is Sensory Processing Dysfunction (SPD):
This occurs when one or more of the body’s senses do not accurately process information from the environment or the body. Children with SPD often seem irritable, controlling, or hard to calm. SPD can cause a child to be overly reactive or under-reactive to certain stimuli, making daily interactions challenging.
For some children, sensory input can feel overwhelming; they may experience heightened sensitivity and struggle to filter out background noises or visual clutter. For example, a child might be intensely aware of all the noises around them, including background sounds, making it hard to focus and creating a feeling of sensory overload.
A child with an under-responsive sensory system may appear passive or have a “flat” affect, as they miss essential sensory cues in their surroundings. On the other hand a child with a under-responsive sensory system can display “sensory seeking” behaviors, where the child might spin, constantly be on the go, or touch everything in sight to seek out more input.
Common signs of Sensory Processing Dysfunction include:
- Poor motor coordination including hand eye, poor posture, body awareness, and balance, making kids seem clumsy or uncoordinated.
- Irritability, controlling behaviors, or difficulty calming down.
- Sensitive to stimulation such as movement, bright lights, startles easily to loud noises, overwhelmed by background noise and crowds, doesn’t like hands being messy and or a picky eater.
- Unresponsive to sensory inputs, such as doesn’t respond to noises or people talking, light, movement, or textures.
- Displays sensory seeking behaviors such as visually stims looking very closely or sideways at objects, has need to move constantly, stuffs mouth with food, chews on non-food items, and/or touches everything.
- Difficulty paying attention or hyperactivity.
- Decreased safety awareness (e.g., not recognizing dangerous situations).
- Increased anxiety, depression, or emotional immaturity.
- Difficulties in social interactions and emotional regulation, including poor eye contact, lack of empathy, or not understanding social cues.
Everyone’s sensory system is unique, and we all process sensory information a bit differently. Minor sensory quirks are common for everyone; recognizing and responding to children’s sensory needs can make a meaningful difference.
Simple adjustments in daily routines—such as incorporating sensory and movement breaks or creating a calm space—can support children’s ability to self-regulate and thrive. Our sensory needs are affected by other factors, so your child may need different approaches from day to day.
If sensory challenges are significantly impacting your child’s daily life, consider discussing your concerns with their doctor. Your child may benefit from a referral to specialist such as an occupational therapist, who can offer guidance and support to help your child navigate the world with greater ease.
