Wait, What Even Is Sensory Processing?
You're at a kid's birthday party. It's loud, bright, and... what's that smell?
There's one kid jumping into a ball pit with the energy of a caffeinated squirrel. Another who's covering their ears tightly because the 'Happy Birthday' song is much too loud. And yet another kid who's peeling off her shirt mid cupcake because something. is. ITCHING. HER!
You wonder, are kids just more dramatic nowadays?
Debatable. But no, not exactly.
What you're seeing is sensory processing at work.
Actually, you're seeing lots of sensory systems working, or at least trying, to work together.
So let's break it down. Not in a neuroscience textbook way (although if you're down for that, call me.) But in a I have three minutes before someone drops yogurt on the floor way.
What is sensory processing?
Sensory processing is the combination of multiple neurological processes that combined allow us to:
take in information from the world around us
figure out what that information all means
decide what we should do about it.
It's the nervous system's way of checking it's inbox: filtering spam, starring what’s important, deleting some messages, and...unfortunately... hitting 'reply all' to others.
For lots of people, these processes happen behind the scenes. But for young children, their systems are still learning how to make sense of all this information. And for children and adults who have sensory differences, their brain might just be wired differently than yours. So their processing of sensory input is different too.
How Many Senses Are We Talking About?
(Spoiler: more than 5.)
We all learned about the big five: smell, taste, hearing, sight, and touch.
But there are actually eight sensory systems at play.
In the OT world, we also talk about three more:
Proprioception (Body Awareness):
This tells you where your body is in space without looking.
Vestibular (Balance + Movement):
This sense comes from your inner ear and tells you when you're moving, how fast, and in what direction.
Interoception (Internal Awareness):
This helps you notice what’s happening inside your body—like hunger, needing to peepee, a racing heart, or butterflies in your tummy.
These systems are always on. Your child is processing sensory input every second — even when they're “just sitting still.”
What Happens When Processing Gets Wonky?
First, let’s be clear: Sensory processing differences are not bad. They’re just differences.
Everyone processes sensory input, and every brain perceives sensory input in it's own unique way.
Each brain has a threshold for how much input of each kind it can handle.
Think of it like this: your brain takes in information from 8 senses. Each sense is a coffee cup. Some senses have an espresso-sized cup (low threshold — they overflow quickly), while others have a Central Perk-sized mug (high threshold — it takes a lot to fill).
Our unique collection of coffee cups for each sense together make up our sensory profile.
Here’s what that can look like for some of our kids:
Sensory Sensitive
Hates tags, socks, loud noises, bright lights
Avoids hugs, swings, or sticky textures
Melts down at birthday parties
Covers ears or eyes in everyday situations
Their cup is teeny tiny. It doesn't take much input to fill it to the tippy top.
Sensory Seeking
Loves crashing, jumping, spinning
Constantly touching things or people
Makes noise just to make noise
Their cup is huge. Like that Central Perk mug, it's bottom is no where to be seen.
Sensory Disorganized
Can’t stay still, but also hates movement
Overreacts to some things, underreacts to others
Struggles to transition or follow routines
Easily overwhelmed or shuts down completely
This might look like “bad behavior,” but it’s often a regulation issue. Sorry, no cup analogy here.
Why Sensory Processing Matters for Development
Sensory processing isn’t just about who likes finger paint or hates loud noises. It impacts:
Self-regulation
→ Sensory input helps kids organize or wake up — or gets in the way.
Attention
→ It's hard to focus when your shirt feels like it’s made of sandpaper.
Motor Skills
→ Proprioception and vestibular input help with posture, coordination, and movement planning.
Social Participation
→ If a child avoids messy play or group games, they might miss out on learning through play.
Daily Routines
→ Dressing, eating, toothbrushing, sleeping — all involve sensory processing.
Sensory Processing Is Not a Disorder… Unless It’s Getting in the Way
Every child has sensory preferences or, as I prefer to call them, quirks. That’s normal. Adults do too. I'm looking at you guy who won't stop shaking his leg at the movies.
But if your child’s sensory responses are…
Extreme
Unpredictable
Affecting learning, relationships, or daily life
…it might be worth exploring an occupational therapy (OT) evaluation.
You don’t need a diagnosis to support sensory needs. Remember, everyone has to process sensory input, and no one's brain does it perfectly. But if a child’s nervous system is frequently in overdrive — or underwhelmed — they’ll need help getting to that just right place where learning, connecting, and growing can happen.
What Helps?
(Not a weighted blanket or sensory bin for everything, I promise.)
Here are some foundational ideas. We'll be exploring these in much more detail in upcoming posts.
1. Observe Without Judging
The more you see it, the more you see it. Watch your child with curiosity as they move around their world. Or even people watch in public.
Who's clicking in their pen in your work meeting? Who's working with headphones blasting heavy metal music? Who's rocking on their feet as they listen to you talk about your weekend? Remember that guy you dated who slept under a heavy comforter in summer?
All sensory quirks, the results of our own unique profiles.
Try:
Keep a log of what soothes vs. what stresses
Try not to label reactions as “bad” or “naughty”
2. Build a Sensory Toolkit
While helping the brain learn to process sensory input is an involved and complicated process, tools such as these can really help kids (and adults) better navigate challenging environments while honoring their unique preferences and needs.
For avoiders: sunglasses, noise-reducing headphones, fidget options
For seekers: trampoline breaks, bear hugs, resistance activities
3. Create Predictability
The brain loves predictability. When our kids know what's coming, it's easier for their brain to process the sensory load and focus on higher level skills, like communication, play, and social interactions.
Try:
Use visual schedules, countdowns, and “first/then” language
Let your child know what’s coming next, especially transitions
4. Offer Choices
Who wants to feel powerless in the face of discomfort? Not your child. Not you.
Let kids pick which clothes to wear (soft tags, loose fit?)
Let them opt out of stickers and choose stamps instead
5. Connect Before You Correct
Connection is always the first step. Connection means safety, safety means regulation, regulation means I can learn.
Regulation first, instruction second
A dysregulated brain can’t learn (or listen or clean up it’s room)
The Big Takeaway
Sensory processing isn’t a parenting trend. It’s a biological reality. And understanding it doesn’t mean excusing every meltdown, it means responding with clarity and compassion.
Whether your child is licking the shopping cart handle or sobbing over sock seams, there’s a sensory story underneath.
Your job isn’t to fix anything - you can't. It’s to get curious.
If behavior is communication then sensory processing is the language.
You don’t need to speak OT. You just need to be willing to listen.
