Children’s sensory needs: practical questions for occupational therapy

Therapy Blog: How sensory integration can help your child

By Xavier · Originally published 18 September 2019

A child playing beneath a spray of water outdoors

Bring examples from the routines your child finds difficult

Describe the setting, what seems uncomfortable and what the child says or shows. Include times when the activity works better. These details are more useful than assuming every difficulty has one sensory cause.

Ask an occupational therapist how assessment will involve your child and what goal the proposed strategy serves. Agree how you will notice benefit or discomfort and when the approach will be reviewed. Avoid continuing a distressing activity simply to complete a programme.

Original article and dated context

At Xavier, we have been providing disability support for Brisbane children and families for over 65 years. Our range of multi-disciplinary services are designed to help children and young people with high support needs to live the best lives possible with their family.

The sensory system

Have you ever had to turn down the volume on the radio to concentrate on parking your car? Ever forgotten your sunglasses and spent the day squinting because the sun was too bright? Or ever wished the sand stuck between your toes wouldn’t make wearing thongs so uncomfortable?

These are all experiences that relate to your sensory system. A system, power housed in the brain, that stems back to the days when humans had to rely on their senses to survive. The sensory system consists of vision, hearing, touch, smell and balance.

For many of us, these experiences are mildly irritating (at most) and they don’t impact our day to day lives too much. However, for some, including children, they can experience challenges with the way that their sensory system works to the extent that it impacts everyday activities.

What is sensory integration?

The process of the brain organising and interpreting experiences that relate to the sensory system is called sensory integration. If a child’s sensory system works a little differently, they may experience challenges with sensory integration. They could display some of the following.

Your child is overly sensitive to touch, movement, sights, smells, tastes and/or sounds. Children with neurobehavioral conditions can often have hyper-sensitive sensory systems. This means that they need less sensory input to function effectively. They can display behaviors such as withdrawal and avoidance which is their way of trying to reduce sensory input.
In contrast, some children are __under-reactive __to sensory stimulation. They may seek out sensory experiences and be prone to behaviours such as excessive movement or they may not feel physical pain such as from an injury.
Unusually high or low activity levels in comparison to their peers.
Coordination problems can be evident in activities that require fine or gross motor skills or children may have poor balance.
__Speech language delays __can be more evident in pre-schoolers however in school aged children they can be mistaken for academic problems.
Your child has poor organisational skills, they may be easily distracted or impulsive and find it difficult to stay “on-task” or to adjust to new situations that have not been planned for.
Sometimes a child experiencing challenges with their sensory system will say that some tasks are more difficult or that they don’t “feel right” for them but they’re not sure why.

[Clickability update, October 2026: Do not read the listed gains as guaranteed results. Discuss the child’s own daily activities and how a proposed support will be assessed. Autism CRC guidance for autistic children emphasises supports that are effective, safe and desirable to children and families; it is not a diagnosis tool for every sensory difficulty.]

How Occupational Therapy (OT) can help

Occupational Therapists (OTs) teach children strategies to manage their sensory system and sensory integration so that they can focus on tasks better, learn and socialise in the world. Children who regain control over their sensory systems increase their ability to concentrate in the classroom, improve their social-emotional wellbeing and their ability to function in day to day activities. There is no one size fits all approach, so your Occupational Therapist will work collaboratively with you and your child to integrate sensory strategies into your daily routine.

If you’d like further information on how a Xavier Occupational Therapist can help your child manage sensory challenges, call our friendly team on 1800 XAVIER today or complete the simple form on our occupational therapy page and we’ll be in touch.

Clickability editorial update: October 2026

Make goals about usable participation

Ask which daily activities matter to the child and family and what changes would make them more comfortable or accessible. Explain the proposed approach, evidence and alternatives in understandable language.

Record the child’s preferences and response, including reasons to adapt or stop a strategy. Review whether the support helps in real settings rather than using tolerance of an uncomfortable stimulus as the only outcome. Funding also needs the applicable NDIA therapy requirements.

Questions readers ask

Can the behaviour list diagnose a sensory or developmental condition?

No. Discuss concerns with an appropriately qualified professional.

Are the claimed improvements guaranteed?

No. Set individual goals and review whether the approach is useful and acceptable to the child.

Find occupational therapy that involves your child

Describe the everyday sensory challenges through Clickability. Compare reviewed and rated providers and ask how they include children and families in assessment and decisions.

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