Sensory processing differences

This advice applies across the UK.

On this page we help you understand and identify sensory processing differences and provide strategies and techniques you can use to support your child to stay calm and regulated.

Making sense of sensory processing

Every moment, our brains are taking in messages from the world through our senses: sounds, sights, smells, movement, texture, and more. For most of us, our brains automatically filter, organise, and respond to this information without us even thinking about it.

For some children, this process works differently. Their brains may be more responsive to certain inputs or need more sensory input to feel calm and connected. These differences are known as sensory processing differences or sensory integration differences.

This doesn’t mean there’s something wrong – it simply means that the child’s sensory system works differently.

The eight senses and sensory profiles

Most people know about the five main senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. We actually use eight to make sense of the world:

• Sight (vision): what we see, how we track and interpret visual information.
• Hearing (auditory): how we notice, process, and respond to sounds and volume.
• Touch (tactile): sensations from our skin: texture, temperature, and pressure.
• Taste (gustatory): how we experience flavour and texture through the mouth.
• Smell (olfactory): how scents can alert, comfort, or overwhelm us.
• Body awareness (proprioception): knowing where our body parts are and how they move.
• Balance and movement (vestibular): understanding motion, stability, and coordination.
• Internal body state (interoception): awareness of internal signals like hunger, thirst, or needing the toilet.

Every child has a unique sensory profile. This is a mix of:

• What they seek out.
• What they avoid.
• What helps them feel regulated.
• What they need to coordinate their bodies and move around.

Understanding your child’s unique sensory profile can help you create an environment that makes daily life calmer and more enjoyable. For example:

• A child might cover their ears when a vacuum cleaner is on, but seek loud music later.
• Another may dislike the feeling of certain clothes, but enjoy being wrapped tightly in a blanket.
• Some children crave movement and find it hard to sit still; others feel wobbly or fearful when their feet leave the ground.

Regulation and managing feelings

Self-regulation is the ability to manage feelings, attention, and behaviour to meet daily challenges. This develops gradually as children grow.

Before they can self-regulate, children rely on co-regulation. This means when adults help them calm down, feel safe, and learn to manage big feelings. In practice, co-regulation might look like:

• Using a calm, gentle tone of voice.
• Offering physical comfort, like a hug or gentle pressure on the shoulder.
• Naming and validating emotions (“That noise was loud – it made you jump!”).
• Breathing slowly together or modelling calm behaviour.
• Allowing recovery time before discussing behaviour or next steps.

These moments teach children that emotions can be managed and that they can trust adults to help them through overwhelm.

Levels of arousal

Children’s sensory systems affect their levels of arousal – how alert, focused, or tired they feel. Think of arousal like an energy dial:

• Low arousal: a child may appear tired, slow, or disengaged.
• High arousal: a child may be restless, noisy, or overwhelmed.
• Just right: the child is calm, alert, and ready to learn or play.

The goal is to help children find their “just right” level.

Sensory strategies can either increase alertness or bring calm, depending on what is needed. Here are some examples:

• If a child is low energy, try alerting activities: jumping, swinging, upbeat music.
• If a child is overexcited, try calming input: slow linear rocking (forward-back or side-to-side, not circular).

You can think of this as tuning the sensory system: adjusting input to find balance.

Identifying sensory processing differences

Children may:

• Be over-responsive (reactive).
• Be under-responsive (need more input).
• Have difficulty making sense of sensory input (discrimination).
• Have difficulty using sensory information to plan and organise their movement (praxis).

Over-responsive behaviours may look like:

• Covering ears or eyes.
• Avoiding certain clothes or textures.
• Refusing messy play or hair washing.

Under-responsive behaviours may look like:

• Seeking strong movement or loud sounds.
• Crashing, bumping or spinning a lot.
• Seeming unaware of hunger, tiredness or pain.
• Appearing as though they have not heard you until you are close to them.

Discrimination behaviours may look like:

• Difficulty recognising different temperatures.
• Difficulty finding items amongst clutter.
• Difficulty identifying different textures.

Planning and organisation (praxis) difficulties may show as:

• Clumsiness or poor coordination.
• Struggling to follow multi-step instructions.
• Difficulty learning new physical tasks like dressing or riding a bike.

Understanding which senses are affected can help you identify triggers and supportive strategies.

Practical sensory support strategies

Below are everyday strategies that can help children feel balanced and regulated. Try one or two at a time and observe what works best for your child.

General tips:

• Build sensory breaks into the day (movement, stretching, chewing, fidgeting).
• Create calm corners or cosy spaces for rest and reset.
• Offer choices: “Do you want to wear your soft jumper or your cotton one?”
• Prepare children for transitions with gentle warnings or visual cues.
• Keep a small “sensory soothe box” ready, filled with comforting items.

Ideas to try:

• Hearing: use noise-cancelling headphones or play soothing sounds.
• Smell: keep lavender sachets or familiar scents nearby; avoid strong odours.
• Touch: experiment with textures; deep pressure massage, firm hugs or self-massage can help.
• Taste: offer chewy snacks or strong flavours to aid focus.
• Vision: adjust lighting – soft lamps, natural light, and avoiding flicker.
• Body awareness (proprioception): activities like pushing, pulling, or lifting heavy objects.
• Balance & movement (vestibular): gentle rocking, yoga, or balancing games.
• Internal body state (interoception): encourage noticing internal states – “Is your tummy full?”, “Do you feel hot?”

Case study: managing overwhelm at the supermarket

Leo (four) enjoys going to the supermarket after nursery with his dad, but sometimes becomes overwhelmed. Bright lighting, constant beeping at the checkouts, strong smells, crowded aisles and waiting in unpredictable queues can quickly build up. What may look like a sudden angry outburst is often a sign of sensory overload.

Once his dad recognised the patterns, he made small adjustments: shopping at quieter times, using a simple picture list so Leo knows what to expect, choosing a staffed checkout, and watching for early signs of overwhelm.

Leo sometimes wears a cap to reduce glare and uses ear defenders if noise feels too intense. If needed, they step outside for a short break.

Leo’s overwhelm hasn’t disappeared completely, but it has reduced and is more manageable. Understanding sensory processing helped Dad respond with empathy and practical changes – reducing stress for both of them.

Sensory boxes, spaces and circuits

These are items, places and routines you can use to support your child’s self-regulation.

Sensory soothe box

A sensory soothe box is a personalised collection of items that comfort and calm your child when they feel overwhelmed. Fill it together with things that appeal to their senses, for example:

• A soft toy or blanket.
• Favourite photos or a small keepsake.
• A lavender sachet or scented lotion.
• A stress ball, fidget or chewy toy.
• Headphones or a small speaker with calming music.

Encourage your child to use their box when they need a break or want to feel grounded.

Sensory spaces

A sensory space is a quiet area where your child can retreat and self-regulate. It could be:

• A pop-up tent with cushions and low lighting.
• A corner with beanbags, fairy lights and soft textures.
• A designated “calm spot” at home or school where they can relax.

You don’t need special equipment, just a predictable, safe space that helps them feel calm and in control.

Sensory circuits

Sensory circuits are structured routines of movement and sensory activities designed to prepare children for learning. They usually follow three stages:

• Alerting: activities that wake up the body (jumping, skipping, bouncing).
• Organising: activities that require focus and coordination (throwing, balancing)
• Calming: activities that reduce energy and prepare for concentration (deep pressure, yoga stretches, slow breathing).

These circuits can be short (five–10 minutes) and are often helpful before school or during transitions.

Reasonable adjustments and everyday examples

You can make small environmental changes that support your child without needing special equipment. For example:

• Reduce clutter and noise in busy rooms.
• Use visual schedules and consistent routines.
• Offer sunglasses or visors if bright light causes distress.
• Let children wear ear defenders in noisy settings.
• Provide a safe retreat space during group activities.
• Allow comfort items like soft toys or chewables when out and about.
• Encourage schools and childcare settings to use similar strategies.

Case study: reducing stress at the swimming pool

Amira (nine) loves swimming and looks forward to her weekly lesson, but sometimes leaves feeling upset or exhausted. Echoing acoustics, whistles, bright reflections on the water, cold air in the changing rooms and the tight feel of swimwear can all add up. Although she enjoys the pool itself, the transitions before and after can be the most difficult.

When her mum began noticing these sensory demands, she introduced small changes: arriving early to avoid rushing, choosing a quieter changing cubicle, bringing loose clothing and a soft towel for afterwards, and allowing time for a calm snack before heading home. Amira sometimes wears tinted goggles to reduce glare and starts slowly to help her body adjust.

Swimming is still tiring, but with these adjustments Amira feels more confident and less overwhelmed. Understanding the sensory aspects of the environment helped her mum keep an activity Amira enjoys while reducing stress.

Final thoughts

You are the expert on your child. Supporting sensory needs isn’t about fixing challenges, it’s about understanding and adapting. Notice patterns, stay curious and celebrate small successes.

Every positive step, from identifying what helps to creating a safe sensory space, builds your child’s confidence and wellbeing.

“Connection before correction” – calm, understanding relationships make the biggest difference.

Further resources and support

• Book a 1:1 call with a family support adviser on our Listening Ear service for reassurance and practical guidance.
• Visit Fledglings, our partner non-profit shop offering sensory-friendly products and aids.
• See a visual tool for supporting emotional awareness and regulation from the Zones of Regulation.
• Read about sunflower lanyard and radar key schemes for invisible disability awareness and accessible toilet access from Sensory Integration Education (SIE).

Related information

Parent guides and factsheets

Factsheet: Understanding your child’s sensory needs

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