Body: The Foundation of Connection
Understanding how your child experiences the world through their body
Our body is our vehicle for how we experience the world. We need to be in an optimal state to function well – to take in, engage and respond to our environment. When our bodies, brains and senses are out-of-sync, it influences our behaviour - how we feel about ourselves, how we relate to others and how we get our needs met. Your child's sensory integration is the key to this optimal state.
“Children more than ever, need opportunities to be in their bodies in the world – jumping rope, bicycling, stream hopping and fort building. It’s this engagement between limbs of the body and bones of the earth where true balance and centeredness emerge.” - David Sobel
What is Sensory Processing?
Sensory processing is the ability to take in, organise and interpret information from the world around us and from the inside of our bodies. This information is used to respond to or learn from our environment.
Our senses are constantly bombarded by input from our environment and bodies. Some of these sensations may cause an under- or over reaction, which indicates that the child’s central nervous system has trouble processing the information. The result may be a fight, flight or freeze stress response which may seem like an inappropriate reaction to something insignificant.
Let’s use our sense of touch as an example:
Tactile input has two functions: protection and discrimination.
- Protective functions help us with survival, e.g. to quickly take your hand off a hot stove.
- Discriminative functions help us to learn about the world, e.g. how to pick up an egg without breaking it.
Sometimes our protective functions override the discriminative functions, and even non-threatening stimuli can be perceived as dangerous, e.g. the soft touch of a feather can be just as uncomfortable as if it was a spider. This fear is very real to the individual and needs to be respected.
When protective responses kick in, it can be difficult for the individual to calm their nervous system down and perceive that it was only a feather. If a child continually responds in this hyper-sensitive way to everyday sensations, it can become a barrier to learning, understanding and trusting the world.
Why is it important to understand how my child processes sensory information?
If this is not recognised and addressed, your child’s behaviour can be mistaken for:
- Low self-esteem
- Reluctance to participate in ordinary childhood experiences
- Hyperactivity
- Learning difficulties
- Emotional problems
What seems to be challenging behaviour might simply be a symptom of an overwhelmed nervous system, which can easily be addressed by providing specific stimuli to restore homeostasis.
“Educators often call reading, writing and arithmetic the ‘basics’ but actually they are extremely complex processes that can develop only upon a strong foundation of sensory integration.” - Jane Ayres
👣 My Role in This Process
As part of our work together, I’ll gently guide you in identifying any unique sensory needs or patterns your child may have. Together, we’ll look at how their physical responses interact with their emotional world (Heart) and their deeper essence (Soul).
If we discover a more complex need, I’ll refer you to a qualified occupational therapist (OT) who specialises in sensory processing for further support.
Understanding the body is the first step in unlocking your child’s full potential. When we create the right environment for their nervous system, everything else—connection, confidence, learning—can begin to take root.
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