Have you ever struggled to understand why your child behaves a certain way? This is a common concern that we hear from parents because many don’t know what they can do to get their child to behave properly.
At No Limits Pediatric Therapies in Bentonville, AR, our mission is to support children in overcoming their developmental challenges and reaching their full potential. Today, I want to address a common issue many parents face: understanding what’s often behind their child’s bad behavior at home and at school.
Behavioral Problems Are Often a Clue to Sensory Processing Difficulties
Sensory processing refers to how the body’s nervous system receives and responds to sensory input. When a child has trouble processing sensory information, it can significantly impact their daily life and behavior.
Have you ever had to get work done with some annoying noise in the background distracting you? Or maybe you needed to get sleep, but it was difficult due to lights, sounds, or the temperature of the room? While most adults are able to adjust their environment to suit their needs or push themselves to adapt to distractions, this is something that children with a sensory processing disorder struggle to do.
Typical Signs of a Sensory Processing Disorder
Some common signs of a sensory processing disorder can include:
- Hitting, biting, or other aggressive behaviors
- Difficulty following directions
- Trouble getting dressed or resisting certain types of clothing
- Challenges during mealtimes, such as picky eating or gagging
- Acting out or having frequent meltdowns
- Avoiding social interactions or being overly aggressive towards peers
- Difficulty transitioning between activities
- Being overly sensitive to lights, sounds, or textures
- Seeking excessive movement or rough play
- Difficulty focusing or sitting still
Sensory Processing Difficulties Can Create a Crisis for the Whole Family
When a child struggles with sensory processing, it can create significant challenges for the entire family. Dealing with meltdowns and bad behavior can take its toll on everyone at home, which is why we often hear parents say that they truly love their child, but sometimes they struggle to like their child.
This is completely understandable, but without proper support, it can lead to more challenges for your family. Our main goal in addressing a sensory processing disorder is to figure out what in the environment is triggering your child. Then we work with you, the adult, to help modify the environment for your child. At the same time, we work with your child to improve how they respond when their environment gets overwhelming.
Therapy That Includes Treatment for Sensory Processing Can Improve Results
Pediatric therapy that addresses sensory processing difficulties can make a world of difference for both your child and your family. We are one of the few clinics in our area that does in-depth sensory assessments that give us a greater view of a child’s sensory processing challenges. We then have a set of proven sensory protocols that we use on children.
This is a vital component of pediatric therapy because it helps us uncover the reasons why your child is reacting the way they are and work with them (and you) to handle the cause. With targeted therapy, children can learn to manage their sensory processing disorder better, which can lead to improved behavior and peace of mind for your whole family.
Reach Out to No Limits for an Evaluation
If your child struggles with behavior or emotional regulation, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at No Limits Pediatric Therapies. We offer a free 15-minute developmental consultation to help determine if therapy is the right step for your child.
Call us at (479) 250-9838 to schedule your consultation and take the first step towards helping your child overcome their sensory challenges today.
About Terrica
Terrica Weatherford, MSOT, founded No Limits Pediatric Therapies in 2016. She earned her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from the Medical University of South Carolina in 2012. For over 13 years, Terrica has been committed to helping neurodiverse children (and those who need extra support) reach their full potential. She founded her practice to ensure she could provide exceptional care for children and their families.
