Why do everyday things feel unbearable to my child? A parent's guide to sensory processing

The short answer

Sensory processing describes how information from the body and surroundings is taken in, sorted and interpreted. A child may notice one input intensely, miss another or seek more of it, and the pattern may change with tiredness, illness, anxiety, setting and earlier demands. Begin with one activity rather than assigning a fixed sensory type. Describe the input, the child's observable response, other possible explanations and what makes participation easier. Change the environment, task or support before buying specialist equipment: reduce a sound, alter a texture, create distance, offer movement or make the sequence more predictable. Keep the child's account central. Sensory differences do not rule out pain, hearing, vision or another health problem, and no sensory product is guaranteed to help. Seek professional advice when difficulties are severe, changing, unsafe or substantially restricting daily life.

• Sensory processing is an everyday body and brain function, not a verdict about behaviour.
• Responses may be higher, lower, mixed and different across activities or days.
• Work from a specific activity, input and outcome rather than a fixed seeker or avoider label.
• Change the environment, task or support and review what happens to comfort and participation.
• Sensory explanations must not delay checks for pain, illness, hearing, vision or other needs.