Understanding Sensory Processing in Children and Adults: How Occupational Therapy Helps

Quick Answer: What Is Sensory Processing and How Does OT Help?

What is sensory processing? Sensory processing is the way the brain receives, interprets, and responds to sensory information from the body and environment — including touch, sound, movement, taste, smell, vision, and body position. When the brain processes sensory input differently to what is typical, this is known as sensory processing differences or sensory processing disorder (SPD).

Who is affected? Sensory processing difficulties are common in children and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, developmental delay, acquired brain injury (ABI), anxiety disorders, trauma, and a range of other conditions. They can also occur without a formal diagnosis.

How does OT help? Occupational therapists assess sensory processing using standardised tools and clinical observation, then design individualised intervention programs — including sensory diets, environmental modifications, and sensory integration therapy — to help people regulate their responses to sensory input and participate fully in daily life.

Where? Rebound Health occupational therapists provide sensory processing assessment and intervention in Frenchs Forest on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, serving participants across Dee Why, Brookvale, Warriewood, Narrabeen, Mona Vale, and surrounds.

Introduction: When the World Feels Too Much — or Not Enough

For most people, the everyday sensory world — the hum of fluorescent lights, the texture of a school uniform, the smell of a crowded bus, the sound of a busy classroom — passes largely unnoticed. The brain filters, organises, and integrates this sensory information automatically, allowing full attention to focus on the task at hand.

For some children and adults, this process works very differently.

The scratch of a clothing tag can feel unbearable. A classroom full of background noise can make learning impossible. Certain food textures can trigger an overwhelming gag response. The unpredictable sensory demands of daily life can lead to meltdowns, shutdown, avoidance, anxiety, and an exhausting daily battle just to function.

Equally, some people don’t receive enough sensory input to stay regulated — constantly seeking movement, crashing into things, touching everything, or needing high levels of stimulation just to feel present and focused.

These experiences aren’t behavioural problems. They aren’t defiance or attention-seeking. They are the lived reality of sensory processing differences — and occupational therapy is one of the most effective interventions available to address them.

At Rebound Health in Frenchs Forest, our occupational therapists provide specialist sensory processing assessment and intervention for children and adults across Sydney’s Northern Beaches, helping participants understand their sensory profile, regulate more effectively, and participate more fully in everyday life.

What Is Sensory Processing?

The human body has eight sensory systems — not five, as commonly taught. Each one provides the brain with information about the body and the environment:

The brain’s job is to receive all of this information simultaneously, filter what’s relevant, integrate it into a coherent picture of the world, and generate an appropriate response. This process is called sensory integration.

When sensory integration works efficiently, it happens invisibly — supporting attention, motor coordination, emotional regulation, and participation in daily activities. When it doesn’t work efficiently, the effects ripple across virtually every aspect of daily life.

What Is Sensory Processing Disorder?

Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) — also referred to as sensory processing differences or sensory integration dysfunction — describes a pattern of difficulty in the way the nervous system receives, interprets, and responds to sensory input.

SPD is not currently a standalone diagnostic category in the DSM-5, but it is widely recognised clinically and is a core feature of several diagnosed conditions, particularly autism spectrum disorder and ADHD. Research suggests sensory processing differences affect:

• Up to 90% of autistic children and adults
• Up to 60% of children with ADHD
• A significant proportion of people with anxiety disorders, developmental coordination disorder, intellectual disability, acquired brain injury, PTSD, and trauma histories
• Some people with no other formal diagnosis

Sensory processing differences are not outgrown in childhood. Many adults live with significant sensory challenges that affect their work, relationships, wellbeing, and quality of life — often without ever having received a clinical explanation or support.

Types of Sensory Processing Differences

Sensory processing differences don’t look the same in everyone. The most commonly used framework describes three primary patterns:

Sensory Over-Responsivity (Sensory Sensitivity)

The nervous system responds to sensory input more intensely or more quickly than typical. A stimulus that most people would barely notice feels overwhelming or even painful.

Common signs in children:

• Distress at clothing tags, seams, or certain fabric textures
• Covering ears at everyday sounds — hand dryers, school bells, crowds
• Refusing to touch certain food textures or materials used in craft
• Meltdowns in busy, noisy, or brightly lit environments
• Aversion to having hair washed, teeth brushed, or face wiped
• Strong reactions to unexpected touch

Common signs in adults:

• Difficulty tolerating certain clothing, particularly synthetic fabrics
• Avoiding crowded places, busy restaurants, or loud environments
• Strong reactions to certain smells in workplaces or public spaces
• Food restrictions driven by texture rather than taste
• Finding physical touch — even affectionate touch — overwhelming
• Chronic fatigue from the effort of managing sensory overwhelm throughout the day

Sensory Under-Responsivity (Sensory Hyposensitivity)

The nervous system responds to sensory input less intensely or more slowly than typical. Sensory information doesn’t register with sufficient salience to prompt an appropriate response.

Common signs in children:

• Not noticing pain or injury
• Slow to respond when spoken to — appearing to “be in their own world”
• Not noticing food on their face or hands
• Unaware of personal space or physical boundaries with others
• Missing social cues that involve facial expression or tone of voice

Common signs in adults:

• Difficulty noticing hunger, thirst, or the need to use the bathroom (interoception)
• Not registering when they’ve been hurt
• Difficulty reading social situations or emotional cues
• Appearing disconnected or “flat” in social environments

Sensory Seeking

The nervous system craves sensory input and actively seeks it out. This is most commonly associated with the proprioceptive and vestibular systems.

Common signs in children:

• Constant movement — jumping, spinning, crashing, climbing
• Touching everything and everyone
• Mouthing objects well beyond the typical developmental age
• Seeking deep pressure — bear hugs, weighted items, squeezing into tight spaces
• Making noise — humming, vocalising, or creating sound constantly
• Difficulty sitting still for any length of time

Common signs in adults:

• Fidgeting, leg bouncing, or needing to move during meetings or conversations
• Craving intense flavours, textures, or temperatures in food
• Seeking high-adrenaline activities or intense sensory experiences
• Difficulty sitting still for desk-based work
• Needing background noise or music to concentrate

Sensory Discrimination Disorder

Difficulty accurately interpreting the specific qualities of sensory input — not just the intensity. A person may be able to feel touch, but struggle to identify where on the body they’ve been touched, or what object they’re holding without looking at it.

This pattern can significantly affect motor skills, handwriting, dressing, and safety awareness.

How Sensory Processing Affects Daily Life

Sensory processing differences don’t exist in isolation — they intersect with and affect virtually every domain of daily functioning.

At Home

• Personal care routines become battles — teeth brushing, hair washing, nail cutting, and dressing causing significant distress
• Meal times are fraught due to food texture aversion or oral sensory seeking
• Sleep is disrupted by sensory discomfort — clothing, bedding textures, light, sound
• Home environments may need to be carefully managed to reduce sensory triggers

At School

• Classroom environments — noise, lighting, movement, proximity to peers — can be overwhelming
• Handwriting and fine motor tasks are affected by tactile discrimination and proprioceptive difficulties
• Participation in sport, craft, and play is restricted by sensory aversions
• Transitions between environments or activities trigger dysregulation
• Sensory overwhelm is frequently misinterpreted as behaviour problems, inattention, or emotional dysregulation

At Work

• Open-plan offices, fluorescent lighting, and background noise can make concentration impossible
• Social proximity, shared kitchens, and unexpected interruptions create chronic stress
• Sensory seeking behaviours — fidgeting, movement needs — may be misread as unprofessional
• Fatigue from constant sensory management reduces productivity and wellbeing
• Specific job environments (hospitality, healthcare, construction) may be particularly challenging

In the Community

• Shopping centres, public transport, restaurants, and social gatherings can trigger overwhelm
• Avoidance of community participation leads to isolation and restriction of life
• Navigating unfamiliar sensory environments creates significant anxiety

In Relationships

• Sensitivity to touch can affect intimacy and physical affection
• Difficulty in noisy social environments restricts social participation
• Sensory-driven behaviours may be misunderstood by partners, friends, and colleagues
• Emotional dysregulation driven by sensory overwhelm affects relationship quality

The OT Assessment for Sensory Processing

Sensory processing assessment at Rebound Health is thorough, standardised, and individualised. It is not a checklist — it is a clinical process that builds a nuanced picture of how your sensory system operates across all eight systems, in all relevant environments.

Standardised Assessment Tools

Our OTs use validated, standardised sensory assessments, which may include:

• Sensory Processing Measure (SPM / SPM-2) — for children and adults, assessing sensory processing across home, school, and community environments
• Sensory Profile (SP-2 / Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile) — a questionnaire-based assessment profiling sensory processing patterns across quadrants (low registration, sensation seeking, sensory sensitivity, sensation avoiding)
• Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT) — a comprehensive standardised assessment for children evaluating sensory integration and motor planning
• Clinical Observations of Sensory Integration — standardised clinical observations of postural control, balance, bilateral coordination, and sensory processing

Clinical Interview and Observation

Alongside standardised tools, our OTs conduct:

• Detailed clinical interview with the participant and/or their family or carers
• Observation of the participant in relevant environments where possible
• Review of existing reports from paediatricians, psychologists, teachers, and other allied health professionals

Assessment Report

Following assessment, your OT produces a written report documenting:

• The participant’s sensory profile across all eight systems
• Functional impact of sensory processing differences in daily life
• Clinical recommendations for sensory intervention, environmental modification, and support strategies
• Recommendations for assistive technology or sensory equipment where indicated
• Goals for sensory-focused OT intervention

This report can be used to support NDIS planning, school-based support, and other funding applications.

OT Intervention for Sensory Processing

Sensory Integration Therapy

Sensory Integration (SI) therapy — developed by Dr A. Jean Ayres — is the evidence-based OT approach to treating sensory processing differences, particularly in children. SI therapy uses carefully graded sensory experiences delivered through meaningful, child-directed play to help the nervous system process sensory input more efficiently.

SI therapy takes place in a specialised therapy environment equipped with suspended equipment, tactile materials, proprioceptive activities, and vestibular challenges. The OT guides the child toward the “just right” level of sensory challenge — enough to promote neural adaptation without triggering overwhelm.

Over time, SI therapy aims to improve the brain’s capacity to organise and integrate sensory input — leading to improvements in attention, emotional regulation, motor skills, and participation in daily activities.

Sensory Diets

A sensory diet is a personalised, daily program of sensory activities designed to provide the specific type and amount of sensory input a person needs to maintain an optimal state of arousal and regulation throughout the day.

A sensory diet is not a food-related concept — the term “diet” refers to a regulated, intentional program, just as a nutritional diet involves deliberate food choices to meet specific needs.

A sensory diet might include:

• Proprioceptive activities — carrying a heavy backpack, wall push-ups, jumping on a trampoline, weighted lap pads
• Vestibular input — swinging, rocking, spinning, bouncing
• Tactile activities — play dough, sand play, brushing programs, fidget tools
• Oral sensory input — chewy foods, crunchy snacks, water bottles, chew tools
• Visual calming — reducing visual clutter, using natural lighting, visual schedules
• Auditory management — noise-cancelling headphones, white noise, music programs

Sensory diets are implemented throughout the day — at home, at school, and in the workplace — and are reviewed and adjusted regularly as the person’s needs change.

Environmental Modification

One of the most immediate and impactful OT interventions for sensory processing is modifying the sensory environment to reduce unnecessary sensory load. Our OTs provide recommendations for:

• Home environments — lighting adjustments, noise reduction, sensory-friendly bedroom setup, clothing and bedding choices
• Classrooms — seating position, lighting, noise management, movement breaks, sensory tools at the desk
• Workplaces — desk location, noise management strategies, sensory tools, flexible working arrangements

Sensory Strategies and Coping Skills

For older children and adults, OT builds self-awareness and self-management skills:

• Understanding one’s own sensory profile and triggers
• Identifying early signs of sensory overwhelm before reaching the point of shutdown or meltdown
• Developing a personal toolkit of calming and regulating strategies
• Communicating sensory needs to others — family, teachers, employers
• Advocating for reasonable accommodations in school and workplace settings

Parent and Carer Education

For children with sensory processing differences, parent and carer education is a critical component of OT intervention. When parents understand their child’s sensory profile, they can:

• Anticipate and reduce sensory triggers at home
• Implement the sensory diet consistently across the day
• Respond to sensory-driven behaviour with understanding rather than frustration
• Advocate effectively for their child in school and community settings
• Reduce the family stress that often accompanies life with a sensory-sensitive child

Sensory Processing in Adults: The Underserved Population

Sensory processing differences in adults are significantly underrecognised and underserved. Many adults living with sensory challenges have never received a clinical explanation for their experiences — they simply know that certain environments are unbearable, certain textures are intolerable, or that they’re exhausted by the sensory demands of daily life in a way that others don’t seem to be.

For adults who receive a late diagnosis of ASD or ADHD, understanding their sensory profile can be genuinely revelatory — providing a clinical framework for experiences that may have caused confusion, shame, or self-blame for decades.

OT for adult sensory processing focuses on:

• Formal sensory assessment and profile report
• Psychoeducation — helping adults understand their own nervous system
• Workplace accommodation strategies and employer communication support
• Environmental modification in the home
• Relationship communication — helping partners and family members understand sensory needs
• Self-regulation strategies and sensory toolkits for daily use
• Integration with other OT goals — routine building, community access, employment

NDIS Funding for Sensory Processing OT

Sensory processing assessment and intervention is funded under NDIS Capacity Building — Improved Daily Living. For children, sensory processing OT may also be accessed through school funding streams or Medicare Chronic Disease Management plans (limited sessions).

NDIS-funded sensory OT at Rebound Health can include:

• Standardised sensory assessment and written report
• Individual sensory integration therapy sessions
• Sensory diet development and review
• Environmental modification assessment and recommendations
• Parent/carer and support worker education sessions
• Written strategies and programs for home, school, and workplace

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between sensory processing disorder and autism?

Sensory processing differences are a core feature of autism spectrum disorder — most autistic people experience significant sensory challenges. However, sensory processing differences also occur in people without autism, including those with ADHD, anxiety, developmental coordination disorder, acquired brain injury, and in some people with no other diagnosis. SPD can be assessed and treated with OT regardless of whether a formal autism diagnosis is present.

My child has meltdowns in busy environments. Could this be sensory-related?

Meltdowns triggered by busy, noisy, or unpredictable environments are one of the most common presentations of sensory over-responsivity. An OT sensory assessment can identify whether sensory processing differences are contributing, and if so, develop a targeted intervention plan. If you’re unsure, contact our team to discuss your child’s specific presentation.

Can sensory processing difficulties be treated in adults?

Yes. While sensory integration therapy in its traditional form is most effective in childhood (when neural plasticity is greatest), adults benefit significantly from sensory assessment, sensory diet programs, environmental modification, self-regulation strategies, and psychoeducation. Many adults report transformative improvements in quality of life following OT-focused sensory support.

How is sensory processing different from just being “fussy” or “sensitive”?

Sensory processing differences are neurological — they reflect the way the brain is wired to receive and interpret sensory information. They are not personality traits, choices, or the result of poor parenting or lack of discipline. A child who cannot tolerate certain food textures is not being difficult; their nervous system genuinely processes that texture as aversive or overwhelming. OT assessment provides a clinical picture that replaces these unhelpful framings with accurate understanding and effective support.

Does my child need an autism diagnosis to access sensory OT?

No. Sensory processing difficulties can be assessed and treated by an OT regardless of whether a formal diagnosis is present. However, if your child’s presentation suggests autism or ADHD, your OT may recommend a formal diagnostic assessment to access the full range of supports available.

What is a sensory diet and how long does my child need to follow it?

A sensory diet is a personalised daily program of sensory activities designed to keep the nervous system regulated. It is reviewed and adjusted regularly as your child’s needs change. Some children follow a formal sensory diet for a defined period; others benefit from sensory strategies as an ongoing part of their daily life. Your OT will discuss the expected timeframe based on your child’s individual profile and goals.

Book a Sensory Assessment at Rebound Health Frenchs Forest

If sensory processing challenges are affecting your child’s participation at home, school, or in the community — or your own functioning as an adult — our occupational therapists are ready to help.

We offer comprehensive sensory assessments, individualised intervention programs, and practical strategies that make a real difference in daily life. Located in Frenchs Forest and serving participants across Sydney’s Northern Beaches, we’re here to help you or your child understand and manage sensory processing differences with clinical expertise and genuine care.

📍 Rebound Health | Frenchs Forest, Northern Beaches, Sydney
📞 9907 6023
🌐 www.reboundhealth.com.au

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Rebound Health is a specialist allied health practice on Sydney’s Northern Beaches offering occupational therapy, exercise physiology, and dietetics. We support NDIS participants, children, adults, and families across Frenchs Forest, Brookvale, Warriewood, Dee Why, Narrabeen, Mona Vale, and surrounding suburbs.