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Interoception in the Classroom: How Internal Body Awareness Shapes Regulation and Participation

In classrooms, students are expected to regulate emotions, maintain attention, transition between activities, and participate socially and academically throughout the day. When these skills break down, challenges are often addressed through behavioral supports, academic accommodations, or environmental modifications. However, an underlying system frequently influences all of these areas. Learn more about how interoception in the […]

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Thermosensory Signals and Self Regulation

Understanding how thermosensory signals and self regulation interact can support educators and therapists in thinking more broadly about the sensory context of learning. Thermosensory signals include skin temperature and the perception of warmth or cold. In adult research, these signals have been linked not only to physical regulation but also to how individuals experience their […]

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Sensory Processing and Learning in Students with Autism or ADHD

Understanding sensory processing and learning is important for educators supporting student participation and academics. Recent research examined whether specific sensory modalities, particularly auditory processing, are associated with reading and mathematics performance in autistic students, students with ADHD, and neurotypical students. These findings offer school-based professionals insight into how environmental factors and individual sensory differences may […]

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Oral Stimming in Students: What Does the Research Say?

Chewing on shirt collars, biting pencils, humming during lessons, or constantly mouthing objects are behaviors that often raise concern in classrooms and at home. These oral stimming actions are sometimes labeled as habits to break or behaviors to stop. However, research across neuroscience, psychology, and developmental science suggests a different interpretation. For many students, oral […]

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Understanding Stimming: Why Kids Do It and How We Can Support Them

Stimming is a natural and meaningful way many children regulate their bodies, emotions, attention, and social experiences. Although stimming is often discussed in relation to autism, it is not unique to autistic children. All humans engage in repetitive actions such as tapping a foot, doodling, pacing, or humming. For many neurodivergent children, stimming is more […]

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Sensory Over-Responsivity and Behavior: What Does the Research Say?

When a child reacts intensely to a sound, a fabric texture, a crowded hallway, or bright lighting, adults often wonder why. What is the relationship between sensory over-responsivity and behavior? Research published in the Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders offers important insight into what is happening inside the brain during these moments of sensory overload. For […]

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Music and Interoception: How Sound Supports the Mind–Body Connection

Interoception is the sense that helps us notice internal body signals such as heartbeat, breathing, muscle tension, temperature, and more. Children and adults rely on interoception to understand emotions, regulate behavior, and participate effectively in school and daily routines. Music is a powerful doorway into interoception. Research shows that music can influence heart rate, insula […]

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Sensory Based Interventions: What Does the Research Say?

Sensory based interventions are widely used in classrooms, therapy settings, and homes to support children with sensory processing differences. A recent systematic review examined research from 2015 to 2024 to determine which approaches improve real functional outcomes for children and youth. The review focused on participation, attention, sleep, regulation, and daily task performance. Learn more […]

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