Interoception | Sensory Processing & Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Summary

Interception is our body's internal communication system, helping us recognize feelings and sensations like hunger, thirst, and emotions. It's crucial for self-awareness and regulation. Children with interception difficulties might not notice basic needs or emotional changes. Co-regulation, where adults assist in identifying and managing emotions, is key to helping kids develop self-regulation. Programs like 'Zones of Regulation' and 'How Does Your Engine Run' are beneficial for teaching kids to understand their interoceptive system.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Interception is the process of understanding internal body signals and associating them with sensations or feelings.
• 📣 It is crucial for recognizing basic needs such as hunger, thirst, pain, and temperature regulation.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Children with interceptive integration difficulties might not recognize the need for basic self-care like using the restroom or responding to hunger.
• 🚨 Parents may need to intervene and help children recognize their body's signals, especially if they are too young or have developmental challenges.
• 🌡️ Interception also plays a role in emotional awareness, helping to distinguish between different emotional states like anger, annoyance, happiness, and calm.
• 👶 Co-regulation is a developmental step where an adult helps a child identify and manage their emotions until they can do it independently.
• 💧 An example of co-regulation is suggesting a child drinks water when they are sweaty and breathing heavily after physical activity.
• 🧠 Teaching children to notice their body's signals, such as shakiness, coldness, or a fast heartbeat, is part of developing self-regulation.
• 🔗 Connecting physical feelings with emotions is essential for a well-functioning interoceptive system.
• 📚 Programs like 'The Zones of Regulation' and 'How Does Your Engine Run' are designed to help children develop self-awareness and self-regulation skills.

Q & A

What is interception?

Interception is the sense that allows us to understand what's going on inside our bodies, enabling us to notice signals our body is providing and associate these signals with a sensation or a feeling.

Why is interception important?

Interception is crucial because it helps us to know when we are thirsty, in pain, too hot or cold, or needing to use the restroom. It also helps us associate sensations with various emotions.

What are some signs that a child might have interception difficulties?

Signs might include not noticing the need to use the restroom until it's an emergency, getting hangry quickly, or not noticing being too hot or too cold.

What is co-regulation in the context of interception?

Co-regulation is when a child relies on an adult to help identify and manage their emotions, such as suggesting to get a drink of water when they appear thirsty or tired.

How does co-regulation lead to better self-regulation?

By relying on an adult to identify and manage their emotions, children learn to recognize their own body signals and eventually manage their emotions independently, leading to better self-regulation.

What are some ways to teach kids to notice their bodies and body signals?

Parents and caregivers can encourage kids to pay attention to physical feelings like shakiness, cold, heat, or a fast heartbeat, and then help them connect these signals with emotions.

What is the Zones of Regulation program mentioned in the script?

The Zones of Regulation is a program designed to help children become more aware of their feelings and bodily sensations, and learn strategies to self-regulate.

What does the script suggest about the relationship between physical signals and emotions?

The script suggests that helping children recognize physical feelings and connect them with emotions can make them more aware of their interoceptive system.

Why might a child not notice they are hungry until they are 'hangry'?

A child might not notice they are hungry until they are 'hangry' because they have difficulty integrating their interoceptive signals with the appropriate emotional response.

How can parents help their children with interception difficulties?

Parents can help by practicing co-regulation, teaching children to notice their body signals, and using programs like the Zones of Regulation to enhance self-regulation skills.