The Interoceptive System

This system helps with developing:

• Awareness of when we are hungry, hot, thirsty, sleepy, etc.
• Knowing when to use the bathroom
• Identifying pain, such as stomach aches or sore throat.
• Emotional regulation
• Awareness of the emotions of others 

Some behaviors we may see due to sensory challenges within the interoceptive system include:

• • Misinterpreting a feeling or not being able to understand what they are feeling (inside their body)
  • Missing internal body signals 
    • Not feeling a sensation inside their body and, therefore being unresponsive
      • For example, not feeling the urge to go to the bathroom, so they soil themselves. 
  • Difficulty expressing an emotion or desire

• Difficulty reading body language or facial expressions 

• Emotional outbursts caused by missing or misinterpreting body signals 

A few activities that can be used to improve the interoceptive system:

• Use prompts and questions throughout the day to focus on internal body signals.
• Help support your child to better understand their body and recognize the feelings inside. 
• Practice mindfulness, yoga, body scanning with an emphasis on body sensations
• Read social stories to help understand body signals. 
• Expose them to various sensations and activities such as hot/cold, running/still, dry/wet, etc. and reflect on how the body feels.