Written by: Shoshi Tau,
Founder and Director of OTogether
Summary – Key Takeaways:
- Communication disorders involve difficulty with social interaction, language use, and emotional reciprocity.
- Sensory processing issues interfere with the ability to interpret and respond to environmental stimuli.
- Many children on the autism spectrum experience both communication and sensory challenges.
- Signs of sensory dysregulation include over-responsiveness, under-responsiveness, or constant sensory-seeking behaviors.
- Occupational therapy can integrate sensory needs to enhance social communication and participation.
- Personalized sensory strategies lead to better understanding, regulation, and engagement.
What Is a Communication Disorder?
A communication disorder, as defined by the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), involves a qualitative impairment in social interaction and verbal/non-verbal communication. Key features may include:
- Limited or absent eye contact, facial expressions, or physical gestures.
- Difficulty developing peer relationships appropriate to the child’s developmental level.
- Lack of spontaneous sharing of enjoyment, interests, or achievements with others.
- Delays or lack of spoken language without compensating with alternative communication such as gestures.
- Challenges in initiating or sustaining conversations.
- Repetitive or stereotypical language use, or “private” language understood only by the child and close caregivers.
- Lack of varied, spontaneous, or imaginative play.
- Rigid or repetitive behavior patterns, intense focus on specific topics, and strict adherence to routines.
These features are often observed in children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), although communication challenges can also appear in other developmental profiles.
What Is Sensory Regulation?
Sensory regulation refers to the brain’s ability to interpret and respond appropriately to sensory information received from the environment. Our senses include:
- Visual (sight)
- Auditory (hearing)
- Tactile (touch)
- Proprioceptive (deep body awareness) – senses movement and body position
- Vestibular (balance and spatial orientation) – detects head position in relation to gravity
- Olfactory (smell)
- Gustatory (taste)
- Interoception – senses internal signals such as hunger, thirst, or the need to use the restroom
When one or more of these systems are either over- or under-responsive, it affects how the child interacts with the world.
Types of Sensory Dysregulation and How to Recognize Them
1. Sensory Over-Responsiveness (Hypersensitivity) – “Everything feels too much”
Children with low neurological thresholds perceive normal stimuli as overwhelming. They may:
- Avoid physical touch, resist washing hair or face, and react strongly to certain food textures.
- Cover their ears in response to everyday sounds like a phone ringing or a vacuum cleaner.
- Avoid crowded or noisy places such as malls or birthday parties.
- React strongly to minor changes in routine, which may appear as rigid or inflexible behavior.
2. Sensory Under-Responsiveness (Hyposensitivity) – “Nothing gets through”
Children with high neurological thresholds may appear unresponsive to sensory input. They may:
- Not respond to their name being called or to loud sounds.
- Seem dreamy, disconnected, or slow to initiate activity.
- Show delays in motor development due to reduced engagement with their environment.
- Display a flat affect, low energy levels, and diminished exploratory behavior.
3. Sensory Seeking Behaviors – “I need more!”
These children actively seek strong sensory input to feel regulated. They may:
- Crave deep pressure through tight hugs or rough play.
- Constantly move, jump, crash into things, or chew on objects.
- Show impulsivity, messiness, or what appears to be hyperactivity.
- Be misunderstood as defiant or disruptive, and may sometimes be misdiagnosed with ADHD.
The Link Between Sensory Processing and Communication
Many children with communication disorders also struggle with sensory regulation. These issues are often interwoven:
- A child sensitive to noise may avoid group settings, limiting social engagement.
- A child who doesn’t register sensory input well may not respond to verbal cues, delaying language development.
- A sensory-seeking child may appear “busy” or distracted, reducing opportunities for shared attention and interaction.
Recognizing these patterns helps professionals and caregivers create supportive strategies that nurture both sensory and social development.
Occupational Therapy: Bridging Sensory Needs and Communication Skills
Occupational therapists (OTs) are uniquely trained to address both sensory processing and developmental challenges. Sensory-based interventions can be used to motivate and support communication. For example:
“If a child enjoys vestibular input, we might offer time on a swing. But to continue the activity, the child is encouraged to communicate—a gesture, a word, a sign—making the sensory activity a pathway to shared interaction.”
By using sensory experiences that are enjoyable and regulating, OTs create opportunities to build communication, turn-taking, and participation.
Moreover, occupational therapists design personalized sensory diets, environmental modifications, and learning strategies that help children function optimally in home, school, and community settings.
In Summary – Understanding Leads to Empowerment
Understanding the relationship between sensory processing and communication is key to helping children thrive. Whether sensory modulation is the therapeutic goal or a tool to facilitate communication, the right approach can make all the difference.
With the guidance of a skilled occupational therapist, families and educators can learn how to:
- Identify sensory patterns
- Interpret behavioral responses
- Encourage regulated, connected, and meaningful interactions
Empowering children begins with seeing the full picture—and supporting them from both a sensory and communication perspective.