19/07/2025
This is so helpful!
Interoception skills...what are they and how are they different in Autistic and/or ADHD folks?
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Interoception is one of our SENSES....
but you probably didn't learn about it, in school.
Back then, you learned about taste, touch, sight, sound, and smell.
Well, Interoception is the sense you use to understand what is going on, INSIDE your body. 🩻
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It includes things like
thirst, hunger, pain,
overheating, fullness,
needing to p*e, nausea,
dizziness and tiredness. 😨🤤🤢
And also, it includes emotions like
anxiety, joy, fear,
calmness, anger, disgust,
anticipation, and sadness. 😁🤔😉
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Basically, Interoception is anything you FEEL on the inside,
that can give you CLUES,
as to how you should behave to keep your body SAFE and HEALTHY.
Interoception is a big deal! 🤩
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Of course...the problem is that ND people often have different Interoception skills than most.
Some are too strong... 💪
Like when your kid is unable
to tune out the anxiety they feel that the seam of their sock MIGHT become uncomfortable, later in the day,
so they insist on taking their shoes and socks off, even after they agreed that the socks weren't hurting them. 🧦
Or when they insist that they need to p*e again, because they have a single drop left in their bladder,
and so you have to pull back over at a second rest stop, 5 minutes after a bathroom break. 🚻
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Other Interoception skills are too weak. 😫
Like when your kid complains of feeling cold, but you question them and it turns out that they forgot to EAT for an entire day.
So you insist they try a sandwich and a glass of juice, even though they insist they aren't hungry, and now they feel better. 🥪🧃
Or when your child won't wear a coat when it's 20 degrees Fahrenheit, because they insist they don't get cold when playing in the snow.
And you have to nag them into wearing a coat, so other parents won't think you are neglectful. 🧥
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So, how do these Interoception skill differences, have a long term impact on Neuro-Spicy children?
*Well, it makes it difficult for them to meet their own, basic needs.
So they are more likely to need supervision and support to keep their bodies healthy. 🩺 🛌🍏
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*It also makes it harder for them to label their emotions and explain what is causing them to feel so upset.
They may NOT be able to identify (or articulate) what is causing their dysregulation. They just know that they feel upset! 😵💫 😖
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*It also means that ND kids are more likely to be told that their emotional experiences are invalid...because they don't seem to "make sense" to NT caregivers and p*ers. 🫠
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*And that leads to another complication...leading ND kids to feel socially disconnected not just from themselves, but also from others. 👤
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So...How can you help?
Lots of ways!
*You can use expressive language when you discuss your own feelings, to help them understand the physical experience of emotion.
("I'm so angry. My face feels hot, and my fists are balled up. I keep clenching my teeth and I think it's giving me a headache.") 💚
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*You can help them to make connections between their physical actions and their Interoceptive responses. 💛
("I know you said that you aren't thirsty, but I just watched you play soccer for 45 minutes on a sunny day. You were running really fast, and there is sweat on your face. That means your body lost some water and you need to replace that water to stay hydrated and healthy.")
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*You can make a list of ways in which your child's Interoception seems different from most, and take it to an Occupational Therapist to get a consultation. 💙
(Troubles with toilet training, getting to sleep, eating or stopping eating, keeping clothes on...OT can help!)
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*You can encourage them to "check in" with their tummy, bladder, mouth, hands, feet, ears, and eyes, one by one, after they finish a strenuous activity. 🧡
(Are your eyes tired of bright light, or feeling okay with the light?
Do your feet want a break from wearing shoes? Do they need dry socks because they got sweaty?)
I strongly recommend using a visual aide like a full length photo when you do this.
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*You can even get Interoception workbooks to do with your kids,
to help build up that mind-body connection that is so important to staying healthy. 💜
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🌟 Important information!!! 🌟
If your child is prone to meltdowns or emotional dysregulation, you should be looking into things like Interoception and Alexithymia.
(Alexithymia, also called "emotion blindness," is a trait which can make people unaware/unable to label their emotions.
It can also make it difficult for them to recognize OTHER people's emotions.)
🏊 🤸♀️ 🧕 👨🦽 🚣♀️ 🧘🏾♂️ ⛹️♂️ 🧍♀️ 👦
Imagine being an upset, confused little kid, and adults keep saying,
"You did that on purpose! You KNEW it would make your sister cry! And you KNEW that would upset me!
You must LOVE making everyone around you, angry and sad. You are grounded!"
...and you don't really understand what is happening, because it's like everyone is speaking a foreign tongue. 😟
You cannot teach Emotional and Physical Regulation skills--
without also helping your child to develop healthy Interoception and a VOCABULARY around sensations and feelings.
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I am currently sick with an upper respiratory infection.
I'm telling you.... because I continue to struggle with weak Interoception, as an adult.
Because I had a back injury this week, I have been writing off my ILLNESS as PAIN, for days. (Not realizing I could have BOTH)
It wasn't until my MOM told me she was sick, that I stopped and went,
"Huh! I am coughing and my sinuses are swollen and I have a low grade fever, too!"
We both have medical visits tomorrow, thankfully.
But I'm 44.... Autism and ADHD makes this stuff hard, even for me!
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What is an area YOUR family ...
has needed Interoception help with, longer or later or more intensely than most?
Some options are....
*Remembering to dress for the appropriate weather
*Remembering to eat/drink
*Stopping something physically strenuous BEFORE getting hurt
*Knowing when they need sleep
*Recognizing other people's feelings
*Potty training
*Knowing when to take a sensory break (put on headphones, or ask to go to a quiet corner)
*Recognizing they need to Calm down before trying to solve a problem
*Identifying when they feel sick or are injured
*Keeping clothes on when they are just mildly damp or the seam is askew
*Being able to label their internal emotions
Etc.
