01/14/2026
There can be many reasons a child becomes dysregulated.
Not everything is sensory.
A child might be struggling because they are:
• emotionally overwhelmed
• overtired or didn’t sleep well
• hungry, sick, or uncomfortable
• still building rapport and trust
• lacking structure or predictable routines
In my 10+ years in school-based OT, I’ve seen a huge increase in how quickly we jump to sensory. And while sensory strategies are powerful, they’re not always the whole answer.
Sometimes that pressure to find a quick sensory fix can even make therapists feel like they’re failing. When in reality, many regulation challenges don’t have a single simple solution. More often, it’s a combination of factors that requires a team approach, including teachers, families, and behavior specialists.
Some behaviors are not automatically sensory-based:
• crying when told “no”
• hitting, pushing, or biting when a toy is taken
• throwing materials when asked to clean up
• melting down after losing a game
• refusing to leave a preferred activity
These moments are often about emotional regulation, frustration tolerance, impulse control, and coping skills, not sensory input.
Self-regulation is absolutely critical for our students.
But sometimes it’s more than sensory and that’s okay.
It just means the support needs to be broader, deeper, and more collaborative.
💛
