When we started designing Pok Pok Playroom, we spent a lot of time crafting toys, sounds and animations that would be gentle and not dysregulate or overstimulate kids. A little while ago we started working with Laura Petix to help make sure we were getting this right and to better understand how to make our toys as sensory accessible as possible.

Laura is a paediatric occupational therapist with a background in neuropsychology who specializes in sensory processing challenges. We’ve asked her to share some of her work and dive deeper into sensory dysregulation — a topic that many families face but is seldom talked about.

We all have sensory quirks, sensory preferences and sensory needs. Some people need quiet to focus, others need techno music. Some become agitated by the sound of a motorcycle zooming past them loudly, others really don’t mind it at all. Our kids experience all these kinds of things too.

Raising kids with different sensory needs can sometimes feel like solving a crossword puzzle without all of the clues — confusing. There are so many things that kids experience in a day, and it’s not always clear what tools, toys and experiences are just right for their brains.

When things aren’t just right, they can experience what’s called sensory dysregulation.

What is sensory dysregulation?

If you’re a parent, teacher, or anyone who works with kids, chances are, you know what dysregulation looks like — you just may not know what to call it.

Sensory dysregulation is when your central nervous system (your brain) is imbalanced due to an excess of sensory input, or not enough sensory input.

Some children have a neurologically low threshold for most sensory input, which means they can be hypersensitive to sensory input, like visual, auditory, tactile, etc. My daughter falls into this category. These children are more prone to melt downs and become dysregulated when their brain believes something is too much to process, such as the sound of a blender or the feeling of paint on their hands.

Children who have a high threshold for sensory input can tolerate more sensory input than the average person. For example, a child with a high threshold for movement can spin in circles repeatedly without feeling dizzy. A child with a high threshold for sound might not realize when their voice is very loud, or may even enjoy really loud sounds and music.

High threshold children can also show signs of dysregulation, but it can look different than children with a low threshold. For example, some kids can’t get enough movement and often seek more and more physical stimulation, they’re often called sensory seekers. These movement seekers may run and run, but instead of becoming calmer and more regulated, you may notice shrieking, drooling, and extremely fast and unsafe movements — a sign that a child may be dysregulated.

The signs of sensory dysregulation

Dysregulation can come in different forms for different kids, but here are some general things to look out for. This is not an exhaustive list—since every child is unique, they may exhibit different signs than the ones below.

• Uncontrollable laughter (this is common for movement seekers, and many adults think this signifies that the child is enjoying it, but it can often mean dysregulation)
• Fast and hard movements
• Speaking fast (or In a way that you can’t understand them)
• Excess saliva (it doesn’t always look like drooling, sometimes they could just have an extremely wet mouth when doing a sensory activity)
• Unable to follow instructions (if you ask them to do a simple task, they either won’t hear, or are unable to follow through)
• Impulsive (especially with unsafe movements)
• Dilated pupils
• Shrieking or high pitch yelling

For contrast, here are some signs of a child who is regulated:

• Slower breathing/heart rate
• Lower/regular volume of voice
• Able to participate in conversations
• Able to focus on instructions and complete a task
• More controlled movements (or better able to sit calmly during a seated task)

What to do if your child is dysregulated

Overall, one of the best ways to support your child’s regulation at home is by learning about what their triggers are and experimenting with what regulates them best.

I’ve found that creating a sensory corner in the home is a wonderful tool — make this a cosy, inviting space filled with your child’s favorite sensory tools, such as bubbles, a heavy lap pad, a squeeze fidget toy or noise cancelling headphones.

While triggers for dysregulation can often vary and look different depending on what sensory profile the child has, there are common attributes of a calming, regulating environment that can help. If you notice your child is dysregulated, try redirecting them from the dysregulating activity by:

• Giving them firm pressure and a tight squeeze to the arms and legs
• Taking them to a dimly lit area (if indoors)
• Taking them outside if the indoor space is too loud and overstimulating
• Take them indoors if the outdoor space is too loud, bright and overstimulating
• Bringing them to a quiet space or and playing some low, slow instrumental music or nature sounds (Pok Pok’s Town toy does a great job of simulating these calming nature sounds)
• Use a calming lavender scent (candles, spray, diffuser oil)
• Have them take deep breaths with their eyes closed

Sensory regulation and digital play

As a millennial parent and work-from-home mom with a preschooler, you can bet that screens are part of our daily life. Technology can be a very powerful tool in therapy, especially when its content is sensory regulating and educational.

When I first played with Pok Pok Playroom, I immediately noticed how integrated and accessible the sensory experiences were. I loved how regulated my daughter was not only while playing with it, but even after she turned the iPad off (which was surprisingly easy for her to do with Pok Pok). It’s what inspired me to get involved with the project and become part of their advisory team.

For my daughter, the Playroom has been a wonderful tool — it’s why I’m now involved in the project. In the past, I’ve found some kid’s apps to be dysregulating for her and cause meltdowns when it was time to transition away from the iPad, but Pok Pok Playroom is different. Together with the Pok Pok team, we’ve dedicated so much care in making sure its gentle toys and sounds ease kids into a state of focused relaxation that they love, but are also quite happy stepping away from to do something else.

Laura Petix is a Paediatric Occupational Therapist with a degree in NeuroPsychology and Occupational Therapy. Her work focuses on sensor-based interventions with children who have sensory processing challenges. She also has a little girl with sensory processing disorder and anxiety.

You can find her sharing daily nuggets of helpful information over on her instagram @TheOTButterfly.