Have you heard of interoception? The 8th sensory system isn’t as well known as its 7 older brothers and sisters, but it’s equally important.
So what is interoception? While the other sensory systems are focused on the perception of external sensations, interoception is the perception of internal sensations.
It is critically important for our kids because it helps them understand and feel what is going on inside their bodies.
Interoception helps kids determine:
- heart beating fast or slow
- hungry or full
- thirsty or quenched
- hot or cold
- nauseated
- itchy
- ticklish
- breathing regulation
- emotion
- symptoms of pain or illness
Kids who have interoception challenges may also struggle with self-regulation. Seemingly simple things such as getting a drink of water when thirsty or making it to the bathroom on time are not simple when feeling thirsty or knowing that your bladder is full are sensations that are poorly developed.
It can be more difficult for these kids to recognize their emotions. Many emotions present internal signals such as racing heart for fear or excitement. When these aren’t recognized, learning to recognize the associated emotion is affected as well.
When I first began to learn about the sensory systems and how they were impacting my kids who had sensory processing challenges, interoception wasn’t yet known.
At the time, it was hard enough for me to wrap my head around words like “vestibular” and “proprioception”!
Learning about interoception years later was the key to helping me better understand one of my sons.
The 8th Sensory System
Our youngest son struggled with challenges that I didn’t recognize as being related to sensory because he wasn’t showing the typical sensory seeking or sensory avoiding behaviours. But he seemed to have a hard time recognizing hunger and thirst and he was hot when others were cold and cold when others were hot.
His body temperature issues often led to difficult behaviours as he felt irritable when he felt hot, which was most of the time. He often went outside in our Canadian winters without a coat or gloves on.
His pain tolerance seemed to be off the charts. In fact, he has such a high threshold for pain that he was still playing basketball the day before his appendix almost burst.
These little quirks were quite the mystery.
I have since learned more about interoception and have a better understanding of how it affects him. I have also learned that with interoception, there can also be signs of sensory seeking or sensory avoiding, but they may be more difficult to discern than with the other sensory systems.
One way of thinking about interoception that helped me to better grasp of it is thinking of it as our body’s warning system. There are certain body sensations that lead us to discomfort, danger, or alert us to our body’s needs.
Listening to those signals allows us to rectify the issue (such as drinking when thirsty) leading to self-regulation. When a child (or adult) can’t recognize or identify those signals or is getting the wrong signals, it can cause frustration, stress, and lead to physical repercussions.
Signs your child may struggle with interoception:
- eating or drinking too little or too much
- rapid or shallow breathing
- bedwetting
- toileting accidents during the day
- frequent bathroom visits
- delayed potty training
- incontinence or constipation
- trouble explaining illness or their symptoms such as nausea, headache, fever, chills, stomach aches, muscle aches
- unusual response to pain (pain tolerance that seems too high or too low)
- not noticing injuries
- reporting pain or discomfort often
- difficulty processing stress or emotions
- issues with self-regulation
- difficulty regulating emotions
- having “big emotions”
There is still much to be learned about interoception and research is ongoing. Early indications show that mindfulness, heavy work, and a sensory diet may be effective ways to treat issues with this sensory system.
How to Improve Interoception Awareness for Kids:
- Teach kids about their sensory systems, their sensory preferences, and their sensory needs. A great way to do this is with the Teaching Kids About Sensory Starter Kit, specifically the My Sensory Self Workbook and the When I Feel Sensory Overload Workbook. Both of those really help students to get in touch with their own sensory needs.
- Model talking about how you are feeling in terms of your internal body signals. “My bladder (point to where this is in your lower stomach area) feels full which means I need to pee. I had better go to the bathroom.” or “That grumble and the empty feeling in my stomach means that I’m hungry and should eat.”
- Ask probing questions to help your child focus in on the sensations in their own body.
- Help improve their emotional vocabulary and awareness of their own emotions. You can do this with resources such as the Teaching Emotions Toolkit or with emotions activities.
- Incorporate heavy work into their day. Every day.
- Work on mindfulness.
- Yoga is a way for kids to get in touch with the sensations in their bodies. Kids Yoga Stories is a great place to find resources for this or you can check out Cosmic Kids Yoga on YouTube.
Interoception Resources:
Sensory Processed Explained
Teaching Kids About Sensory KitBreathing Exercises Cards for KidsYoga Cards for KidsThe Interoception Curriculum: A Step-by-Step Guide to Developing Mindful Self-Regulation
Interoception: How I Feel: Sensing My World from the Inside OutMy Body Sends a Signal: Helping Kids Recognize Emotions and Express FeelingsI Feel… Something: Listening to Your Body for Kids (Social Skills for Kids, Interoception for Kids, Social Emotional Learning)
10 Interoception Activities and Strategies for Kids
I know that if you’re just hearing about this sensory system for the first time, it can feel overwhelming. But it may also feel hopeful once you realize that there may be an explanation for why your child is behaving a certain way or having certain reactions.
When we can better understand our kids, we can better help them.
Even if you don’t struggle with sensory issues yourself, I’m sure you can relate to the feeling of sensory overload. We’ve all been there. For some, it may be at a concert or crowded event. For others, it’s being in a gymnasium full of screeching preschoolers. Or perhaps for you, it’s 
The kids got older. I still saw the need for a sensory room. I knew that if I didn’t create one now, they would soon be grown. That prompted my decision to use a storage closet as the space. I began planning how I could make things myself instead of purchasing expensive equipment.
(photos courtesy of Shelley of 
I placed a bean bag chair under the fibre optic light curtain and a mermaid pillow on top of the bean bag chair. I also have a few “brain friendly” books sitting there in case one of the kids wants to read while they are in the calm down corner. 
There is a long mirror across from that corner. This is for two reasons. The first is that the room used to be a storage closet so it’s very small and the mirror helps it feel bigger. The second is that kids can use the mirror to monitor their breathing and facial expressions which can help them to self-regulate.
The box contains all kinds of fidgets including pencil toppers, 
On the felt board, I put the words “In Through Your Nose Out Through Your Mouth” as a reminder for my kids to do their 
It’s a great alternative to a weighted blanket for those that don’t want the heavy weight or heat of a weighted blanket.
Weighted neck wraps can be particularly beneficial for those with sensory processing disorder, autism, or ADHD. They can help reduce excessive movement and provide more focus and calming. 
When I was growing up, my mom made homemade playdough. For some reason, our playdough was always green. I’m not sure why she never made it another colour, but when I think of homemade playdough, a certain shade of green is what comes to mind!
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Important note: I know that there continues to be debate over mask wearing. Regardless of how you personally feel about masks, the fact remains that more and more regulations are being put in place requiring the use of masks. This article is not meant to debate the effectiveness of face masks or whether or not they should be mandated. It is meant to address the practicalities of having children wear masks, particularly children who struggle with sensory issues and may therefore find it more difficult. 
