Ruth Waldrop Occupational Therapist

09/11/2026

Interoception is one of those hidden sensory systems that can explain so much.

It is the sense that helps us notice what is happening inside our body — hunger, thirst, tiredness, needing the toilet, a racing heart, a tight chest, butterflies in the tummy.

And importantly, interoception is part of sensory processing.

That makes this particularly relevant for many neurodivergent children — including autistic children, where sensory differences are extremely common.

Some children notice internal signals very strongly. Others barely notice them until the sensation has become intense. A child may therefore appear to go from “fine” to overwhelmed very quickly, when in reality the earlier body signals were difficult to notice or interpret.

So if you are parenting an autistic or otherwise neurodivergent child and find yourself thinking, “They never seem to realise they’re hungry/tired/anxious until everything suddenly explodes” — interoception may be something worth understanding.

09/07/2026

08/22/2026

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From

08/22/2026

I've referenced this pyramid of learning many times! And it's been recently updated to include the interoception system.

You can read more about each sensory system here > https://www.growinghandsonkids.com/a-comprehensive-guide-to-sensory-processing.html?utm_campaign=meetedgar&utm_medium=social&utm_source=meetedgar.com

Get your printable copy of the pyramid here > https://play-spark.com/products/pyramid-of-learning-informational-handout?utm_campaign=meetedgar&utm_medium=social&utm_source=meetedgar.com

Reference: Pyramid of Learning (Taylor, Trott) 1991.

08/06/2026

Interesting

Music lessons “grow” a child’s brain by physically altering its structure and accelerating the maturation of neural pathways, particularly those responsible for sound processing, motor control and communication between the brain’s hemispheres. These changes are a result of neuroplasticity - the brain’s ability to reorganize itself in response to intensive multisensory and motor demands.

To elaborate, researchers using MRI scans has shown that even as little as 15 months of musical training can lead to visible structural changes in a young child’s brain:

🧠Corpus Callosum: The bridge of nerve fibers connecting the left and right hemispheres of the brain becomes larger and more robust. This enhances communication between different brain regions, improving overall coordination and problem-solving.

🧠Motor Cortex: Areas of the brain that control finger movements (the precentral gyrus) show greater relative size expansion, especially in children playing instruments like the piano or violin that require high manual dexterity.

🧠Auditory Cortex: Music training accelerates the development of the auditory pathway, helping the brain process sounds, pitches, and rhythms more accurately and efficiently.

The structural “growth” translates into several enhanced cognitive abilities, often referred to as “far transfer” skills. Because music and language share similar neural pathways, music lessons can speed up language acquisition, reading skills, and the ability to detect subtle differences in speech.

Learning to play an instrument is a “full body workout” for the brain that strengthens working memory (holding and manipulating information) and increases the attention span. The pattern recognition, counting, and understanding of fractions (rhythm/meter) involved in music are directly transferable to mathematical problem-solving. Music training also improves the brain’s ability to plan, organize and complete tasks.

These neural enhances are most profound when training begins during “sensitive periods” (typically before age 7), but they can provide lifelong benefits.

PMID: 19279238

08/01/2026

12 early signs of sensory overload

07/29/2026