Why doesn’t my child enjoy messy play? Why don’t they like playing in the sand pit?

by FamilyConnections | Apr 7, 2022 | Children, Sensory

The tactile system refers to our sense of touch. We receive information from our tactile system via the skin (from head to toe) to gauge everyday sensations such as temperature, vibration, pressure, itch and pain. It helps us understand the world around us and feel...

Food Glorious Food – How sensory processing influences your child’s feeding and mealtime skills.

by FamilyConnections | Mar 24, 2022 | Anxiety, Children, Emotions, Sensory

We have 8 senses – sight, smell, taste, hearing, touch, vestibular, proprioception and interoception.   There are 3 key types of sensory processing difficulties that can affect the way we process information through any of our 8 senses. These include:  · Sensory...

What does “crossing the midline” mean and how does it affect my child?

by FamilyConnections | Mar 3, 2022 | Children

Imagine there is a line that runs down the centre of your body, called the midline. Moving our right arm or leg across this midline to the left side (vice versa) is referred to as “crossing the midline”. When children can cross their midline effectively, they are...

Reading IS Hard

by FamilyConnections | Feb 22, 2022 | Children, Reading

Reading is a fundamental skill that all children are expected to be able to do. It supports learning, navigating the world (reading signs, shop names, packaging), and is considered an essential skill. It is not something that comes naturally. For many children...

Wired to Connect – why sensory input needs to co-occur with social connection.

by FamilyConnections | Feb 10, 2022 | Children, Emotions

There are three distinct parts of the brain that are responsible for arousal. These being the reticular activating system, thalamus, and the amygdala.   The reticular activating system acts as a gate keeper for sensation. At this level, the sensation is categorised as...