Children experience the world through their senses, and for some, sensory processing works a little differently. When a child struggles with interpreting sensory information, such as touch, sound, or movement, it can lead to balance, coordination, and strength challenges. These movement challenges and sensory difficulties often affect everyday activities like climbing, running, or even sitting still.
At Therapy In Motion, our pediatric physical therapy sessions are designed to address these challenges through fun, play-based activities that help children build strength, improve coordination, and feel more confident in their bodies.
Understanding the Link Between Sensory Processing and Movement
When a child’s brain struggles to process sensory information effectively, it can impact their ability to plan and execute coordinated movements. This often results in:
- Poor balance and stability
- Difficulty with motor planning (knowing how to start and complete a movement)
- Challenges with coordination and strength
As you can see, sensory integration and motor skills are closely connected, meaning therapy that addresses both can lead to better outcomes.
Real Stories: How Two Types of Sensory Processing Difficulties Affect Movement
Sensory challenges typically manifest in three ways. Some kids are hypersensitive, meaning they overreact to sensory input (e.g., finding certain textures, lights, or movements overwhelming). Others are hyposensitive, meaning they underreact to sensory input (e.g., craving intense movement or not noticing when they bump into things). Some children have a combination of the two.
We want to share two patient stories (names have been changed) to illustrate the effects of movement challenges and sensory processing disorders. One child struggled with hypersensitivity and the other with hyposensitivity. Let’s look at how these challenges appear in real life through two examples.
Emma: Overcoming Hypersensitivity Through Gentle Exposure
Emma came to Therapy In Motion with hypersensitivity to touch and movement. She disliked swings, climbing structures, and even simple tasks like walking on uneven ground. These sensory experiences made her anxious, which limited her ability to develop essential gross motor skills.
Through playful, graded exposure, including using soft-textured play mats, gentle rocking activities, and a structured obstacle course, Emma learned to tolerate new sensations. Over time, she gained confidence and improved her balance, coordination, and willingness to try new movements.
Liam: Building Strength Through High-Energy Play
Liam experienced hyposensitivity, meaning his body constantly craved movement and pressure. While he loved rough play, he struggled with body awareness, often bumping into objects and having difficulty with precise movements like throwing or jumping.
At Therapy In Motion, our therapists used fun, high-energy exercises such as trampoline jumping, resistance-based play, and balance challenges. These activities helped Liam build body awareness, core strength, and coordination in a safe, controlled way.
More About Our Approach to Building Strength and Coordination
As you can see from the patient stories, we focus on helping kids overcome movement challenges and sensory issues by turning therapy into play.
Why Play-Based Therapy Works
Play is a child’s natural way of learning. Combining movement with enjoyable, meaningful activities leads to better participation and faster progress. We design our sessions to be:
- Fun and engaging, which encourages kids to participate willingly.
- Tailored to each child’s sensory needs and abilities.
- Goal-focused, with an emphasis on targeting real-life improvements like running, climbing, or self-care activities.
What’s Included in Sessions?
Balance and Coordination Games
- Including obstacle courses, balance beams, and stepping stones to improve stability.
Strength-Building Activities
- Including climbing walls, resistance bands, and crawling challenges that target core and limb muscles.
Sensory-Rich Experiences
- Swings, textured surfaces, and weighted activities to help kids adjust to different sensory inputs.
Help Your Child Thrive
If your child is experiencing movement challenges and sensory issues, the right support can make a world of difference. At Therapy In Motion, our expert pediatric physical therapists use evidence-based, play-driven strategies to help kids build strength, coordination, and confidence.
Schedule an appointment at our Olathe, KS clinic and take the first step toward helping your child move, play, and thrive with ease.
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