Meet the Overs and the Unders

Meet the Overs and the Unders: Making Sense of Sensory Processing is appropriate for children, parents, families, teachers, and professionals. As an occupational therapist (OT) for many years I have found it challenging to talk to children about sensory processing. One of the hardest parts is finding a simple definition and way to discuss an important process of our body that helps us complete things we do every day. As a clinician, I have found the most important part of addressing sensory challenges is to first identify whether a child is over-responsive or under-responsive. Over-responsive (or over-reactive) individuals need LESS sensory information than most others. For example, if too many things are going on around them, they may try to run, hide or have a meltdown. Under-responsive (or under-reactive) individuals need MORE sensory information than most others. For example, they may not respond if their name is called or notice when they bump into someone else. A child's ability to make sense of their sensory processing style is an invaluable skill. Discovering whether someone is over- or under-responsive helps determine what sensory tools will best meet their sensory needs to help them feel more comfortable and confident. The good news is, with this interactive tool, children will now have help visualizing different areas of sensory processing, to help them understand that they are not alone and that they are able to find tools to help them throughout their days. In this book, your child will be introduced to two different families, the Overs and the Unders, as they explore the eight different sensory systems and their over- or under-reactions to different sensory input. Beautiful illustrations paired with just the right questions, this book will help open the lines of communication to start talking more easily about sensory processing with elementary school-age children. Your child will be able to return to this book if they ever need to revisit their sensory processing style, and we include a downloadable worksheet for your child to complete any time they want.