The Sensory Code: What Your Child's Behavior Is Trying to Tell You with Occupational Therapist Laura Petix

SPEAKER_1 (0:02)

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Laura Petix (0:30)

So if as parents and teachers, we can allow the behavior that's happening or contain it to a certain part of the room, or create a safer way for it to happen, like maybe you do have the resources to put up a pull-up bar for them to hang from, or even a rock wall in some people's houses, or a inflatable jumping pad on the side. However, you can see your child's behavior and recognize this is what they need right now to be able to get through this evening routine. I'm going to try to allow it to happen in a regulated and safe way, rather than just say, can you just sit still and not move?

Dr. Mona Amin (1:12)

Welcome back to the show. It's Dr. Mona, your online pediatrician, maybe your mom friend or you feel like that in that parasocial relationship. But I want you to know something. This show is nominated for an award. Yes, The PedsDocTalk Podcast is nominated for its first award ever. And it makes me so happy. The Signal Award for Best Show in Family and Child Raising. But you have to vote for us to even have a chance of winning. If you've learned something from this show, felt less alone because of a conversation we've had or shared an episode with another parent or your spouse, please take less than three minutes and vote. Go to the link in caption or vote.signalaward.com.

Search my category, Best in Show in Family and Child Raising and vote for our show. Please, how amazing would it be for the show to be recognized? Okay, but let's get into today's conversation, and it's going to make you want to go vote, I promise. Have you ever looked at your child and thought, why are they doing this? Why can't they sit still? Why are they crashing into everything? Why does getting dressed turn into a full blown battle? A kid we might call misbehaved may actually be a kid whose body is telling us they need a different approach. And understanding their sensory code may be one piece we've been missing.

Every child has sensory needs, whether they're neurodivergent, neurotypical, diagnosed or not. And while sensory needs don't explain every behavior, understanding what's happening underneath the behavior can completely change how we respond to it. And I've experienced this firsthand, and we'll talk about it in the episode.

Today's guest is Laura Petix, a neurodivergent pediatric occupational therapist, author of Sensory Code, Understanding Sensory Processing Differences to Support Your Child's Unique Needs, and a nationally recognized voice in sensory processing and nervous system informed behavior support. She's also the founder of the OT Butterfly, where she's helped hundreds of thousands of parents, educators and clinicians better understand kids and their sensory needs. We're talking about how there's not just five senses, but eight senses, what sensory seeking can actually look like, why some kids go from zero to 100, and how sensory processing can affect everything from meltdowns to picky eating. And most importantly, what we can do with this information.

So if you've ever felt like you're trying every parenting strategy and still can't figure out what your child's behavior is telling you, you are not alone. Sometimes we need to look underneath the behavior before deciding what to do about it and understand their sensory code.

Make sure you're subscribed to the podcast, download this episode and send it to another parent who needs it. And if something clicks, share it and tag The PedsDocTalk Podcast, PedsDocTalk and The OT Butterfly so we know that you're listening. Let's get into the sensory code.

Thank you so much for joining us, Laura.

Laura Petix (4:07)

I'm so excited to be here with you, Mona.

Dr. Mona Amin (4:10)

I'm so excited. When I meet people online and then we become real-life friends, and one of those real-life friends ends up having something like a book, congratulations, it makes me feel so happy for you. It smells so good.

Laura Petix (4:24)

It's one of the first things I did. I just, I like whiffed it. I'm like, like that new book smell, like a baby's head. Like it's just nothing, nothing replicates it. It's very satisfying. Yes, absolutely.