Caregivers’ sensory tendencies in parenting: Supporting stronger family bonds

As a Pediatric Occupational Therapist specializing in sensory integration, I realize that successful intervention extends beyond the child. It necessitates a comprehensive understanding and treatment of the entire family system. Each individual, including the caregivers, possesses a unique sensory system that shapes their perception and interaction with the world. This understanding is crucial, especially when working with families of neurodivergent children.

Recent research has highlighted the genetic predisposition for sensory processing differences to be passed down from parents to their children (Thye et al., 2020). Recognizing the strengths and challenges within the family system becomes an invaluable asset for occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs). It allows for tailored support, which fosters adaptability and change, and ultimately empowers families to navigate the unique needs of their neurodivergent child. In their 2017 research paper, Pfeiffer and colleagues concluded that if the person–environment fit is improved, the effort necessary to support participation is reduced (Pfeiffer et al., 2017). If we expand this concept and consider the caregiver’s sensory experience and sensory needs, we open the door to a new layer of intervention. Including the sensory perception of the caregiver in making environmental changes, accommodations, and sensory recommendations traditionally geared toward the sensory system of the neurodivergent child, we improve the caregiver–child bond and relationship. If both the child’s and the caregiver’s needs are considered in the therapeutic equation, the odds of a family system finding homeostasis can only improve.