7 Things Your Child’s Sensory System Is Trying to Tell You
Parents often sense when something feels “off,” long before anyone else notices. Maybe your child startles easily, gets overwhelmed by noise, or avoids certain textures or movements. These reactions aren’t defiance—these are clues.
When we pair sensory observations with an understanding of primitive reflexes, such as ATNR and STNR patterns, things begin to make sense, so you can respond with greater compassion. The goal isn’t to label your child—it’s to understand their body and experiences so you can meet them with clarity and connection to empower them!
What You’ll Learn About Sensory Checks, Primitive Reflexes & PDA
An intro to primitive reflexes, so you can begin empowering your child!
The difference between ATNR and STNR - and other reflexes
The link between ATNR & PDA
Get access to my robust Sensory Processing Disorder Checklist & more support!
Scroll down if you prefer to explore with me on YouTube!
Sensory Processing Disorder & Checklists: Making invisible patterns visible
If you’ve ever wished for a clear starting point, a sensory processing disorder (difference) checklist can help organize the patterns you’re already seeing. It helps you give context to what you are seeing - the behaviours, reactions, avoidance, and even sensory seeking.
It doesn’t diagnose—its role is to bring clarity, language, and compassion into your approach and empower your child. So instead of asking, “Why won’t my child do this?” you begin asking, “What sensation is too much—or not enough—for them right now?”
This shift alone can soften the entire home environment.
A sensory check helps you observe:
What overwhelms or shuts down your child
What they instinctively seek for comfort
Whether their system leans toward hypertonia or hypotonia
What supports regulation rather than escalation
A sensory processing checklist often reveals:
Sensitivities your child hasn’t verbalized
Movement cravings that help them regulate
Triggers that consistently overwhelm them
Tone-related patterns, whether hyper or hypotonic.
If You're Wondering What Hypertonic vs Hypotonic Means...
Hypertonic children may appear rigid or reactive.
Hypotonic children may seem floppy or disconnected.
Both are simply expressing their nervous system’s best attempt at balance and coordination, which involve the vestibular system, proprioception, and interoception. The vestibular system is our balance system. Proprioception is the awareness of where the body is in space. And interoception is awareness of the sensations within our body - heart beat, breath, bracing and ease patterns in the body.
Hypertonic children have patterns of 'high muscle tone' or rigidity in the body. Integration supports include:
Softer movement - exploring ways the body can move
Awareness of when the body is bracing & somatic practices to bring ease
Reducing overwhelm in their environment
Hypotonic children have low muscle tone and often lack strength & coordination. To build integration:
Postural endurance activities, with breaks, such as walking help
Core stability can be practiced laying down, seated, standing & in movement
Body awareness can be developed in relationship with how a child interacts with objects - throwing, catching, putting things down, writing, hugging
When you understand what's happening underneath, you can help create an environment that proactively empowers your child.
And when parents create supportive environments, they often notice improved sleep, smoother transitions, and a calmer daily rhythm. When the body feels safer, everything else becomes easier.
An Intro to Primitive Reflexes: Why early motor patterns still matter
Primitive reflexes are the foundational ways in which the body communicates and learns to move, affecting physical, emotional, and cognitive development. Many of these patterns begin in utero and ideally integrate around the age of 4, however; it's not uncommon for reflexes to not be fully integrated.
A sensory processing disorder checklist works hand in hand with understanding reflexes and can help identify which have not yet been fully integrated.
Primitive reflexes can explain why a child:
Struggles to sit upright
Tires quickly
Has emotional ups and downs
Avoids fine-motor tasks
Needs movement to focus
We're just going to take a peek at a few here, but if you search in my blog 'primitive reflexes', you will see a whole lot more. And I created a full course to help you help your child integrate these at home!! You can see more at the bottom of this page.
ATNR & PDA: When tone, reflexes & neuroception interact
The Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR) connects head movement with arm and leg movement. When ATNR stays active, everyday tasks—reading, writing, balancing—require extra effort.
Now imagine this layered with PDA (Pervasive Drive for Autonomy), a pattern of heightened threat detection where the child’s nervous system is constantly scanning for safety.
For a child with hypertonia or hypotonia, an unintegrated ATNR can feel like:
Their body won’t cooperate
Tasks require too much energy
Eye-hand coordination is overwhelming
Pressure to perform triggers shutdown or resistance
What often looks like avoidance is actually overwhelm.
Understanding this helps you pause, breathe, and approach your child with softness rather than urgency. First they need safety, then often a little more support to make things happen. The more they receive this, the less threat they perceive and greater confidence children build!
ATNR and STNR: Two reflexes that shape everyday functioning
While ATNR affects left-right coordination, STNR influences how your child moves from floor to sitting, or from sitting to standing. Together, ATNR and STNR affect posture, balance, focus, and even emotional regulation.
Signs these reflexes may still be active include:
W-sitting
Poor core strength
Slouching
Difficulty copying from a board
Coordination challenges
Handwriting stress
Fidgeting to maintain focus
These patterns deepen under stress—which is why compassionate flexibility matters. When you understand that your child’s body is asking for help, your approach naturally becomes gentler and more attuned. And again, they feel more supported, less threatened, and overwhelm reduces.
Primitive Reflexes PDF: A simple way to understand complex patterns
Parents often feel overwhelmed when learning about reflexes—there’s so much terminology. This is why I created a clear primitive reflexes pdf to help you.
A good guide will help you:
Identify signs of retained reflexes
Observe patterns with calm curiosity
Communicate with professionals more effectively
How you can empower your child through everyday activities
You don’t need to become an expert—you just need enough clarity to advocate for your child with confidence. This is exactly why I created Holistic Integrative Developmental Therapy - it walks you through this and keeps it fun!
Understanding the Body Creates Space for Connection
Your child’s sensory responses, tone, and reflex patterns are not barriers—they’re invitations. They reveal what the nervous system needs to feel safe, capable, and connected.
When you understand holistic child development, reflex patterns, and how to empower your child through these foundational stages, real change begins. You can empower your child's physical, emotional and cognitive development holistically - in the comfort of your own home (which btw saves thousands of dollars in therapy sessions)!
You support yourself with these too—because parenting gets lighter when things finally make sense.
Want to Learn More?
Go here for 1:1 & group support for parents of sensitive & ND children
Dive into Holistic Integrative Developmental Therapy here - including the Sensory Processing Checklist!
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out!
🌺 Katie
Please note that this information is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional for personalized guidance.
