Support for Sensory Processing Difficulties
If everyday sounds, textures, or movement seem to overwhelm your child — or they’re constantly seeking movement, crashing, and deep pressure — you’re not imagining it. Sensory processing difficulties are one of the most common reasons families come to The Bridge Effect in Northmead.
Our occupational therapists are trained in sensory integration and work with children of every sensory profile, using our purpose-built clinic — including an outdoor sensory play space — to help your child feel calmer and more in control of their world.
We start with a thorough sensory assessment — not a guess. From there, we map your child’s individual sensory profile and build a therapy plan around it.
Therapy is active and child-led, using swinging, climbing, crashing, and balancing rather than worksheets, with parent coaching every session so strategies carry through at home.
Sensory processing difficulties can affect any of the eight sensory systems. We support children across the full range of sensory presentations, including:
Sensory processing disorder refers to consistent, significant difficulties with how the brain receives, organises, and responds to sensory information. Children with SPD may be over-sensitive to certain input, under-sensitive, or constantly seeking intense sensory stimulation. It isn’t a standalone DSM-5 diagnosis, but it’s widely recognised by occupational therapists as a real and treatable clinical presentation.
Common signs include extreme reactions to clothing textures, sounds, or food textures; constant seeking of intense movement or deep pressure; meltdowns that seem disproportionate; difficulty settling or sleeping; and avoiding messy play or certain environments. An OT assessment will give you a clear clinical picture.
No, though they frequently co-occur. Sensory sensitivities are very common in autistic children, but sensory processing difficulties also occur in children without autism, and not every autistic child has significant sensory difficulties. The two are related but distinct.
A sensory diet is a personalised daily programme of sensory activities that gives your child’s nervous system the regular input it needs to stay regulated. It typically includes movement breaks, proprioceptive activities, and environmental adjustments, designed around your child’s specific sensory profile.
Yes. The Bridge Effect has a purpose-built therapy space with sensory equipment, plus an outdoor sensory play space integrated into sessions — giving children proprioceptive, vestibular, and tactile input that’s hard to replicate indoors.
We invite you to learn more about how the The Bridge Effect can make a significant difference in your family’s life. Whether it’s about taking the first steps or continuing the journey, we’re here to support you every step.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation and begin a new chapter in your child’s developmental story.
