Did you know we had an 8th sensory system? It's called interoception. It's our sense that tells us how our bodies are feeling inside. It helps us identify all types of emotions; homestatic or affective. Homestatic emotions are thirst, hunger, the need to use the restroom. Affective emotion can be fear, anger, anxiety. For me, my interocepitve awareness of a fast beating heart, sweaty palms, and nervous stomach is my body’s way of telling me I’m anxious. Occupational therapists evaluate and determine if a child is having underlying challenges with any of their sensory systems, including interoception. Kelly Mahler is an occupational therapist who has done so much research in this area. She has created an easy-to-follow, well designed curriculum that you can use to build interoceptive awareness with your clients. She also has a great course both Genna and I would recommend taking if you're interested in learning more about this hidden sense. Interoception challenges may be the missing link to students/clients who are struggling with self-regulation.

Today’s momma segment 25:13 , we talked about bath time and offer some momma tips! One tip is to be careful of the fun, plastic toys that squirt water as they can collect mold if you're not careful. Genna shares a great mom hack that can help! Listen in!

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Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only. This is not a substitute for occupational therapy services. Please contact a licensed and registered occupational therapist for individualized consultation and/or treatment. If you or your child already receive support from an occupational therapist, it is recommended you consult with your therapist prior to participating in our recommendations.

This podcast episode presents the views of only these two occupational therapists: Genna Espinoza and Shannon Perez.