32. Is Your Child's Sensory Cup Overfilling? with Kelsea Newman, OTR/L
On this weeks episode, Brittyn welcomes Kelsea Newman, a pediatric occupational therapist and sensory specialist who empowers children by strengthening their senses and nervous system to help with attention, anxiety, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and emotional regulation.
She is passionate about our sensory system and how it connects to our nervous system, which impacts every single little thing we do, how we move, how we feel, how we digest our food, how we communicate, how we learn, and how we connect to the world around us!
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IN THIS EPISODE
Filling your child’s sensory cup before, during, and after mealtime
How sensory processing is not the same as sensory differences
What is interoception and how can you strengthen it
LINKS
Join the Autism Nutrition Library
Follow @AutismDietitian on Instagram
Follow @sensory_therapist on Instagram
Learn more about how to work with Kelsea
TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to the Nourishing Autism Podcast where you take a deep dive into the research on autism and dietary changes, nutrition supplements, and lifestyle modifications. Every week, we break down nutrition topics and an easy-to-understand way for you to feel less overwhelmed and feel confident on your nutrition journey with autism.
Hi, everybody! Welcome to the Nourishing Autism Podcast. I'm your host Brittyn Coleman, the autism dietitian. And I'm so excited you're here today because I have an amazing guest. Her name is Kelsea Newman, and she is a pediatric occupational therapist and sensory specialist who empowers children by strengthening their senses and nervous system to help with attention, anxiety, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and emotional regulation.
We had a really amazing conversation and I know you'll take away a lot from it. She talks all about our sensory system and how it connects to our nervous system, which impacts [00:01:00] every single little thing we do, how we move, how we feel, how we digest our food, how we communicate, how we learn and how we connect to the world around us. Really excited for you to hear our conversation and i hope you enjoy!
Brittyn: Today I'm so excited to have Kelsea here with me talking about occupational therapy, sensory therapy. So Thank you so much Kelsea for being.
Kelsea: Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited to be here.
Brittyn: Good. I can't wait. We were just talking that we've been connected for, you know, over a year now. And so It's about time that we finally met had a conversation, cause he was such an overlap in our clients and what we do.
Kelsea: so, so excited to finally meet, you know, to officially meet you. It's like we've been chatting for so long now, but I love our Instagram friendship. It's been nice.
Brittyn: Totally agreed. Well tell us a little bit about yourself and your work as an occupational therapy.
Kelsea: So [00:02:00] I am a pediatric occupational therapist and a sensory specialist. And so a little bit about what led me to specialize against sensory therapy is sensory therapy actually really saved and entirely changed my own life. So I am neurodivergent. I have ADHD and also struggled with anxiety for most of my life from just having a dysregulated and not knowing what's my sensory needs are, how to meet my sensory needs, or not knowing what my nervous system needed to regulate. So, in college, when I was in college, I ended up just being very depressed and anxious just from that dysregulated nervous state and what led to what really felt like the rock bottom at that point in my life, which thankfully is the same time that I had a pediatric OT internship, where I was introduced to the world of sensory processing and sensory integration, which just changed my life.
And allowed me to see the world and myself in an [00:03:00] entirely new way. I'm learning about sensory processing. Really just allowed me to understand the why behind everything like behind my anxiety, behind my like sensory differences growing up. But more importantly, it helped me see what I needed to do to strengthen my nervous system and regulate my nervous system.
So that's kinda just what led to my passion for sensory processing and now trying to kind of help and empower others through getting the word out about sensory therapy.
Brittyn: That's amazing. And having a personal connection also helps connect so much more to work and makes it that much more fulfilling because you've been through the journey. You understand that feels like and helps you empathize and better understand the clients that you're working for. So I think
Kelsea: that's awesome.
Hundred percent definitely. Yeah.
Brittyn: Amazing Well, you, you, there were a few things I would love for you to break down in what you just said. One was sensory therapy. I'll want you to tell us more about that. And then you also mentioned sensory processing disorder. And I think many people listening to this podcast will probably know a little bit about it, but I would love for you to share more [00:04:00] on that.
So if you'd like to share more on sensory therapy and how that benefits kids with autism, sensory processing and ADHD, that would be awesome.
Kelsea: Yeah. So I guess sensory therapy, isn't a very common word. It's more of like the term that I use personally for what I do, which is all about helping kids create and live the sensory lifestyle. So I guess one of the more official terms used in the pediatric occupational therapy role is sensory integration.
However I like sensory therapy just to help make it more understandable, just like a little bit more straightforward. So kids, parents, other non. I understand it a little bit more. But sensory therapy essentially just therapy that works on strengthening our senses and strengthening our nervous system which is really just so beneficial for kids.
Because if you think about it, our nervous system impacts every single thing we do, how we move, how I feel, how we digest our food, how we communicate, how we learn, how we connect to the [00:05:00] world around us. Which is why I really believed sensory therapy is one of the most powerful therapeutic modalities.
And I've tried a lot of them over the years. And I would say alongside though with nutrition and get therapy, which is why I love, love, love what you do. And I'm constantly referring parents to you and your Instagram and your services. Cause I love how you always say happy gut equals happy brain. And then I would also kind of add in there equals a happy nervous system.
Brittyn: Yeah, that's exactly right. And I love that you integrated your nervous system with digestion because it's so true. And I actually just recorded a episode, it might've gone out to day the day that we're recording, talking about how to help regulate your nervous system or your child's nervous system before eating because being in the rest and digest stage versus being in a like flight or fight nervous system is really going to impact how kids digest their food and kids with autism already have digestive.
So I love that you're talking about this because there's so much to [00:06:00] integrate here and can benefit in more ways than, than just one it's like across the board. Very, very important.
Kelsea: Oh, I love that. And that is, I'm so happy that you're also spreading that message out there because that's so, so, so important. I was an extremely, extremely picky eater. And I just remember. Every dinner time, just being in that fight or flight state, or especially like visiting with friends, or just like during dinner time being around like new families and different things like just that constant fight or flight state revolved around that.
Which led to me having a lot of kind of digestion and other issues and different things too. But that is such an important thing to regulating nervous system before eating.
Brittyn: Yeah, that's interesting to hear. I love hearing you know, that backstory, my brother will talk about too, and like his picky eating and overwhelm at mealtime. He remembers like when he was a child and feeling really overwhelmed. So it was interesting to hear you talk about that and how you remember feeling that.
Because a lot of kids can't explain that until they're [00:07:00] much older and can understand what they were experiencing at the time. So I'm sure that that's helpful. I see some insight for parents who don't understand like why their child is a picky eater or why they're so overstimulated. And it comes down to a lot of these things sensory processing disorder being one of them.
So I would love for you to share more on that so that others can understand.
Kelsea: Yes. So I guess before I dive into sensory processing disorder, I guess I want to start explain to you that we all, everybody has our own sensory differences. Like we all have our own, we all have senses. We all have nervous systems, so we all kind of have our own unique sensory and nervous system needs.
So like one way I love to explain this is just like, if you think about after a long day at work and you come home and maybe you just feel that strong need to just sit and be compressed really quick, just for like a couple minutes or maybe sit in the car for, I don't know if anybody else does this, or if it's just me for just like a minute or two and just kind of like decompress really quick before going inside.
And so that's just [00:08:00] like our nervous systems and our sensory differences really way of being like, okay, need a break. And another, or another example that I love to use too, is like the differences between like extroverts and introverts and how like introverts in a way might have like a smaller sensory cup.
So when they are out and around people, their sensory nervous system get overloaded faster than say, extroverts nervous systems may. So sensory processing disorder is different because this occurred in people whose senses aren't fully developed or just are a little bit different. And when this happens, their senses are taking in that sensory input from the world around them. But their nervous system, isn't able to fully process and successfully processed that sensory input, which then ends up leading their nervous system into that fight or flight mode because they aren't able to process different sensory inputs around them. So that's the difference, I guess, between sensory differences and then like sensory processing disorder.
Brittyn: That makes a lot of sense [00:09:00] and what I explained a lot of times to parents eating and the mealtime experience, it integrates all of your senses all at once. And so it's a really common place for children to get extremely overstimulated or overwhelmed because you're smelling and tasting and feeling and hearing all around you it's so easy to get overwhelmed in those situations. So it's a common place for kids to really get into that flight or fight nervous system, because everything is happening all at once with all your senses versus just breaking it down one at a time. So I see a lot of kids just even just coming into mealtime are already stressed and overwhelmed.
And then. It's like trying a new food, being exposed, something completely new, a completely new you know, texture or taste is just out of the question at that point, because it's their sensory what did you call it? Their little cup is like, is already full at that point.
Kelsea: Oh yeah. And it's so interesting too, because I also work in [00:10:00] schools part-time but, and especially just seeing the cafeteria and just how the sensory overloading, like the cafeteria is, or even like dinnertime, how that's the end of the day after a really long, long just day. And so I think most of us, even adults, like everybody, our sensory cups are very full at that point too.
So that regulating, nervous system, whether even just maybe giving a sensory break. So just like a quick little break, maybe in a small quiet space to kind of like kids census decompressed and kind of relaxed and regulate before is one thing that can be helpful to.
Brittyn: I completely agree. And I love the insight there. I was. I mean, there's so much, I mean, I think that you and I overlapped a lot on our views, but it's the viewpoint that differs you're coming from like an OT lens where I'm coming from the nutrition lens. But a lot of times I'm sharing very similar approaches.
I was talking with one of my clients last week and she was just saying that her [00:11:00] son is always up and running around at mealtime. And we were talking about ways that maybe we could fulfill some of those sensory needs before we sit down for meal time instead and see if that would potentially help him stay seated.
And so we talked about like jumping on the trampoline or like some of these ways that he could get some of these like sensory inputs. And it was, I mean, I'm actually to hear how that went. But for my past clients, it's been incredibly helpful for them to have that kind of input before meal time so that they can sit down and digest their food better.
But another thing I was going to say, when you're talking about the cafeteria, it's a lot of clients who won't eat at school and then it affects their learning because then their blood sugars low. You know, mid day and they can't focus and they're having behaviors and it just throws the whole school day off.
You know, the, the afternoon part of school is just now not helpful for them. And so a lot of times I'll talk to parents about how can we talk to their school, [00:12:00] maybe even their IEP team, because if their nutrition is affecting their learning, that is very clearly an IEP issue. And if they're overstimulated in the cafeteria, how can we make sure that they may get some separate time or just some time to decompress, maybe eat a little bit of their lunch. They can't eat the whole thing, but then if they can have, you know, come back to school in the afternoon and be able to focus better and feel like not as overstimulated.
So just a thought when you were saying that it made me think and that's such a common issue. And then if it, if it affects learning, it can be an IEP issue as well.
Kelsea: A hundred percent. And I also just have to just apply to you because one of the things, reasons why, I guess I first reached out in the beginning and why I am just obsessed with what you do and think it is so important. And I really do think like you are a sensory therapist, especially just like, I feel like, you know, there's kind of this idea that sensory therapy can only be done by OTs.
But I think that because like, like we both see in both of our fields [00:13:00] and just like for everyone, it impacts everything and it is so, so important. So I just love to see how like all of your sensory advocacy for like kid's sensory needs and just like you know, just helping empower parents by better understanding sensory processing, just being your own sensory therapist in your own way, too.
Brittyn: Thank you. Yeah, exactly. And like my nutrition field. So I, I love learning more from occupational therapists and taking tidbits from like what you share too because it has such a huge impact on nutrition. So thank you for saying that, that that means a lot. Okay. So one topic, switching topics here a little bit one thing that you've talked about on your page, and all I've also talked about is interoception and interoception let you explain more, but just the baseline for people who might not have heard that it's a sense that basically detecting your internal senses. Like, are you hungry? Are you full? Do I need to go to the bathroom? And this can really impact nutrition? I would love to hear more from you about how you see that in your [00:14:00] clients or how you support kids in recognizing those internal senses. And we can integrate nutrition here, but just in general, going to the bathroom, those daily tasks as well.
Kelsea: I am so excited. So happy that you brought this up because interoception is, I love all the senses, but honestly might be one of my favorite senses. It is one of the lesser known senses and like less talked about senses, even though it is like, so, so, so important. So I guess how one way of like looking at interoception too and how I will explain it to kids or parents too is on it answers the question of like, how do I feel, or how does my body feel? And so of course, like you mentioned, this comes into sensing feeling when we're hungry or when we're full or when we have to go to the bathroom or when we're hot or when we're over our bodies, overstimulating, and kind of being aware of the sensations of our body when we're overstimulated and another kind of important part.
Interoception too is [00:15:00] kind of even knowing how our body feels, how those sensations in our body feels during different emotions. So kind of like when we're angry or bodies tense in our heart rate elevates, or when we're sad or body might feel heavier and our engines running slower. And so I just find an interception, so, so, so interesting and powerful when we work on strengthening it.
And if you think about it, it's also related to like the mind body connection. And so I can kind of share one quick strategy that I like to use with my kids and teach parents to, for how to strengthen interoception. It's just like a simple two step strategy. And so the first step is identifying the feeling in our body.
And then the second step is practicing. So, and I can use the example of like just looking at hunger. And so just being aware of like when we are and so it can even be a lot deeper than simply just asking kids, are you hungry? We can work, want to work on really bringing mindful and purposeful [00:16:00] attention to feelings deep in our body, those different sensations. So some things that this can look like is maybe, you know, asking kids to close your eyes and just like, do you feel anything in your tummy? Do you feel any, like any movements in your tummy or like how hungry are you? And so you can eat and use like visual charts.
Like, do you want like a little snack or a big snack or like different things like that to really just help strengthen that awareness of that hunger, hunger sensation. And then, so the second step is practice. So we want to like, practice practice, practice, and like really frequently work on bringing attention to those different sensations in their body to help them get used to the feeling, get comfortable with the feeling and increase their awareness.
So then they can eventually start, you know, identifying those feelings on their own and not needing as many reminders from us too. So I guess another example is, is it okay if I share it or another?
Brittyn: Yes.
Kelsea: So I guess another example could be for like using the [00:17:00] bathroom. Cause I know, especially when it comes with nutrition and different things that can also lead to different digestion things.
And so that was something that I personally really struggled with as a child. And just having my own difficulties with my own inner section. And I would have a lot of accidents at night. The different things too. So not having that strong sensation of feeling when I needed to use the bathroom. And so for kids who have potty and challenges, I would work on first step one, just identifying when they need to use the bathroom.
So regularly checking in like again, using maybe visual charts or having them close their eyes and asking maybe if they feel anything, any peepee they're tingling down there and just like, let them kind of re dig deep into that feeling. And then another quick and the reception before I forget too, is one thing that impacts our interception too is our muscle tone. So for example, kids who have very tense muscles, like if you like clench right now, if you'd like punched down there, like your pee muscles, [00:18:00] it's gonna be a lot more difficult to sense when you have to go to the bathroom. If your muscles are just more in that clench state, or for kids who are more lower tone. This is going to be kind of more so the opposite of just also not having that being able to really feel. And so that's why another thing, when it comes to strengthen our interoception, a lot of times that can look like one, just strengthening those different muscles. If you are a, for kids who are more lower tone, or then for kids who are that more tense tones doing a lot of stretching for those muscles.
So just like doing a lot of stretching and releasing all that tension and their. And so I even personally do my own interception. I think that interception practices are just so helpful for everybody. Just for one it's again, like building and strengthening our mind-body connection. So like some that I love to do it's like breathing, just being aware of my breath, my breathing, or like quick body scans. If I'm holding any, if I'm tensing cause I'm stressed or I'm doing a little heartbeat meditation. So [00:19:00] one, I love to even do this with my kids. It's just have them kind of put their hands on their heart and just try to feel their heartbeat.
And so it is just really such a amazing and powerful sense, which actually I'm really excited about a lot of it's actually getting. It's word and to the like therapy field. So like for, into trauma healing for adults and for adults, with anxiety and depression, it's just an amazing, amazing sentence.
So I'm really happy you brought that up today.
Brittyn: That's amazing. And you shared so much good information there too. I think a lot of people like in the autism community, think a lot about low tone, but oftentimes we're not about like high tone as well. So I think that's a really helpful thing to think about because there's no one size fits all there.
You have to really individualize the approach and hunger feeling like you need to go to the bathroom that also varies from person to person, like what that feels like in your body. Like, I know I'm hungry because my stomach growls and I feel a little shakier. I feel yeah clouded, but it could feel completely [00:20:00] different to somebody else, especially if they had sensory processing issues.
So I think that's a really great exercise just to understand and help kids in the future advocate for themselves when they're feeling dysregulated. Okay, is it because I'm hungry or thirsty or need to go to the bathroom? And just that communication in itself can help with behaviors, which I think is or like outbreaks at school or things like that because they can explain themselves and communicate better.
So I think that's awesome.
Kelsea: Yeah. Thank you.
Brittyn: So how can families find you and work with you.
Kelsea: So the best place to find me is on my Instagram, so that sensory underscore therapist, and then to work with me, if you just visit my website, I have two online courses. One is just a quick sensory crash course. And then I also have a three-month program called Sensory Life Academy, which is where I work with parents to do an intensive, but also very easy and practical home sensory therapy to strengthen senses and their nervous system while also providing emotional and nervous system support for [00:21:00] parents throughout this process. So that is where we can work with me right now. And and also actually, depending on when this comes out to, but we might be open for enrollment for sensory life academy too.
It'll be open until April 1st.
Brittyn: Amazing. That's awesome. Well, congratulations on having, you know, some of the options for parents to work with you and I can attest that your Instagram is amazing. You make great reels. So as a business owner, I appreciate that because they're hard. It's hard to keep up. I'm impressed. Well, thank you so much for sharing with us, Kelsea.
I know a lot of people gain so much information from everything you shared today and definitely go follow her at sensory underscore therapist. Correct? On Instagram.
Kelsea: Thank you so much. And thank you so much for having me. It was so nice getting to officially meet you. You were just the sweetest, so thank you so much.
Brittyn: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks for being here.
[00:22:00]
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Transcribed by Descript
ABOUT Brittyn Coleman, MS, RDN/LD, CLT
I’m a Registered Dietitian, Autism Nutrition Expert, and the Creator of the Autism Nutrition Library.
I work with parents of children with autism to optimize their child’s diet, supplements, and lifestyle based on their unique needs. I help expand accepted foods for picky eaters, improve digestion and gut health, find the root causes of many symptoms, and ultimately help them feel their best so that they can do their best and be their best.
Not only do I relate to families on a professional level, but also on a personal level. I have been a part of the autism community for over 20 years, as my younger brother was diagnosed on the spectrum at a young age.
I look forward to working with you to uncover the root cause of your child’s symptoms and help your child be the best version of themselves!
