Understanding Interoception: The Hidden Sense That Shapes Emotions, Body Awareness, and Regulation
- Dr. Stephanie Lavoie and Dr. Michelle Fardella
- Mar 24
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 11
Most of us are familiar with the five senses - sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell, but did you know that we also have internal senses? Interoception is the sense that helps us recognize what is happening inside our bodies. This is the sense that is the most overlooked, yet is the most important for so many reasons!
Interoception allows us to notice necessities such as hunger, thirst, temperature, pain and our emotions. For many kids, especially neurodivergent children, interoception is very difficult to recognize, making it hard to identify feelings, respond to physical needs and regulate emotions effectively. Scroll to the bottom for the FREE downloadable resources
How Interoception Impacts Daily Life and Therapy
When a child's interoception is working well, they can recognize when they are hungry, tired, or anxious and respond appropriately, supporting healthy emotional and physical well-being.
When Interoception is underdeveloped, they have challenges with the following:
Be unaware that they need to use the bathroom until it becomes urgent.
Struggle to identify hunger or fullness, leading to irregular eating habits.
Be unaware of pain or discomfort until it becomes extreme.
Have difficulty labeling emotions because they do not feel or recognize the physical sensations linked to them.
So, for example, implementing emotional regulation strategies like "practice deep breathing when you are feeling anxious” may not work because they aren't able to recognize that they are anxious to begin with! That said, the primary focus should be addressing interception before implementing effective emotional regulation strategies.
Some Things to Look For
A child struggling with interoception might:
Have trouble identifying when they’re feeling hungry, thirsty, or tired.
Not recognize when they need to use the bathroom until it’s urgent.
Be unaware of their physical discomfort (e.g., itchy skin, muscle tension).
Struggle to detect changes in body temperature (feeling hot or cold) or outside temperatures (e.g., wears T-shirt in winter or sweatshirts in the summer time).
Have difficulty recognizing when they’re feeling anxious or upset.
Not being able to tell the difference between nervous excitement and fear.
Have trouble distinguishing between physical pain and emotional distress.
Struggle with understanding when they need a break or rest.
Find it difficult to express or verbalize what they are feeling physically or emotionally.
Miss early signs of being overstimulated or overwhelmed (e.g., heart racing, shallow breathing).
Respond with extreme behaviours because they didn’t notice earlier cues.
The Five Stages of Interoceptive Awareness
Interoception awareness develops in stages, and each stage represents a deeper understanding of the body's internal signals. Children with interoception challenges may be at an earlier stage of awareness, which can make it harder for them to recognize and respond to bodily cues.
Here are the five stages of interoceptive awareness:
Sensation Recognition: At this stage, children begin to notice physical sensations in their bodies, such as hunger, thirst, or tiredness. However, they may not yet have the vocabulary or awareness to identify these sensations accurately. For example, they might feel a stomach growl but not connect it to hunger.
Sensation Labeling: In this stage, children start to label their physical sensations more accurately. They can identify feelings of hunger or thirst but might struggle with more subtle sensations like anxiety or excitement. For example, they may be able to say "I'm hungry" but not recognize that their increased heart rate is a sign of nervousness.
Recognizing Emotional Cues: Children begin to link their physical sensations to emotions. This stage is crucial for emotional regulation. They may start to notice that a racing heart or tense shoulders means they are feeling anxious, or that a warm feeling in the chest means they are excited. However, it might still be difficult for them to identify emotions with precision.
Interoceptive Self-Regulation: At this stage, children can not only identify their bodily sensations and emotions but also begin to regulate their responses. For example, they might recognize that they are feeling overwhelmed and use strategies like deep breathing to calm down. This stage requires a level of self-awareness and emotional control.
Integrating Body Awareness with Emotional and Cognitive Regulation: The final stage involves integrating interoception into overall self-regulation. Children can accurately identify their internal states (e.g., feeling sad, anxious, or tired) and make choices about how to respond in different situations. They are able to use interoceptive awareness to manage both their physical and emotional needs effectively. For example, they might take a break when they notice physical signs of frustration or fatigue.
How to Support Interoception Development
Interoception is something that can be worked on and strengthened. Here are some ways to support kids in developing better awareness of their internal senses.
Body Awareness Activities
Body scans : Guide children to close their eyes and notice sensations from head to toe.
Deep Pressure Input : Deep pressure activities such as climbing, crawling, jumping, stretching, wearing a loaded backpack or pulling a loaded wagon are ways to increase body awareness including interoception. Weighted or compression items can also help increase body awareness.
Connecting Sensations to Emotions
Interoception Journals – Encourage kids to track how their body feels during different emotions (e.g., “When I’m nervous, my stomach feels tight”).
Emotion Charades – Have them act out emotions while focusing on how their body feels.
Mindful Breathing – Guide kids to notice how their breathing changes when they feel different emotions.
Recognizing Physical Needs
Hunger & Fullness Scale – Teach kids to rate their hunger before and after meals.
Heart Rate Check – Let them feel their heartbeat before and after running to notice changes.
Bathroom Check-Ins – Prompt kids to check in with their body to see if they need to go.
Model - use descriptive language to explain the body sensations you feel when you need to use the bathroom.
Use ‘Interoception Talk’:
Label the way your various body parts feel during daily activities ( E.g: “My hands feel warm when you hold it ; My breathing feels fast when I run with you”.)
NOTE:
Misinterpreting Interoceptive Cues
Many children that struggle with Interoception will incorrectly identify what they are feeling as feeling sick. For example, if they are feeling a sensation in their tummy, they will identify this as being sick, rather than feeling anxious or hungry, or having to use the washroom.
Take a look at our FREE downloadable resources for supporting interoception and help your child develop greater body awareness.
Need help implementing these recommendations? Our team at WonderTree is here to help. We have occupational therapists and child psychologists who specialize in interoception and body awareness. Our dedicated professionals work collaboratively with families to develop tailored strategies and support plans that address individual sensory needs.
Reach out today!
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IMPORTANT: Information shared by WonderTree is not intended to replace or be constituted as clinical or medical care. It’s intended for educational purposes only. Each child is unique, and the information provided may not be applicable to your specific situation. If you need support, please establish care with a licensed provider so that they can provide tailored recommendations for you or your child. This blog is non-monetized.
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