Child & Family Development Child & Family Development

May 11, 2015

Temper tantrums or Sensory stimulation: an Occupational Therapy review

Kati Berlin, MS, OTR/L, an occupational therapist at the Pineville office of Child and Family Development, recently reviewed an article.    

This article from Understood: For Learning and Attention Issues summarizes the difference between a sensory meltdown and a temper tantrum.  

  • Tantrums and sensory meltdowns are not the same thing.
  • It can be hard to tell the difference between them by just looking at an upset child.
  • Knowing the causes of tantrums and meltdowns can help you learn how to manage them.

Kati likes the specific tips about how to view your child‚Äôs behavior and determine if the reaction is related to sensory overstimulation, a meltdown or a a temper tantrum.  She knows first hand that this can be quite difficult, especially when Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is present. 

An occupational therapy evaluation often includes a Sensory Profile which helps to determine a person’s processing skills compared to peers. 

Kati and the 8 other licensed occupational therapists on our team are available to share their expertise. We are in-network with many insurance plans, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield NC, Cigna, Medcost, North Carolina Medicaid, Primary Physician Care and United Health Care.  Our clients also may pay privately and access out-of-network benefits.

Read more about behavior and sensory processing on our blog