Interoception is the ability to recognize internal bodily signals, such as feeling hot or cold, hungry or thirsty. In the same way that the nerves in our muscles and joints will send signals to our brain, letting it know where we are in physical space, the nerves in our organs will also send signals about how full our digestive tract is, how fast our heart is beating, or how hot we are.
This, in turn, can help our brain understand whether we are anxious or relaxed, whether or not we need to eat or drink, or if we need to use the bathroom before leaving the house. Poor interoception is often associated with conditions such as autism and ADHD, and tend to go hand in hand with other sensory processing issues.
Some of the early signs of poor interoception
Some of the early signs of poor interoception in a child can include difficulties with potty training, due to issues with recognizing whether they need to poop or pee. Other signs can include erratic eating patterns, such as not eating for long periods of time or eating past the point of fullness, due to an inability to recognize hunger and satiety signals.
Poor interoception can also affect a child’s sleep schedule, making bedtime especially difficult. “You’ll see kids become rageful, because they’re exhausted, but they don’t have the sense that they need to go to bed,” says Andrew Kahn, a licensed psychologist, and associate director of behavior change and expertise at Understood.org.
Poor interoception can affect emotional regulation
In addition to difficulties with recognizing physical cues, such as hunger or thirst, poor interoception can affect a child’s ability to regulate their emotions. “When we talk about interoception, a person’s emotional reactions occurs because they can’t interpret their bodily signals internally,” Kahn says.
For example, a child with poor interoception might not realize that they are experiencing pain or that they are tired. However, although a child may be having trouble recognizing and interpreting these signals of pain and discomfort, it’s still affecting them, which can show up in the form of becoming irritable, or having a meltdown. “It’s the 17 flavors of unnamed discomfort that generate within your own body,” Kahn says.
How to get help
If a child is showing signs of poor interoception, early diagnosis and support can play a critical role in their long-term well-being. “In the absence of support, kids are far more likely to have challenges with mental health,” Kahn says. “Interoceptive challenges can result in feelings of confusion and exacerbate functional challenges in kids who already struggle to communicate and advocate for themselves.” Parents should start by reaching out to their pediatrician, who can refer them to an occupational therapist.
Other strategies for increasing interoceptive awareness include having your child do physical activities—such as playing a sport or learning an instrument— that can increase their bodily awareness, and/or having them do types of therapies, such as mindfulness awareness body-oriented therapy or dialectical behavior therapy, that work on increasing interoceptive awareness.