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Paediatric sensory assessments Adelaide

A sensory assessment helps families better understand how their child or adolescent experiences and responds to sensory information in everyday life.

Completed by an experienced occupational therapist, the assessment explores your child's or adolescent's unique sensory preferences, patterns, and needs, providing insight into how these may influence emotional regulation, attention, learning, participation, and everyday routines at home, school, and in the community.

Our sensory assessments use evidence-based occupational therapy assessment tools and frameworks to better understand your child's sensory profile and how it influences everyday participation. This helps guide practical, personalised recommendations that are meaningful for your child, your family, and the environments they engage in each day.

A sensory assessment is not about changing who your child is. It is about understanding how they experience the world, recognising their unique sensory profile, and identifying practical strategies that support participation, wellbeing, confidence, and quality of life.

Whether you are looking to better understand your child's sensory needs, support daily routines, or develop strategies for home, school, and community settings, our team will guide your family through the assessment process with care, respect, and a neurodiversity-affirming approach.

Children and adolescents may benefit from a sensory assessment for many different reasons. A sensory assessment can provide valuable insight into how your child's sensory profile influences everyday life, including:

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Busy or Sensory-Rich Environments

Children and adolescents may find busy or sensory-rich environments, such as classrooms, shopping centres, playgrounds, birthday parties, sporting activities, or community events, more demanding than others. They may prefer quieter spaces, need regular breaks, or find these environments tiring to navigate.

Understanding how your child experiences different environments can help identify strategies that support confidence, participation, and wellbeing across everyday activities.

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Sensory Preferences and Sensitivities

Children and adolescents may have strong preferences for or sensitivities to sensory experiences such as sound, light, touch, movement, clothing textures, or food textures. These differences can influence everyday routines, learning, play, friendships, and participation.

Understanding your child's sensory profile helps identify practical strategies that support comfort, regulation, and meaningful participation across home, school, and community settings.

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Attention, Focus and Everyday Participation

Sensory information can influence how children and adolescents attend, learn, organise themselves, and participate in everyday activities. Busy environments, competing sensory input, or unmet sensory needs may make it harder to stay engaged or complete tasks.

A sensory assessment helps identify how sensory processing may be influencing attention and participation, guiding practical strategies that support learning, independence, and daily routines.

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Emotional Regulation and Wellbeing

Sensory experiences can influence how children and adolescents regulate their emotions throughout the day. When sensory demands become too great, they may need additional support to feel calm, recover, or transition between activities.

Understanding your child's sensory needs helps families, educators, and therapists develop strategies that support emotional regulation, wellbeing, and participation across different environments.

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Participation Across Activities and Environments

Children and adolescents may be more comfortable participating in some environments or activities than others. Busy classrooms, playgrounds, group activities, haircuts, shopping centres, or messy play may require additional planning or support.

Understanding your child's sensory profile helps identify practical strategies that build confidence, increase participation, and make everyday experiences more enjoyable.

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Sensory Preferences and Regulation

Many children and adolescents develop preferences for certain clothing, foods, movement activities, routines, or sensory experiences that help them feel calm, organised, and ready to participate.

Recognising these preferences allows families, educators, and therapists to create supportive environments and daily routines that promote wellbeing, learning, and participation.

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Energy Levels and Recovery

Some children and adolescents need additional time to recover after busy school days, social activities, or other sensory-rich experiences. They may appear tired, emotional, withdrawn, or need quiet time before engaging in other activities.

Understanding how sensory experiences influence energy levels helps families develop routines and strategies that support regulation, wellbeing, and sustainable participation throughout the day.

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Transitions and Changing Routines

Moving between activities, environments, or routines can sometimes require additional support, particularly when sensory demands change unexpectedly. Transitions such as arriving at school, moving between classrooms, leaving preferred activities, or adapting to changes in routine may feel more demanding for some children and adolescents.

A sensory assessment helps identify strategies that support smoother transitions, build confidence, and promote successful participation across home, school, and community environments.

How a Sensory Assessment Can Help

Understanding Your Child's Sensory Profile

A sensory assessment provides a detailed understanding of how your child experiences and responds to sensory information across home, school, and community environments. It highlights both strengths and areas where additional support may be beneficial.

Personalised Strategies for Everyday Life

Families receive practical, individualised recommendations that can be incorporated into daily routines, learning, play, and community activities to better support their child's sensory needs and participation.

Supporting Emotional Regulation and Wellbeing

Understanding how sensory experiences influence emotions helps families develop strategies that support regulation, reduce stress, and promote confidence and wellbeing throughout the day.

Improved Participation Across Daily Activities

By recognising your child's sensory needs and preferences, everyday activities such as learning, friendships, self-care, family routines, and community participation can become more accessible and enjoyable.

Supporting Families, Educators and Caregivers

A shared understanding of your child's sensory profile helps parents, educators, carers, and therapists work together to provide consistent support across different environments.

Sensory-Friendly Environments

Assessment findings help identify practical adjustments to home, school, and community environments that support comfort, engagement, learning, and participation.

Guiding Future Therapy and Supports

A sensory assessment provides valuable information that helps guide therapy goals, school supports, and future planning, ensuring recommendations are meaningful and tailored to your child's individual strengths and needs.

Building Confidence and Independence

By understanding how your child experiences the world, families can better support the development of independence, self-awareness, confidence, and participation in meaningful everyday activities.

Why Choose All Things Therapy?

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Celebrating Neurodiversity

We recognise neurodiversity as a natural part of human variation. Our neurodiversity-affirming approach respects that every child experiences, learns, communicates, and engages with the world in their own unique way.

Rather than trying to change who your child is, we work alongside them to build on their strengths, support participation, and help them thrive in everyday life.

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Creating an Inclusive Environment

We aim to create a welcoming, supportive environment where children and adolescents feel safe, understood, and valued.

Our therapists adapt sessions to suit each individual's sensory profile, communication style, interests, and goals, helping them feel comfortable and confident throughout the therapy process.

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Respecting Individual Needs

Every child has their own strengths, preferences, and way of experiencing the world.

We take the time to understand what is meaningful to your child and tailor our assessment, recommendations, and therapy to support their individual needs, family priorities, and everyday environments.

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Supporting Self-Advocacy

We encourage children and adolescents to better understand themselves, express their preferences, and actively participate in their therapy wherever possible.

As confidence grows, so does their ability to communicate their needs, make choices, and develop lifelong self-advocacy skills.

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Collaborating with Families and Support Networks

Families know their child best. We value your knowledge and work collaboratively with parents, caregivers, educators, and other professionals to ensure therapy is consistent, practical, and meaningful across home, school, and community environments.

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Working Closely with Educators and Schools

Learning and participation don't stop when therapy finishes. Where appropriate, we collaborate with educators and schools to develop practical strategies that support your child's participation, wellbeing, and success within the learning environment.

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Ready to Better Understand Your Child's Sensory Profile?

Completing our enquiry form is the best place to start. Whether you're looking for answers, practical strategies, or wondering whether a sensory assessment is right for your child or adolescent, we're here to help.

Our team will take the time to understand your child's strengths, sensory needs, and your family's goals before discussing the most appropriate next steps. There is no obligation to proceed with therapy or an assessment.

Together, we can help your child better understand themselves, build confidence, and participate more comfortably at home, school, and in the community.

Start Your Enquiry

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is a paediatric sensory assessment?

A paediatric sensory assessment is an occupational therapy assessment that explores how children and adolescents experience and respond to sensory information, including touch, movement, sound, light, taste, smell, and body awareness. It helps identify your child's unique sensory profile and how it may influence emotional regulation, attention, learning, play, participation, and everyday routines.

How do I know if my child may benefit from a sensory assessment?

A sensory assessment may be helpful if your child experiences sensory differences that influence their participation in everyday life. This may include differences in emotional regulation, attention, learning, play, self-care, friendships, transitions, or daily routines. It can also help families better understand their child's sensory profile and develop practical strategies to support participation at home, school, and in the community.

Do I need a referral for a paediatric sensory assessment?

No. A referral is not required to access a paediatric sensory assessment. Families can contact us directly to enquire or book an appointment. A referral may be required if accessing services through specific funding pathways.

How old does my child need to be?

We provide sensory assessments for children and adolescents. If you're unsure whether a sensory assessment is appropriate for your child's age or needs, our team is happy to discuss the most suitable options with you.

What areas are explored during a sensory assessment?

A sensory assessment explores your child's sensory profile, regulation, motor planning, participation in everyday activities, and how sensory experiences influence functioning across home, school, and community environments. Standardised occupational therapy assessment tools may also be used where appropriate.

What happens during a paediatric sensory assessment?

The assessment process may include parent or caregiver interviews, observations, play-based activities, completion of questionnaires, and standardised occupational therapy assessment tools where appropriate. The assessment is collaborative, evidence-based, and tailored to your child's individual needs.

How is a sensory assessment different from a Functional Capacity Assessment?

A sensory assessment focuses specifically on understanding your child's sensory profile and how sensory experiences influence everyday participation. A Functional Capacity Assessment provides a broader evaluation of your child's overall functional abilities, support needs, and participation across all areas of daily life.

Can a paediatric sensory assessment diagnose autism or ADHD?

No. A sensory assessment does not diagnose autism, ADHD, or other conditions. Instead, it provides an occupational therapy perspective on how your child's sensory profile influences everyday life and offers practical recommendations to support participation and wellbeing. If further assessment is recommended, your occupational therapist can discuss appropriate referral pathways.

Can a paediatric sensory assessment be funded through the NDIS?

Yes. Paediatric sensory assessments may be funded through the NDIS when occupational therapy supports are included in your child's plan. We also offer privately funded sensory assessments.

Will I receive a report after the sensory assessment?

Yes. You will receive a written report outlining your child's sensory profile, key findings, and practical recommendations to support participation across home, school, and community environments.

How do I get started with a paediatric sensory assessment?

Getting started is easy. Complete our enquiry form or contact our team to discuss your child's needs. We'll answer your questions, explain the assessment process, and help determine whether a paediatric sensory assessment is the right next step for your family.