Do you have a student who’s always moving, touching everything, or humming non-stop? They might be a sensory seeker—a child with a high sensory threshold who craves extra input to feel regulated.

In this episode of All Things Sensory, we break down what sensory seeking really means, why it can look different for every child, and how to proactively support these students in the classroom. We’ll share real-life examples, practical strategies you can start using tomorrow, and the one thing you should never take away from a sensory seeker.

Plus—we’ve got a free Sensory Preferences Checklist to help you understand each child’s unique needs!

FREE Sensory Preference Checklist

https://harkla.co/pages/freebies

Improving Focus and Behavior in the Classroom Digital Course

https://harkla.co/products/classroom-sensory-training

A Balanced Brain: A Multi-Sensory Program for Learning and  Focus 

https://harkla.co/products/balanced-brain

Classroom Sensory Kits

https://harkla.co/products/classroom-sensory-kit?_pos=1&_sid=79e63bbfb&_ss=r

Mixed Sensory Needs

https://harkla.co/blogs/podcast/316-supporting-mixed-sensory-needs-children-adults?_pos=1&_sid=65c45e7a7&_ss=r

Supporting Sensory Seekers

https://harkla.co/blogs/podcast/348-supporting-sensory-seekers-practical-tips-for-every-day?_pos=7&_sid=88bd86b3a&_ss=r

Before School Strategies

https://harkla.co/blogs/special-needs/before-school-strategies?_pos=4&_sid=5d068f958&_ss=r

After School Strategies

https://harkla.co/blogs/special-needs/after-school-strategies?_pos=2&_sid=5d068f958&_ss=r

School Sensory Breaks

https://youtu.be/TzxL6YEBl6c?si=Yt50AQWu1htefhxS

Back to School Tips

https://youtu.be/o3LdX9NuxYw?si=K3cYJtOJlVdUwAXg

Crawling for Brain Development 

https://sensationalbrain.com/product/crawling-brain-development-curriculum/

All Things Sensory Podcast Instagram 

https://www.instagram.com/allthingssensorypodcast/

Harkla Website 

https://harkla.co/

Harkla YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/c/HarklaFamily

Harkla Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/harkla_family/

Crawling is a foundational developmental milestone that does more than just strengthen muscles — it plays a critical role in developing the visual system, especially ocular motor skills such as tracking, convergence, and coordinated eye movements.

We’re diving into why crawling is essential and how to help children of ALL ages crawl! 

LINKS

We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form - https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3

Early Intervention Blueprint 

https://harkla.co/products/infant-sensory-development-course

Crawling for Brain Development 

https://sensationalbrain.com/product/crawling-brain-development-curriculum/

All Things Sensory Podcast Instagram 

https://www.instagram.com/allthingssensorypodcast/

Harkla Website 

https://harkla.co/

Harkla YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/c/HarklaFamily

Harkla Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/harkla_family/

Is your child/client constantly skipping words while reading, losing their place on the page, or avoiding reading altogether? These might not be “reading problems”—they could be visual problems.

In this episode, we break down how ocular motor skills—specifically saccades, pursuits, and convergence—are essential for reading success. You’ll learn how these visual skills impact everything from decoding to attention span, and why children with ADHD, sensory processing disorder, or retained primitive reflexes are at higher risk for visual-motor challenges.

LINKS

Relationship Between Ocular Motility and Motor Skills
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11698614/
Primitive Reflex Integration and Reading in the Classroom

https://jneuroscience.com/2023/02/26/primitive-reflex-integration-and-reading-achievement-in-the-classroom/

Statistics of Infants’ Natural Visual Experience

https://jov.arvojournals.org/article.aspx?articleid=2792416

We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form - https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3 

All Things Sensory Podcast Instagram 

https://www.instagram.com/allthingssensorypodcast/

Harkla Website 

https://harkla.co/

Harkla YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/c/HarklaFamily

Harkla Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/harkla_family/

In this episode, we break down what ocular motor skills really are, how they affect your child’s behavior and development, and most importantly simple at-home activities you can start using right away to help.

They also share how retained primitive reflexes, screen time, and missed developmental milestones can all impact how your child’s eyes work together — and why this often goes unnoticed.

Whether you’re a parent, therapist, or educator, this episode is full of practical tools you can start today. Here’s what you’ll learn: 

• What ocular motor skills really are (hint: it’s not just 20/20 vision!)

• Signs your child might be struggling with visual tracking or coordination

• Easy, playful at-home activities for:

• Saccades (eye jumping)

• Pursuits (smooth tracking)

• Convergence & divergence (eye teaming)

• How primitive reflexes and screen time impact vision

• Tips for building a consistent and doable home exercise routine

And, we'll answer a listener question at the end of the episode. Happy listening! 

LINKS

We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form - https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3 

Ocular Motor Skills Screening Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMSVhwIL5wI&t=11s

Assessing Primitive Reflexes Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkGDm3t2hb8&t=1s

Brock String Instructions

https://www.optometrists.org/vision-therapy/guide-to-vision-therapy/vision-therapy-faqs/how-is-a-brock-string-used/

Spot It

https://www.spotitgame.com/

Zoomball

https://www.amazon.com/Toysmith-6219-Zip-Ball/dp/B00E6DXQU8/ref=sr_1_3?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.9wtOAvhcy8jgIIeXS3esac48UmRrA0araB1icT_BW19b5HZVhEuyaKG-Ol5vGUNVEPSfO1x7UHrpflm1GmNTMLbeaernwnXIy-Dku7CqPUBlD9pnMEHeFNF54jWVJcgWOa_UXJ7HbqnmbqssbFeU-NfwXZH5MN1xLnOP5z6dFqN5X0yr4OzQ3EVyl155PjJ6sInCbUUCcQoLp70CERAeNxnQ1wiE6p-IZb6Gd_SrrjT-JrbMONntd9tdIflCvBKEl2mlfk6wwc-Jj20SJKoRAc8LZCOieWhOYy5zQBC9VLA.i5FuA9BWsSe4NReui8vk3vdZFtEmEpBd_hPz8xfAfHc&dib_tag=se&keywords=zoom%2Bball&qid=1752800406&refinements=p_72%3A1248963011&rnid=1248961011&s=toys-and-games&sr=1-3&th=1

A Balanced Brain Full Digital Course

https://harkla.co/products/balanced-brain

Early Intervention Blueprint Full Digital Course

https://harkla.co/products/infant-sensory-development-course

All Things Sensory Podcast Instagram 

https://www.instagram.com/allthingssensorypodcast/

Harkla Website 

https://harkla.co/

Harkla YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/c/HarklaFamily

Harkla Instagram

In episode of All Things Sensory, we sit down with the incredible Dr. Tessa Grigg - PhD, Dip Tch (Primary) Dip Tch (ECE). She has a wide range of experience within the Early Childhood Education field. She has taught in a Primary School, supervised a preschool with specialist work in the sensory-motor area, worked as a Child and Family Therapist, taught adult students in teaching and child development, and owned and operated a GymbaROO centre for nine years. Tessa is the "Tessa" in Tessarose Productions, a business that has produced music for children for over 30 years. Currently, Tessa is a certified Rhythmic Movement Training Practitioner and runs a Kinesiology clinic for children and adults. Following the completion of a PhD focused on children's primitive reflexes, Tessa now works part-time as a lecturer at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, and is the Research and Education Manager for GymbaROO-KindyROO in Australia.

We chat about:

• How Tessa’s career path led her to primitive reflex research

• The surprising effects of natural disasters (like earthquakes) and the pandemic on reflex development in children

• Her fascinating classroom-based research showing how simple, rhythmic movement interventions can dramatically impact learning, emotional regulation, and behavior

• Why crawling and skipping might just be two of the most important activities your child can do daily

• How to bring reflex integration into schools and homes without overwhelm

Whether you’re a parent, therapist, or educator, this episode is filled with practical tips, lightbulb moments, and hopeful reminders that everything can change when we meet kids where they are.

LINKS

Tessa's Research Articles

Visit Tessa’s website

https://www.gymbaroo.com.au/

We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form - https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3 

All Things Sensory Podcast Instagram 

https://www.instagram.com/allthingssensorypodcast/

Harkla Website 

https://harkla.co/

Harkla YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/c/HarklaFamily

Harkla Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/harkla_family/

Headaches that won’t go away? Trouble reading or switching between screens? Feeling drained after a day at your desk? These might not be random quirks—they could be signs of ocular motor deficits.

In this episode, we’re diving into how visual-ocular challenges—convergence, saccades, and pursuits—can impact adults in everyday life. You’ll hear a personal story, a powerful example of how unresolved visual motor skills led to chronic headaches, and how vision therapy changed everything.

We’ll also unpack the key signs of ocular motor dysfunction in adults, how they’re often linked to headaches, fatigue, and even ADHD symptoms, and why primitive reflexes might still be at play long after childhood. You’ll learn simple screening tools to try at home and get expert insight into what interventions actually help.

LINKS

We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form - https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3 

Free live webinar on July 16th

https://harkla.co/pages/infant-sensory-development-webinar-registration-2025

Primitive Reflex Digital Course

https://harkla.co/products/primitive-reflexes-course

All Things Sensory Podcast Instagram 

https://www.instagram.com/allthingssensorypodcast/

Harkla Website 

https://harkla.co/

Harkla YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/c/HarklaFamily

Harkla Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/harkla_family/

In this episode, we sit down with pediatric audiologist Debbie Baerlocher to unpack the real truth about Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)—what it is, what it’s not, and why it’s often misunderstood. Learn how APD is diagnosed, when to seek help, and why many children show similar symptoms without actually having APD.

Debbie has her Doctorate in Audiology and has been working at Elks Hearing and Balance, aka St. Luke's Hearing and Balance, in Boise, Idaho since she moved to the Treasure Valley just about 25 years ago.

By the end of this episode you’ll learn:

- What a true APD diagnosis involves

- Why symptom lists can be misleading

- When hearing loss, ADHD, or anxiety might be the real cause

- What parents can do right now to help

Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, or therapist, this episode offers clarity, empathy, and expert advice you won’t want to miss.

LINKS

https://www.hearingfirst.org/

https://www.readingrockets.org/

We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form - https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3 

All Things Sensory Podcast Instagram 

https://www.instagram.com/allthingssensorypodcast/

Harkla Website 

https://harkla.co/

Harkla YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/c/HarklaFamily

Harkla Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/harkla_family/

Dr. Craig D. Clayton is a functional and biomimetic dentist based in Meridian, Idaho, and an influential online educator with a following of over 380K on Instagram. Passionate about uncovering the root causes of oral health issues, Dr. Clayton focuses on holistic cavity prevention, airway health, and innovative, biologically sound approaches to restoring teeth. As the host of the Dentistry Disrupted podcast, he is on a mission to shift the dental industry toward a more patient-centered, root-cause-focused approach. Through educating and empowering patients, he hopes to bridge the gap between oral health and overall well-being.

Follow Dr. Clayton on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/restoration.dentistry

More information

https://restorationdentistryid.com/

Free resources

https://stan.store/restorationdentistry

Listen to Dr. Clayton’s Podcast - Dentistry Disrupted 

https://open.spotify.com/show/37YIyN9xGxzvT5MkuH9GOD?si=JNrtjoisToSEU80e1asRQw

Elementa Toothpaste

https://elementasilver.com/

We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form - https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3 

All Things Sensory Podcast Instagram 

https://www.instagram.com/allthingssensorypodcast/

Harkla Website 

https://harkla.co/

Harkla YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/c/HarklaFamily

Harkla Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/harkla_family/

Shop our Summer Sensory SALE! https://harkla.co/pages/summer-sensory-sale-2025

Free Primitive Reflex Webinar

https://harkla.co/pages/register-for-the-primitive-reflex-webinar-2025

Free Sensory Diet Webinar

https://harkla.co/pages/sensory-diet-webinar-registration-2024

We’re diving deep into the why behind retained primitive reflexes. These early movement patterns are essential in infancy—but when they don’t integrate properly, they can lead to challenges with regulation, development, and everyday functioning.

We cover some of the most common causes of retained reflexes, including:

• Neurological immaturity

• Birth trauma or complications during delivery

• Lack of early movement (think: limited tummy time or crawling)

• Environmental stressors during pregnancy

• Prematurity and other perinatal factors

• Genetic predispositions

We also highlight insights from Sally Goddard Blythe’s work on neuromotor immaturity and how these retained reflexes can show up in both kids and adults.

We also respond to a thoughtful question from a literacy coach about a 5-year-old with ADHD. We explore possible sensory and neurological factors at play—and share ideas for supporting regulation and integration through movement.

This is a must-listen for parents, therapists, and educators who want to better understand the foundational role of reflexes in child development.

LINKS

We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form - https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3 

All Things Sensory Podcast Instagram 

https://www.instagram.com/allthingssensorypodcast/

Harkla Website 

https://harkla.co/

Harkla YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/c/HarklaFamily

Harkla Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/harkla_family/

Neuromotor Immaturity in Children and Adults by Sally Goddard Blyth

https://a.co/d/dlX4KGI

Freebies - Free Sensory Checklist

https://harkla.co/pages/freebies?_pos=1&_sid=af3b45f36&_ss=r

Shop our Summer Sensory SALE! https://harkla.co/pages/summer-sensory-sale-2025

Free Primitive Reflex Webinar https://harkla.co/pages/register-for-the-primitive-reflex-webinar-2025

Summer can bring a lot of fun — and a lot of sensory dysregulation. In this episode, we’re sharing 10 activity ideas to help your child stay regulated during the warmer months. From water play and outdoor obstacle courses to sensory-friendly picnics and consistent routines, these ideas are designed to support sensory processing, connection, and fun for the whole family.

We also answer a thoughtful listener question about tongue proprioception and how to support oral awareness in a child navigating speech sound production, balance challenges, toe-walking, and a history of a frenectomy.

LINKS

We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form - https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3 

All Things Sensory Podcast Instagram 

https://www.instagram.com/allthingssensorypodcast/

Harkla Website 

https://harkla.co/

Harkla YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/c/HarklaFamily

Harkla Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/harkla_family/

Water Balloons - Bunch O Balloons

https://a.co/d/0jkzuSH

Oral Motor Super Duper Deck

https://a.co/d/40Jclqd