Understanding Interoception: The Hidden Sense That Helps Us Feel What We Need

Interoception is one of our body’s internal senses, it helps us notice and interpret what’s happening inside our body. It’s how we recognise feelings like hunger, thirst, needing the toilet, being tired, or feeling calm or anxious.

When interoception works smoothly, it helps us tune into our body’s messages and meet our needs. But for many children (and adults), this awareness can feel fuzzy, delayed, or even overwhelming.

What Interoception Looks Like

Children experience interoception differently. Some may only notice their body cues when they’re very strong (“I’m starving!” or “I’m busting!”), while others are super tuned in to every tiny sensation, which can feel confusing or intense.

A child might:

• Take longer to notice hunger, thirst, or needing the toilet

• Find it tricky to recognise emotions until they feel “big”

• React strongly to small discomforts or not notice them at all

• Struggle to dress for the weather because temperature changes aren’t easy to sense

• Find it hard to describe how they’re feeling inside

These aren’t “bad behaviours,” they’re signals that a child may need more support understanding their body’s messages.

Why It Matters

Interoception underpins self-regulation, the ability to meet our needs and stay in a comfortable, balanced state. When children understand what their body is telling them, they can learn to:

• Recognise emotions before they escalate

• Take breaks when tired or hungry

• Use calming or movement strategies that genuinely help

• Build independence and confidence in daily routines

How to Support Interoception at Home

You can help your child grow their body awareness through curiosity and connection. Try:

• Naming sensations: “My tummy feels full after lunch.”

• Inviting awareness: “How do your hands feel when you hold the ice block?”

• Connecting body and emotion: “Your heart is beating fast, I wonder if you’re feeling excited?”

• Modelling calm noticing: “I’m feeling hot,  I’m going to take my jumper off.”

Over time, these simple moments teach children to listen to their body’s cues with confidence and trust.

When to Seek Support

If your child finds it hard to tune into their body or manage daily needs like toileting, hunger, or big emotions, occupational therapy can help. Through guided activities and frameworks (like the Interoception Curriculum), therapists can help children build awareness, language, and strategies to feel more comfortable in their own bodies.