Sensory processing assessment
Standardised sensory questionnaires, clinical observation and a detailed look at daily routines to build a clear sensory profile.
Sensory integration therapy in Newcastle
Sensory processing assessments and therapy for children and adults who find everyday sights, sounds, textures or movement overwhelming, or who seem to need far more sensory input than others to feel settled.
- Children, teenagers and adults
- Sensory profile and observation
- Home, school and work strategies
- Reports for school and EHCPs
Request a quote
Tell us a little about what you need and we will be in touch to discuss the next steps.
The service
Sensory assessment and therapy with Private Occupational Therapy
Private Occupational Therapy assesses how children and adults process sensory information, then provides sensory integration therapy and practical strategies that make daily life more manageable at home, in school and at work.
An occupational therapist gathers information through questionnaires and conversation, observes how sensory differences affect real routines and explains the findings in a written sensory profile with recommendations. Therapy sessions and a daily sensory plan follow where they are needed, delivered at home, in school, in the workplace or by video for reviews.
What happens when you book
- A first conversation about what is hardest day to day
- A quote agreed before anything is arranged
- A sensory profile explained in plain language
- Strategies you can start using straight away
- Reviews that check progress against your goals
- Liaison with teachers or employers if you consent
What is sensory integration therapy?
Sensory processing is the way the nervous system takes in information from the senses, including touch, sound, sight, movement, body position and internal signals such as hunger, and turns it into a useful response. When that process works differently, ordinary experiences can feel painful, frightening or barely noticeable. A sock seam becomes unbearable, a busy supermarket triggers a shutdown, or a child spins and crashes all day in search of input.
Sensory integration therapy uses carefully graded movement, touch and play to help the nervous system organise this information more comfortably. Activities are pitched just at the edge of what feels manageable, so tolerance builds gradually without overwhelming the person.
For children, sensory work often sits alongside paediatric occupational therapy for motor and self-care skills. Adults whose sensory overload feeds into anxiety or burnout may also benefit from mental health occupational therapy.
Who it helps
Signs of sensory processing differences in children and adults
Sensory differences are common in autistic people and those with ADHD, but they also occur without any diagnosis.
In children, they often appear as distress around dressing, hair washing or mealtimes, or as constant movement that makes sitting at a desk hard. Adults may describe exhaustion after a day in an open-plan office, avoiding social events or relying on rigid routines to cope. An assessment helps explain these patterns rather than treating them as behaviour problems.
You might notice
- Covering ears or fleeing noisy places
- Refusing certain clothes, foods or textures
- Constant fidgeting, chewing or crashing
- Seeming not to notice pain, cold or hunger
- Meltdowns or shutdowns after busy days
- Difficulty falling asleep or settling
- Feeling drained by workplaces or crowds
What's included
Your sensory processing assessment and therapy
The service starts with understanding and moves into practical change.
Therapy sessions
Graded activities using movement, deep pressure and play to build tolerance, improve regulation and support body awareness.
Sensory plan for daily life
A realistic schedule of calming and alerting activities, sometimes called a sensory diet, built around your day.
Environment advice
Changes to lighting, noise, seating and layout at home, in the classroom or at work that reduce overload.
What sensory therapy aims to achieve
The goal is a person who feels more comfortable in their own body and better able to take part in the activities that matter to them. Progress is measured against everyday goals agreed at the start, such as tolerating a haircut, sitting through a lesson, eating a wider range of foods or getting through a shift without needing to leave the room.
Understanding is often the first benefit. Once families, teachers or managers can see why a reaction happens, they tend to respond differently, and situations that used to escalate become easier to manage. For adults, a clear sensory profile can also support conversations with an employer about reasonable adjustments, and our return to work service can take that further where needed.
Therapy does not try to remove every sensory preference. Some people will always prefer quiet spaces or soft fabrics, and that is fine. The work focuses on reducing distress, widening what feels tolerable and giving the person reliable ways to calm down or wake up their system when they need to.
How it works
How sensory integration therapy works with us
Enquiry
Describe the settings where sensory difficulties cause most trouble, such as mealtimes, lessons or the office.
Questionnaires
Parents, teachers or the adult complete standardised questionnaires so patterns across different settings are captured.
Observation
Watching familiar activities shows which senses are involved and which strategies already help.
Therapy and review
Sessions build gradually, and the daily plan is adjusted as tolerance and confidence grow.
Sensory processing support across Tyneside and the North East
Therapy sessions usually take place at home, where there is space for movement-based activities and parents can see how strategies work. School visits help teachers apply recommendations in the classroom, and workplace visits do the same for adults. Video appointments suit reviews and parent coaching. We work across Newcastle, Gateshead, the Tyneside boroughs, Sunderland, Northumberland and County Durham.
Sensory reports for school, EHCPs and work
The report describes how sensory differences affect daily activities and what support would help in each setting. Schools use it to plan reasonable adjustments, and it can form part of the evidence for an Education, Health and Care Plan, which our EHCP and school assessments service can develop further. Adults can share relevant sections with an employer or college.
Paying for a sensory assessment
Many clients self-fund, though some insurance policies, personal budgets and schools contribute. A quote is always agreed first, and the fees and funding page outlines the main routes.
FAQs
Sensory integration therapy questions
What is the difference between sensory processing and sensory integration?
Sensory processing describes how a person receives and responds to sensory information. Sensory integration refers to a therapy approach that uses graded, play-based activities to help the nervous system organise that information.
Do you offer sensory assessments for adults?
Yes. Adults can refer themselves, including autistic adults and those with ADHD, and the assessment focuses on home life, work and social situations.
Does my child need a diagnosis first?
No. Many children are assessed before or during a diagnostic process, and the sensory report can be shared with the professionals involved.
Can strategies be used at school as well as home?
Yes. Recommendations are written so staff can use them during the school day, and a school visit can be arranged with your consent.
Ask about a sensory processing assessment
Send us a short description of the sensory difficulties and who they affect, and Private Occupational Therapy will reply with next steps and a quote.