Embedding sensory strategies into classroom
When I receive referrals for sensory needs, the first thing parents or teachers start to speak about are the behaviours they can see. The child who bites when the classroom gets too loud. The one who rocks constantly at their desk. The child who bolts out of assembly without warning. These children make their distress visible, and whilst supporting them comes with its own challenges, at least their needs are obvious. They get noticed. They get help.
But what about the children who don’t show their overwhelm in obvious ways? The ones who go quiet and shut down rather than act out? These are the children I want to talk about today, because they’re struggling just as much, but their distress is internalised. And because it’s hidden, they often don’t receive the support they desperately need until things have escalated significantly.
This article will consider
Embedding sensory strategies into classroom
When I receive referrals for sensory needs, the first thing parents or teachers start to speak about are the behaviours they can see. The child who bites when the classroom gets too loud. The one who rocks constantly at their desk. The child who bolts out of assembly without warning. These children make their distress visible, and whilst supporting them comes with its own challenges, at least their needs are obvious. They get noticed. They get help.
But what about the children who don’t show their overwhelm in obvious ways? The ones who go quiet and shut down rather than act out? These are the children I want to talk about today, because they’re struggling just as much, but their distress is internalised. And because it’s hidden, they often don’t receive the support they desperately need until things have escalated significantly.
This article will consider
What internalisation looks like
Recognising internalised sensory distress requires us to look beyond obvious behaviours. These children often appear to be coping well on the surface. Teachers might describe them as quiet, well-behaved, or compliant. They sit where they’re told. They follow instructions. They don’t disrupt the class. But if you look more closely, you’ll notice something isn’t quite right.
The child might seem disconnected or glazed over. They’re physically present but not really there. When you speak to them, there’s a delay before they respond, as though they’re processing through fog. They might stare into space or seem to look through people rather than at them. This isn’t daydreaming or lack of attention in the typical sense. It’s a child whose system has hit overload and shut down to protect itself.
You might see a child who becomes increasingly passive as the day goes on. They stop putting their hand up, even though they know the answer or they stop asking questions. The child may simply sit and wait, hoping no one will notice them or make demands they can’t meet. Their work might deteriorate throughout the day, not because they’re becoming less capable, but because they’re using all their energy just to hold themselves together.
The challenge in busy classroom is often these children do fade into the background. This means they don’t receive help in the earlier years. It might not be until they start secondary school and the daily demands increase that their needs are noticed. I have written this article as a prompt for all teachers to keep an eye out for the quiet ones in their classroom. Sometimes, quiet does not mean ok. For some children, it can be a sign that they need as much help as the children who are externalising their needs.
How to help children who internalise
Identify and address triggers
The first and most important step is simply recognising that quiet, compliant behaviour doesn’t always mean a child is coping. We need to notice and consider the children who are too quiet, too still, too passive. Look for the child who never causes trouble but also never seems fully engaged. Watch for increasing withdrawal as the day progresses. Notice the child who seems to disappear into themselves during busy or overstimulating times.
You may want to keep a record of when you see the child withdraw, and what occurred beforehand to see if there are any patterns. For example, is it always after maths or after break. Is it during story time or always towards the end of the day? Does it always occur on Tuesday and Friday when there is PE and you are in the hall. It is after longer writing sessions or does it always happen when it is discussion time and more noise in the room. If you can identify specific triggers, the first step is to see if these can be removed or adapted. The specific strategy will obviously depend on the trigger.
If we’ve recognised a child might be struggling, the first thing to do is to reduce the demands they’re experiencing. This could be sensation in the environment, such as noise levels in the classroom or visual clutter or lighting. A classroom sensory audit, such as the one included in Level 2 of our sensory training, can help to identify potential sensory triggers.
It could also be a task that is too hard or the child does not understand what is being said due to language needs. So, it’s important to be acutely aware of the child’s strengths, abilities and needs to understand what might trigger their overload.
Supporting communication
Perhaps most crucially, we need to support these children to develop communication strategies for when they’re becoming overloaded. Remember, they’re not choosing to be silent about their distress. Initially, some children may genuinely might not recognise what’s happening in their body and they will need help with this. You can say the behaviours you see aloud. For example, I see that you are very quiet. Or, I see that you haven’t started your work, that might mean you need a break.
Next, they might not have the language or permission to express it. Start by helping them notice the early signs of overwhelm in their own body. What do they feel like when they’re starting to struggle? Where do they notice it? Then give them simple, concrete ways to communicate this. For some children, this might be a visual scale they can point to. For others, it could be a simple phrase like “I need a break” or a discreet signal only you and they understand.
It can also help to build in regular check-ins rather than waiting for them to come to you. A child who struggles to advocate for themselves won’t suddenly start asking for help just because we’ve told them they can. Create structured opportunities for them to communicate how they’re doing such as at the start of each lesson. Make it safe and acceptable to say they’re struggling. Ensure that they know that needing a break or finding something overwhelming is completely fine and not something they need to hide or be embarrassed about.
Embedding down time
For children who freeze when overloaded, downtime is essential. They need regular opportunities to decompress before they hit shutdown. This might mean brief sensory breaks throughout the day that matches their sensory profile. This could be a calm, quiet, dark low arousal space. Or, they may simply need permission to opt out of certain activities when they’re approaching their limit. The key is that these breaks need to happen before the child completely shuts down, not after. Prevention is far more effective than trying to bring a child back once they’ve frozen.
Final thoughts
Children who internalise their sensory distress are easy to miss because they don’t demand our attention. They sit quietly at the back of the class, never causing trouble, gradually disappearing into themselves. But their needs are just as urgent as the child who’s running around the room or throwing chairs. Perhaps more so, because their distress goes unnoticed for so long. These quiet children need us to notice them. They need us to recognise that their silence might be a sign of distress rather than coping.
If you’re working with children who seem overly compliant, unusually quiet, or increasingly withdrawn, consider whether sensory overload might be playing a role. Please make sure you look beyond the surface behaviour to what might be happening underneath. Create environments that reduce their triggers and sensory load, build in regular breaks and downtime. Most importantly, they need us to create the safety and support that allows them to stop holding it all in and the permission and tools to communicate when they’re struggling.
Quick fire questions: When sensory needs are internalised
How do I know if a quiet child is struggling with sensory overload or just naturally shy?
A naturally shy child is usually still engaged in the classroom, they will be listening, watching, processing. A child experiencing overload shows increasing disconnection as the day progresses: glazed expressions, delayed responses, deteriorating work quality, or withdrawal during busy times. Keep a record of when the quietness intensifies. If it correlates with sensory-heavy activities like noisy periods or transitions, sensory overload could be playing a role.
How can I conduct a sensory audit of my classroom to identify potential sensory triggers?
A sensory audit involves systematically examining your environment for potential sensory triggers across all eight sensory systems. If you’re not familiar with all eight, you can learn about them in Level 1 of GriffinOT’s Success with Sensory training. It’s about considering things like the sounds the child might experience in the classroom. Along with what they might be seeing, smelling and feeling with their body (touch, proprioceptive, vestibular and interoception). If you need help, there’s a comprehensive classroom sensory audit checklist in Level 2 of our sensory training that guides you through the process.
What should I do if I suspect a child is shutting down but they won’t communicate their needs?
Narrate what you observe without judgment: “I notice you’re very quiet today” or “I can see you haven’t started. That might mean you need a break.” Build in regular check-ins at predictable times rather than waiting for them to ask. Offer simple communication tools like a visual scale or discreet hand signal. Explicitly give permission for breaks and make it safe to say “I’m struggling.” For children who consistently struggle to self-advocate, proactively offer breaks based on patterns you’ve observed. They might also need support from a speech and language therapist.
About the author
All articles on the GriffinOT website are written by children’s occupational therapist Kim Griffin. Kim has over 25 years’ experience supporting children with sensory and skill needs, their teachers and families. She is the author of multiple books, presents all training at GriffinOT and hosts the EBPOT podcast. Kim is currently completing her PhD, focussing on supporting children’s self-regulation in schools, at Oxford Brookes University.
Date last updated by Kim: 30th April 2026
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