What If It's Not Bad Behavior? Autism, Sensory Needs & Regulation | Laura Petix

When your autistic child is hitting, screaming, refusing a task or melting down, the first question is often, “How do I stop this behavior?” But what if we're asking the wrong question? In this episode of INCHSTONES, Sarah Kernion welcomes Laura Petix, pediatric occupational therapist, creator of The OT Butterfly and author of The Sensory Code, for a conversation about sensory processing, nervous-system regulation and what children's behavior may be communicating. Laura challenges the familiar question, “Is it sensory or is it behavioral?” and explains why the more useful question is what may be happening beneath the behavior. Together, Sarah and Laura explore: - How to recognize the difference between “won't” and “can't right now” - Why sensory overload can look like refusal or defiance - Regulation versus compliance, and why harmless stimming shouldn't automatically be interrupted - How to identify sensory patterns without becoming consumed by caregiver hypervigilance - Why autistic children may become dysregulated after school - Understanding elopement while taking its serious safety risks into account - Three things parents can observe to better understand their child's sensory needs - Why sensory dysregulation can accumulate throughout the day or week - How parents can support their children's regulation while learning to understand their own nervous systems As the mother of two children with profound, nonspeaking autism, Sarah brings the perspective of a caregiver who understands how much communication can happen without spoken words. This conversation is not about finding one universal solution for every autistic child. It's about becoming more curious, more observant and more willing to consider what a child's body may be communicating before deciding how to respond. Because sometimes the most important shift isn't changing the behavior. It's changing the question we're asking about it. Guest: Laura Petix | The OT Butterfly | The Sensory Code Host: Sarah Kernion | INCHSTONES Podcast | Instagram: @inchstonesbysarah More conversations about profound autism, caregiver stories and special needs parenting: www.inchstonespodcast.com