Every child’s brain works differently. A scratchy t-shirt tag or excited squeals at a birthday party might be no big deal for one kid… and cue a *total* meltdown for another. What’s going on for kids who feel extra sensitive to sights, sounds, smells, tastes, or textures? And what can parents do? This week, Dr. Becky talks to Laura Petix—the pediatric occupational therapist behind @TheOTButterfly and mom to a sensory sensitive four-year-old herself—to answer these questions and more. They talk all about parenting neurodivergent kids, whose brains process the world in unique ways, and offer practical strategies to support their needs. Whether you’re familiar with terms like “occupational therapy,” “neurodivergence,” and “sensory processing” or hearing them for the first time, you’ll leave this podcast with a deeper understanding of how sensory systems shape behavior and why it’s so important to believe what our kids perceive.

If you’re thinking, “This sounds like my kid,” follow Laura on Instagram at @TheOTButterfly and visit [www.theotbutterfly.com/drbecky](http://www.theotbutterfly.com/drbecky) to learn more.

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For a full transcript of the episode, go to goodinside.com/podcast