Sensory Regulation · Toddler through school age
Why does my child crash into furniture and people?
Crashing can provide strong body feedback, but it may also reflect body awareness, balance, impulse control, visual attention, or motor planning.
Why this task is more layered than it looks
A visible outcome is built from several smaller demands. These are useful places to look—not a list of diagnoses:
- Proprioceptive feedback
- Force grading
- Balance and motor planning
- Inhibition and visual attention
What to notice first
Choose a calm, familiar version of the task. Change as little as possible and notice:
- Is crashing intentional or accidental?
- Does it increase with fatigue or waiting?
- Is movement more controlled after heavy work?
Offer a safe pushing or carrying job before crashing usually increases, then observe force and personal-space awareness.
Grade the task from the child’s response
Make it easier: Create a safe movement zone with stable targets.
Build from success: Practice stopping and changing force.
The goal is not to force completion. It is to find the level where the child can participate, learn, and begin using a strategy that supports greater independence.