Editorial illustration for "Sleep, sensory regulation, and the limits of advice".
What I can usefully do
Help families understand the sensory factors that may be affecting sleep onset, settling, and night waking. Recommend environmental changes, pre-sleep routines, and sensory tools.
Refer when the picture suggests something outside an OT's scope - sleep clinic, paediatrician review, or psychological support for the family.
What sensory strategies can't fix
Patterns that are about the family system rather than the child's nervous system. There's no weighted blanket that overrides a household routine that isn't working.
I'll always be explicit when the bottleneck is in territory I can't help with directly.