Kate Coldrick reflects on autistic sensory neurobiology and why it matters for both education and therapy. Read more in her full NLSC article.

Over the past few months, I’ve been following discussions about autism, sensory processing, and therapy. One theme that keeps surfacing is how easily the conversation gets polarised: should traditional therapies be applied as they are, or should they be dismissed altogether as unsuitable for autistic people?

As both a teacher and a writer, I find myself coming back to the same question: what does the science actually tell us about autistic sensory experience?

The answer lies not just in classroom observations or therapy outcomes, but in the neurobiology of autistic brains – the way structure, wiring, and chemistry shape how sensory input is processed.

Rather than rehearse the whole argument here, I’ve written a longer piece for Neurodiversity Learning Support Consultancy (NLSC). That article pulls together current research and links it to everyday practice in both education and therapy.

Read the full article on NLSC: Why Neurobiology Matters in Understanding Autistic Sensory Experience

Read more about practical strategies that support autistic and neurodivergent students in my recent blog post, Inclusive Education for Autistic Students: Evidence Gaps and Urgent Questions, about my work on the About page, or browse my resources for teaching neurodivergent students in Kate Coldrick’s TES shop.

Written by Kate Coldrick, an educator and writer based in Woodbury near Exeter.