All Things Sensory by Harkla

In episode of All Things Sensory, we sit down with the incredible Dr. Tessa Grigg - PhD, Dip Tch (Primary) Dip Tch (ECE). She has a wide range of experience within the Early Childhood Education field. She has taught in a Primary School, supervised a preschool with specialist work in the sensory-motor area, worked as a Child and Family Therapist, taught adult students in teaching and child development, and owned and operated a GymbaROO centre for nine years. Tessa is the "Tessa" in Tessarose Productions, a business that has produced music for children for over 30 years. Currently, Tessa is a certified Rhythmic Movement Training Practitioner and runs a Kinesiology clinic for children and adults. Following the completion of a PhD focused on children's primitive reflexes, Tessa now works part-time as a lecturer at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, and is the Research and Education Manager for GymbaROO-KindyROO in Australia. We chat about: * How Tessa’s career path led her to primitive reflex research * The surprising effects of natural disasters (like earthquakes) and the pandemic on reflex development in children * Her fascinating classroom-based research showing how simple, rhythmic movement interventions can dramatically impact learning, emotional regulation, and behavior * Why crawling and skipping might just be two of the most important activities your child can do daily * How to bring reflex integration into schools and homes without overwhelm Whether you’re a parent, therapist, or educator, this episode is filled with practical tips, lightbulb moments, and hopeful reminders that everything can change when we meet kids where they are. LINKS Tessa's Research Articles https://jneuroscience.com/jnen/articles/v9n1/jnen-103-tess-grigg.pdf [https://jneuroscience.com/jnen/articles/v9n1/jnen-103-tess-grigg.pdf] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29529872/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29529872/] Visit Tessa’s website https://www.gymbaroo.com.au/ [https://www.gymbaroo.com.au/] We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form - https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3 [https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3]  All Things Sensory Podcast Instagram  [https://www.instagram.com/allthingssensorypodcast/] https://www.instagram.com/allthingssensorypodcast/ Harkla Website  [https://harkla.co/] https://harkla.co/ Harkla YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/HarklaFamily] https://www.youtube.com/c/HarklaFamily Harkla Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/harkla_family/] https://www.instagram.com/harkla_family/

Headaches that won’t go away? Trouble reading or switching between screens? Feeling drained after a day at your desk? These might not be random quirks—they could be signs of ocular motor deficits. In this episode, we’re diving into how visual-ocular challenges—convergence, saccades, and pursuits—can impact adults in everyday life. You’ll hear a personal story, a powerful example of how unresolved visual motor skills led to chronic headaches, and how vision therapy changed everything. We’ll also unpack the key signs of ocular motor dysfunction in adults, how they’re often linked to headaches, fatigue, and even ADHD symptoms, and why primitive reflexes might still be at play long after childhood. You’ll learn simple screening tools to try at home and get expert insight into what interventions actually help. LINKS We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form - https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3 [https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3]  Free live webinar on July 16th [https://harkla.co/pages/infant-sensory-development-webinar-registration-2025] https://harkla.co/pages/infant-sensory-development-webinar-registration-2025 Primitive Reflex Digital Course [https://harkla.co/products/primitive-reflexes-course] https://harkla.co/products/primitive-reflexes-course All Things Sensory Podcast Instagram  [https://www.instagram.com/allthingssensorypodcast/] https://www.instagram.com/allthingssensorypodcast/ Harkla Website  [https://harkla.co/] https://harkla.co/ Harkla YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/HarklaFamily] https://www.youtube.com/c/HarklaFamily Harkla Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/harkla_family/] https://www.instagram.com/harkla_family/

In this episode, we sit down with pediatric audiologist Debbie Baerlocher to unpack the real truth about Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)—what it is, what it’s not, and why it’s often misunderstood. Learn how APD is diagnosed, when to seek help, and why many children show similar symptoms without actually having APD. Debbie has her Doctorate in Audiology and has been working at Elks Hearing and Balance, aka St. Luke's Hearing and Balance, in Boise, Idaho since she moved to the Treasure Valley just about 25 years ago. By the end of this episode you’ll learn: - What a true APD diagnosis involves - Why symptom lists can be misleading - When hearing loss, ADHD, or anxiety might be the real cause - What parents can do right now to help Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, or therapist, this episode offers clarity, empathy, and expert advice you won’t want to miss. LINKS https://www.hearingfirst.org/ [https://www.hearingfirst.org/] https://www.readingrockets.org/ [https://www.readingrockets.org/] We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form - https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3 [https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3]  All Things Sensory Podcast Instagram  [https://www.instagram.com/allthingssensorypodcast/] https://www.instagram.com/allthingssensorypodcast/ Harkla Website  [https://harkla.co/] https://harkla.co/ Harkla YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/HarklaFamily] https://www.youtube.com/c/HarklaFamily Harkla Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/harkla_family/] https://www.instagram.com/harkla_family/

Dr. Craig D. Clayton is a functional and biomimetic dentist based in Meridian, Idaho, and an influential online educator with a following of over 380K on Instagram. Passionate about uncovering the root causes of oral health issues, Dr. Clayton focuses on holistic cavity prevention, airway health, and innovative, biologically sound approaches to restoring teeth. As the host of the Dentistry Disrupted podcast, he is on a mission to shift the dental industry toward a more patient-centered, root-cause-focused approach. Through educating and empowering patients, he hopes to bridge the gap between oral health and overall well-being. Follow Dr. Clayton on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/restoration.dentistry [https://www.instagram.com/restoration.dentistry] More information https://restorationdentistryid.com/ [https://restorationdentistryid.com/] Free resources https://stan.store/restorationdentistry [https://stan.store/restorationdentistry] Listen to Dr. Clayton’s Podcast - Dentistry Disrupted  https://open.spotify.com/show/37YIyN9xGxzvT5MkuH9GOD?si=JNrtjoisToSEU80e1asRQw [https://open.spotify.com/show/37YIyN9xGxzvT5MkuH9GOD?si=JNrtjoisToSEU80e1asRQw] Elementa Toothpaste [https://elementasilver.com/] https://elementasilver.com/ We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form - https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3 [https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3]  All Things Sensory Podcast Instagram  [https://www.instagram.com/allthingssensorypodcast/] https://www.instagram.com/allthingssensorypodcast/ Harkla Website  [https://harkla.co/] https://harkla.co/ Harkla YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/HarklaFamily] https://www.youtube.com/c/HarklaFamily Harkla Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/harkla_family/] https://www.instagram.com/harkla_family/

Shop our Summer Sensory SALE! https://harkla.co/pages/summer-sensory-sale-2025 [https://harkla.co/pages/summer-sensory-sale-2025] Free Primitive Reflex Webinar https://harkla.co/pages/register-for-the-primitive-reflex-webinar-2025 [https://harkla.co/pages/register-for-the-primitive-reflex-webinar-2025] Free Sensory Diet Webinar https://harkla.co/pages/sensory-diet-webinar-registration-2024 [https://harkla.co/pages/sensory-diet-webinar-registration-2024] We’re diving deep into the why behind retained primitive reflexes. These early movement patterns are essential in infancy—but when they don’t integrate properly, they can lead to challenges with regulation, development, and everyday functioning. We cover some of the most common causes of retained reflexes, including: * Neurological immaturity * Birth trauma or complications during delivery * Lack of early movement (think: limited tummy time or crawling) * Environmental stressors during pregnancy * Prematurity and other perinatal factors * Genetic predispositions We also highlight insights from Sally Goddard Blythe’s work on neuromotor immaturity and how these retained reflexes can show up in both kids and adults. We also respond to a thoughtful question from a literacy coach about a 5-year-old with ADHD. We explore possible sensory and neurological factors at play—and share ideas for supporting regulation and integration through movement. This is a must-listen for parents, therapists, and educators who want to better understand the foundational role of reflexes in child development. LINKS We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form - https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3 [https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3]  All Things Sensory Podcast Instagram  [https://www.instagram.com/allthingssensorypodcast/] https://www.instagram.com/allthingssensorypodcast/ Harkla Website  [https://harkla.co/] https://harkla.co/ Harkla YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/HarklaFamily] https://www.youtube.com/c/HarklaFamily Harkla Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/harkla_family/] https://www.instagram.com/harkla_family/ Neuromotor Immaturity in Children and Adults by Sally Goddard Blyth [https://a.co/d/dlX4KGI] https://a.co/d/dlX4KGI Freebies - Free Sensory Checklist [https://harkla.co/pages/freebies?_pos=1&_sid=af3b45f36&_ss=r] https://harkla.co/pages/freebies?_pos=1&_sid=af3b45f36&_ss=r