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Research Article: Impact of sensory training on healthcare provider care for neurodivergent children

Date Published: 2026-07-17

Abstract:
Neurodivergent pediatric patients often experience sensory and communication challenges during hospitalization, yet formal provider training remains limited. To determine whether a structured sensory training can increase healthcare provider knowledge and perceived care for neurodivergent children. A sensory training was implemented at a tertiary children's hospital to educate providers on the care of neurodivergent patients. Anonymous unmatched surveys that quantified commonality, knowledge, and comfortability via scaled responses of 1–10 as well as an 11-question sensory knowledge quiz were administered before and after implementation of the training. Survey responses represented aggregate cross-sectional samples collected at different time points. Single center tertiary children's hospital from 2021 to 2025. Medical staff including registered nurses, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA), technicians, clinical assistants, and physicians. Provider-reported knowledge, comfort, and perceptions related to sensory-informed care measured through survey and quiz responses. Sensory training was administered to 1639 participants who were aged 21–30 years (67.91%), Caucasian (76.45%), female (92.80%), registered nurses (73.70%), and with <5 years of experience (77.36%). Pre-training commonality, knowledge, and comfort varied by age, job type, and prior neurodivergent experience. Younger respondents and those with fewer years of experience reported higher commonality. Knowledge and comfort increased with age, varied with job description, and greater among those with prior neurodivergent experience. Pre-training mean (±SD) scores for perceived commonality, knowledge, and comfort were 8.25?±?1.88, 5.14?±?2.07, and 6.09?±?2.27, respectively. Higher mean post-training scores were observed across all domains compared with pre-training survey responses (9.09?±?1.35, 7.81?±?1.45, and 7.90?±?1.55). Higher sensory knowledge quiz scores were observed in post-training assessments compared with pre-training assessments (pre: 8.42?±?1.53 vs post: 9.42?±?1.53). At follow-up assessment conducted beyond 12 months after initial training, mean scores remained higher than baseline pre-training responses across all measured domains ( n =?453, 8.82?±?1.50 for commonality, 7.02?±?1.61 for knowledge, and 7.61?±?1.73 for comfort). Sensory tools were rated as the most beneficial intervention (86.43%) followed by staff training (79.12%). Higher scores were observed in provider-reported knowledge, comfort, and perceived preparedness following implementation of the sensory training, with similar trends present at follow-up assessment.

Introduction:
The hospital with its unfamiliar and unpredictable environment, medical equipment, and alarms can be an overwhelming place for children who are neurodivergent or those with sensory processing difficulties, especially when they are feeling unwell. “Neurodivergent” is a nonmedical term referring to differences in how certain individuals process information and sensory input ( 1 ). Sensory processing terms describe how the body receives and interprets information from all senses. For example, interoception (internal…

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