Regulation Prepares the Child, but Listening Builds the Person

Rethinking Priorities in Autism Intervention

Dr Santosh V Kondekar

Introduction

In recent decades, the field of neurodevelopmental intervention has increasingly recognized the importance of sensory regulation. Children who are overwhelmed, dysregulated, or unable to sustain attention cannot meaningfully engage in learning, and sensory strategies such as deep pressure, movement, and environmental modifications have become foundational tools in autism intervention (1,2).

Yet an important question emerges: Is regulation the destination, or merely the starting point?

This editorial argues that while regulation prepares the child, it is listening — and the language-based meaning that follows — that ultimately builds the person.

Beyond Calmness: The Purpose of Regulation

Regulation stabilizes arousal and supports attention, allowing children to become available for interaction (3). Without this foundation, learning is fragmented. However, regulation alone does not create communication, conceptual understanding, or social participation.

A child can be calm yet disconnected. Regulation prepares readiness, but it does not by itself lead to engagement in the social world.

The true purpose of regulation is to create a brain state in which listening can occur (4).

Listening as the Gateway to Meaning

Listening is not merely auditory perception; it is the pathway through which humans connect, interpret intentions, and construct knowledge. Through listening, children move from isolated sensory experiences to shared meaning (5).

Language, accessed primarily through listening, enables children to develop concepts, understand emotions, and participate in social narratives. It supports the transition from reactive behavior to reflective thinking (6).

In this sense, listening is not simply a skill — it is foundational to social and cognitive development.

The Risk of Stopping at Regulation

In some intervention contexts, particularly those heavily focused on sensory strategies, therapy may overemphasize regulation without a deliberate transition toward communication and listening. Sensory routines may become ends in themselves rather than preparatory steps.

When intervention remains at the level of regulation, children may become calmer yet remain minimally communicative. Regulation without progression toward language risks producing stability without developmental growth (2,7).

Language as the Integrative System

Human development is distinguished by the ability to construct meaning through language. While sensory systems contribute to experience, language integrates experiences into concepts, relationships, and shared understanding (5,8).

Through listening, children develop:

Social cognition
Emotional understanding
Academic learning
Executive functioning
Self-reflection

Language therefore functions as an organizing framework for human development.

Autism and the Developmental Shift Toward Listening

Children with autism often show strong engagement with sensory input or visual processing but may have difficulty transitioning toward listening-based learning (9). Without intentional support, they may remain focused on objects or routines rather than social communication.

Intervention must therefore support a developmental shift:

From sensory engagement to social connection
From visual dominance to auditory meaning
From activity to attention
From regulation to communication

Research supports the importance of early language exposure and social engagement in improving developmental outcomes in autism (10,11).

An Integrated Approach

Recognizing the importance of listening does not diminish the role of sensory strategies. Instead, it clarifies their purpose. Sensory interventions prepare the nervous system; language-based interaction builds communication and understanding.

An integrated framework may involve:

Supporting regulation
Building social engagement
Prioritizing listening and language exposure
Expanding communication into meaningful participation

Naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions demonstrate the effectiveness of combining developmental readiness with structured teaching (10).

Implications for Practice

Clinicians and caregivers should ensure that intervention progresses beyond regulation toward meaningful listening opportunities. Therapy environments should prioritize interaction, conversation, storytelling, and shared experiences alongside sensory supports.

The goal is not merely a calmer child, but a child who can understand, connect, and participate socially (6,8).

Conclusion

Regulation is indispensable. It steadies the nervous system and creates readiness for learning. But it is listening that allows children to enter the world of meaning, relationships, and thought.

If regulation prepares the child, listening builds the person.

The task in autism intervention is not to choose between sensory support and language development, but to ensure that regulation leads to listening, and listening leads to communication.

Only then can intervention truly support the growth of the whole person.

References

Schaaf RC, Mailloux Z. Clinician’s Guide for Implementing Ayres Sensory Integration. Bethesda: AOTA Press.
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed. DSM-5.
Porges SW. The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions. New York: Norton.
Greenspan SI, Wieder S. Engaging Autism: Using the Floortime Approach. Da Capo Press.
Kuhl PK. Early language acquisition: cracking the speech code. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2004;5:831-843.
Vygotsky LS. Thought and Language. MIT Press.
Miller LJ, Anzalone ME, Lane SJ, et al. Concept evolution in sensory integration. Am J Occup Ther. 2007.
Bruner JS. Child’s Talk: Learning to Use Language. Oxford University Press.
Tager-Flusberg H, Paul R, Lord C. Language and Communication in Autism. Handbook of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders.
Schreibman L, Dawson G, Stahmer AC, et al. Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions. J Autism Dev Disord. 2015.
Dawson G, Rogers S, Munson J, et al. Early Start Denver Model randomized trial. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry.

Search This Blog

more to read