Supporting My Child's Sensory Needs (w/Melissa Murphy & Chandler Edge) Ep.294
The Forgotten Podcast
The Forgotten Initiative
4.9 • 532 Ratings
🗓️ 25 May 2026
⏱️ 34 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this episode of The Forgotten Podcast, Jami sits down with Melissa Murphy and Chandler Edge from Beyond Measure Pediatric Therapies to discuss Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). As occupational therapy professionals, they share how this frequently undiagnosed condition impacts children in foster care and the families who love them.
Melissa and Chandler break down how the central nervous system controls our daily experiences and what happens when a child's sensory system is out of balance due to genetics, prenatal care, birth history, or early childhood trauma. They explore how sensory dysregulation is often misinterpreted as defiance or hyperactivity, offering practical guidance to help caregivers distinguish between a sensory meltdown and goal-directed behavior. Learn how to implement actionable tools like sensory diets, heavy work, and calming spaces to support your child today.
About the Guests
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Melissa Murphy is an occupational therapist, owner of Beyond Measure Pediatric Therapies, and a dedicated advocate for complex medical diagnoses and community inclusion.
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Chandler Edge is an occupational therapist assistant and partner at Beyond Measure Pediatric Therapies, working alongside Melissa to support families navigating daily functional challenges.
In This Episode
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Introduction to sensory processing disorder and the central nervous system.
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Why sensory processing challenges are highly prevalent within the foster care community.
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Root causes of sensory dysregulation: genetics, prenatal care, and early life trauma.
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The three patterns: sensory seeking, sensory over-responsivity, and sensory under-responsivity.
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How to distinguish between a true sensory meltdown and standard behavioral tantrums.
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Practical home tools: sensory diets, heavy work activities, and weighted blankets.
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Setting up calm corners and advocating for inclusive spaces in churches and classrooms.
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The importance of parental patience, self-compassion, and trusting your gut instincts.
Resources + Links
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Learn more about The Forgotten Initiative: https://theforgotteninitiative.org/
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Follow TFI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theforgotteninitiative/
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Meeting you right where you are on your foster care journey, this is The Forgotten Podcast. |
| 0:07.0 | Welcome to the Forgotten Podcast, where we are sharing the stories of the foster care community and offering hope |
| 0:21.8 | and practical help for the foster parenting journey. If you're listening or watching on |
| 0:27.4 | YouTube, you'll notice that our backdrop is new. It's the very first time we get to use our |
| 0:32.6 | new studio, and I'm very excited about that. but that is not really what this episode is about. |
| 0:39.1 | I'm really excited to welcome Melissa Murphy and Chandler Edge to the show. |
| 0:44.5 | They're going to discuss an issue that many foster parents face without maybe even knowing it, |
| 0:50.5 | sensory processing disorder. It's often undiagnosed and misunderstood. It can be frustrating and |
| 0:57.8 | heartbreaking to deal with for the child who is suffering and also for the caregivers trying to make |
| 1:03.7 | sense of behaviors and needs. Melissa, an occupational therapist, is the owner at Beyond Measure pediatric therapies. She is a wife and mom. |
| 1:17.6 | Chandler is a partner at Beyond Measure, and she's also a wife and mom, and their practice provides specialized care for complex medical diagnosis and works to promote inclusion in their community. |
| 1:31.2 | First of all, ladies, thank you so much for being on the show. |
| 1:34.8 | Thank you for having us. |
| 1:36.2 | Yeah. |
| 1:37.3 | It's going to be a great conversation. |
| 1:38.8 | I personally know very little about sensory processing, so I'm very excited to learn, |
| 1:44.1 | and I know it's going to be an encouragement to our listeners. |
| 1:47.2 | Let's start with you, Chandler. |
| 1:48.6 | We know that there's a significant number of foster children who deal with sensory processing |
| 1:54.1 | disorder to some extent or another. |
| 1:56.4 | So let's just like kind of level the playing field here and just help us understand what |
| 2:01.9 | sensory processing disorder even is. Yeah. So sensory processing and the sensory system |
... |
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