For the past year and a half, this book has been burning in my heart — a project born out of both love and lived experience. If you’ve been part of this community for a while, you know that our oldest son was diagnosed with ADHD and experiences significant sensory processing challenges. That diagnosis sent us on a long, humbling, eye-opening journey filled with trial and error, lots of prayer, countless appointments, and a whole lot of grace for ourselves and our son.
Along the way, we’ve learned so much. We’ve sat with occupational therapists, talked with chiropractors who specialize in neurodevelopment, heard insights from pediatricians, toured therapy centers, and met with school support teams who all shared one common thread: understanding sensory needs is essential to helping kids regulate, learn, and thrive.
And what used to feel like “niche knowledge” is now front-and-center.
More and more professionals are talking about the importance of sensory strategies. You can now walk into:
- Chiropractic offices offering sensory-based approaches
- Pediatricians’ offices sharing guidance on sensory regulation
- Occupational therapy clinics teaching parents how sensory input shapes behavior
- School counseling departments using sensory breaks and tools
- Student support centers with sensory paths, calm-down corners, and fidgets built right in
What once felt overwhelming and isolating is now supported by an entire community of professionals who get it. And that is such a gift to families like ours.
Why This Book Exists
All of this — the learning, the trying, the advocating, the healing — led me to write Sensory Seeking Sebastian. But this isn’t just a book. It’s a reflection of the world sensory seekers live in and the support they deserve.
Sensory Seeking Sebastian is a story designed to empower sensory seekers with practical, kid-friendly strategies for self-regulation. Through Sebastian’s adventures, kids discover simple, effective tools they can use anywhere — at home, school, church, or on the go. It gives language to what sensory seekers feel, and it helps parents, teachers, and caregivers guide those conversations with confidence instead of confusion.
This book was written for families like ours — families who see the brilliance, creativity, and curiosity inside their child but sometimes struggle to understand the “why” behind big emotions, big movements, or big behaviors. Families who want real strategies that actually help, not just long lists of “what your child is doing wrong.”
A Story, A Resource, and a Reminder
More than anything, this book is a reminder —
that our sensory seekers are not broken, not too much, and not something to “fix.”
They are wired with purpose.
They experience the world with intensity, color, and depth. And with the right tools and support (the same ones professionals use every day!), they can thrive in ways that beautifully align with who they are.
My hope is that Sensory Seeking Sebastian becomes more than a bedtime story.
I hope it becomes:
✨ a resource for families
✨ a guide for teachers
✨ a tool for therapists
✨ a conversation starter for kids
✨ and a reminder that every child deserves understanding, patience, and love
Because sensory seekers aren’t just capable — they’re incredible.
And they deserve a world (and a team of adults) who see that clearly.
Christia DeShields 
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