3 Signs of Sensory Overwhelm in Highly Sensitive Children
Avoidance, tears, and big emotions - these are just a few of the ways that sensory overload can show up in Highly Sensitive (HSP) Children! While the HSP trait includes many wonderful gifts to children and those who love them - empathy, awareness, and thoughtfulness, just to name a few - it also can lead to some intense overwhelm for HSP children. While each child is different, many Highly Sensitive children struggle with both environmental overstimulation as well as emotional overwhelm.
Many HSP children find crowded places, loud classrooms, or scratchy fabrics to be overstimulating. Additionally, older HSP children often feel emotionally overwhelmed - whether due to their own deep and complex feelings, or due to “taking on” the emotions of their friends and family. While the causes of overwhelm can differ from child to child, we can identify some relatively common “warning signs” that your HSP child is overstimulated. Let’s look at a few:
Avoidance - When things are feeling overwhelming, many HSPs have the desire to simply avoid them or escape them. For example, if a child is feeling overstimulated at a loud sporting event, they may cover their ears and ask to leave. You might spot avoidance prior to certain situations, too - such as a child feeling upset about having to go to school or attend a certain function, and asking to stay home instead. Or, you might notice your child covering their eyes, ears, or even retreating to a quieter space such as a bathroom or outdoors.
Tears - For younger children, tantrums can be a sign of sensory overwhelm. At times, though, overstimulation can lead to quiet tears or other forms of emotional distress. Crying can actually provide some benefits for HSPs (see my blog on “The Benefits of Crying for Sensitive Parents” to learn more). For Highly Sensitive Children, crying can provide an emotional release, as well as signal to parents or caregivers that the child is in distress and may need help.
Big Emotions - HSPs tend to feel things deeply. While this means that positive emotions - joy, love, excitement - can feel magnified for HSPs, so too can negative emotions such as anxiety, anger, or irritability. When you notice that your Highly Sensitive child is feeling extra worried, upset, or grumpy, these may be signals that they are feeling overstimulated. Sometimes the source of overstimulation may be obvious to you; perhaps they’ve had a busy day at school followed by a sports practice and a dinner at a loud restaurant. Other times, you may need to ask them or simply observe or reflect on their experiences and schedule in order to determine what may be causing your child’s overwhelm.
When a child is overstimulated and signaling this through avoidance, tears, or big emotions, it’s our job as parents to help them to navigate that situation. Usually, this means doing what we can to reduce or eliminate the source of overstimulation, as well as providing our child with ways to cope or calm. Something as simple as a hug, an offer of a snack, or making a plan to leave the situation can go a long way towards reducing your child’s overwhelm.
Additionally, the more you and your child become aware of the sources and “warning signs” of overstimulation, the more you can do to reduce the likelihood of overstimulation occurring in the first place! My “Supporting Your Highly Sensitive Child” course takes a deeper look at how parents and caregivers can support their HSP children in meaningful, practical ways. If you’re interested in learning more about the HSP trait and your child, and want to empower your child with an awareness of their gifts as well as confidence in navigating some of the challenges they may be facing, visit the course information page to learn more!
