Is my child highly sensitive??

Is my child highly sensitive??

You may be wondering if your child is highly sensitive, or just wondering what that even means? 

Is it another way of saying they are on the Autism Spectrum or have ASD? 

Well no, but they can overlap.

See a “highly sensitive child” often referred to as an “HSC” or a “Highly Sensitive Person” (HSP) when referring to adults, is a character trait describing a person who experiences the world in a different, more intense way in comparison to others. This trait has a spectrum of its own, meaning that some children might not express all elements of the trait but may feel a particular few in an intense way. 

Is your child easily overwhelmed by bright lights, strong smells, loud noises and scratchy clothing??

Do you need to monitor the scary factor in children’s shows and movies?

Does your child constantly seek answers to the complexity of life's questions, forever asking why and never settling with the simple answers?

Does your child feel things deeply and have a vivid imagination?

Does it feel like your child can read your mind and know what you’re thinking and feeling?

The facts are that it is innate, meaning you are born with this trait and it has been found in over 100 species, a survival trait that has been passed down, with skills inherited to learn to observe before acting. HSC’s may have been labelled as shy, but shy is a learned behaviour, not innate. They may also be labelled introverted, needing to isolate to recoup energy but it’s not the case for all HSP’s they can also be extroverted. 

Dr. Elaine Aron is a psychologist and researcher who coined the term Sensory-Processing-Sensitivity (SPS) in the 90’s, as the scientific term for the personality trait. She developed the DOES model to describe the highly sensitive characteristics and attributes.

D: Depth of processing

O: Overstimulation

E: Emotional reactivity and Empathy

S: Sensing the Subtle

Depth of processing

HSCs tend to be introspective and thoughtful. They may ask profound questions and ponder the meaning of things at a young age. They may also be highly imaginative and have rich inner worlds. They may take time to absorb the intricacies and notice the finer details that are often overlooked by others.

Overstimulation

HSCs can become easily overwhelmed by too much stimulation, whether it's a crowded and noisy environment or a busy schedule. They may need more downtime and quiet moments to recharge and process their experiences. Highly sensitive children may be extremely sensitive to sensory stimuli such as loud noises, bright lights, rough textures, or strong smells. They may become overwhelmed or irritated by sensory input that others may not even notice.

Emotional reactivity and Empathy

Highly sensitive children often have intense emotional reactions and are deeply affected by the emotions of others. They may cry easily, become upset by criticism or conflict, and have difficulty handling strong emotions. HSCs tend to be highly empathetic and compassionate towards others. They can sense and with skills, understand the emotions and needs of those around them and may become overwhelmed by the suffering or distress of others. They can have intense emotional reactions and may be more prone to stress, anxiety, or feeling overwhelmed. They may require additional support to manage their emotional well-being and build resilience within their nervous system support.

Sensing the Subtle

Highly sensitive children often have a keen sense of intuition and may be able to pick up on subtle cues or changes in their environment. They may have a "gut feeling" about people or situations and may be more cautious or hesitant as a result. Sensitive people are processing the known - details that are accepted as true knowledge by society, as well as the unknown - the more misunderstood knowings of listening to energy, empathy and callings of the inner self.   

HSP’s absorb information with a heightened awareness of the finer details, monitoring other emotional and energetic changes, but keep in mind this can also be a trauma response. They have a need to process deeply, ponder and connect the pieces. Often seeing greater nuances than others. It moves in stages from being able to take time to notice the details to having the space to process the information and then reach the big picture vision of how it all interconnects. Highly Sensitive People can often have strong spiritual values that weave the human experience with a deeper felt presence.

If there is distraction or interception between these stages it can feel agitating and like you are missing big parts of the story and it can feel very hard to make sense of a situation or task without time to connect the pieces. Highly sensitive children often have a strong desire for things to be "just right" and may be critical of their own performance. They may have high standards for themselves and become upset or frustrated when they make mistakes or fall short of their own expectations.

With this heightened processing of information comes a more easily overwhelmed nervous system. Overstimulation when things are too loud, bright, chaotic, busy or complex for extended periods of time. This may look like heightened emotional sensitivities or sensory perceptions, which can lead to various behaviours such as agitation, fearfulness, outbursts, withdrawal, neuroticism or anxiety, just to name just a few. 

There’s nothing broken with your child, there’s nothing to fix, but we can provide them with skills through our parenting and care practices that support our highly sensitive children to build resilience and boundaries that nourish their sensitivities, rather than seeing them as a burden to train them out of.  

It's important to note that not all highly sensitive children will exhibit every sign, and each child is unique. If you suspect that your child may be highly sensitive, it can be helpful to observe their behaviour and consult with a qualified naturopathic practitioner who specialises in working with children and understands the unique needs of highly sensitive individuals. They can provide individualised recommendations and support to help optimise the health and well-being of your child.

As a Naturopath, I recognize that highly sensitive children may be more prone to food sensitivities or allergies, with heightened reactions to certain foods, additives, or environmental toxins. Identifying and addressing any dietary triggers can contribute to their overall well-being.

I have found that Naturopathic medicine has provided myself and my own highly sensitive children with the gentle healing practices that HSP respond to really well. We may be able to draw on gentle healing practices and natural remedies, such as herbal supplements, homeopathic remedies, or dietary modifications to support the well-being of your highly sensitive family. These interventions are aimed at addressing imbalances, reducing stress, and enhancing your overall resilience.

I know the importance of maintaining balance in their daily rhythms and as an energetics therapist and highly sensitive person myself I have gained insight into how to provide self-care practices for highly sensitive children. You and your child may benefit from regular periods of rest, quiet time, and activities that promote relaxation and emotional grounding.

Remember, your highly sensitive child may be more attuned to their bodily sensations and may benefit from practices like mindfulness, meditation, or gentle movement exercises to promote a sense of calm and self-awareness.

Often as parents we are noticing that we were the highly sensitive child growing up and our generation of parents, raising us in cultures that have not valued the traits of sensitivity, didn’t have the skills to support us… So we stuffed our sensitivities down and coped in unhealthy ways to manage our overstimulation and depth of emotion. 

We are breaking the cycles, reparenting ourselves through nervous system repair and guiding our children in new ways that support them to adopt these skills early on so that they don’t have to unlearn coping strategies but will thrive knowing their strengths and boundaries that are required as a highly sensitive person. 

If you feel like you could use some additional support please book a free connection call with me and we can discuss the best way I can support you and your family.