What It is:
The term “highly sensitive child” has been used to describe children or youth who tend to experience overload when navigating what many people would call the “average” social, emotional, and sensory experience of modern life. This can look like your highly sensitive child or youth overreacting or taking things personally. Some researchers believe that the experience of highly sensitive children is related to personality, whereas others believe it is a type of neurodivergence. Though not everyone agrees on what defines highly sensitive youth or child, the term most often includes children or youth who experience a level of increased sensitivity to sensory stimuli (e.g., lights, sounds), sensitivity to emotional stimuli (e.g., sadness), and/or sensitivity to social stimuli (e.g., interpersonal situations).
As a result of these sensitivities, highly sensitive children need to navigate modern life by finding skills to manage overstimulation, to increase refueling activities, and to find routines and habits that work for them. When highly sensitive kids aren’t able to find skills to adapt and navigate modern life, they are more likely to develop physical and mental health symptoms. Being a highly sensitive child or youth is not a diagnosis and it is not something to change about someone; in fact, there are many benefits to being a highly sensitive youth!
Does This Sound Familiar?
- My child seems to be more affected by the emotional content of tv, movies, or the news than the people around them.
- My child seems to be overwhelmed by day-to-day life more easily than their peers or other members of the family.
- My child’s or youth’s “social battery” seems to be lower or more easily drained than others.
- My child or youth often overreacts or takes what others say personally.
- My youth or child is often told they are “too sensitive” or “take things too personally.”
- When my child’s or youth’s senses are overwhelmed (by sights, sounds, or smells), they struggle to cope and manage their emotions.
- My youth or child seems to be very sensitive or reactive to other people's emotions, particularly when others are stern or disappointed in them.
- It seems to take my child or youth longer to recover from emotions or stressors than those around them.
- My youth or child craves routines that seem to help them manage overwhelm or burn-out.
- My child or youth seems to experience physical pain or physical discomfort as more intense or prolonged than their peers.
- My youth or child seems to be more overwhelmed than their peers by time pressure (e.g., deadlines), changing plans, or multi-step tasks.
Associated Concerns:
Anxiety & Panic: Because highly sensitive children are more sensitive to overwhelm, they are very vulnerable to developing anxiety and panic. It is not uncommon for highly sensitive children who have not found helpful coping strategies to develop ruminative, obsessive, or catastrophic thinking patterns. This can lead to anxiety disorders, panic attacks, or even OCD.
Emotion Dysregulation: Some highly sensitive children develop coping strategies to manage their sensitivity that involve impulsive behaviors, interpersonal conflict, and difficulty interacting with those that do not understand or allow their sensitivities. This may look like overreacting or taking things personally from the outside. For some, this can result in what is called emotion dysregulation, or the difficulty managing emotional sensitivities without utilizing significant external support in order to calm yourself, communicate with others, or navigate day-to-day life.
Emotional Avoidance: Some highly sensitive children develop coping strategies to manage their sensitivity that attempt to deny they are emotionally sensitive, try to avoid or control things that cause sensitivity, or rely on extreme self-management strategies (e.g., perfectionism) to navigate their sensitivities.
*Of note, many highly sensitive children may also identify as or have been given diagnoses of autism, ADHD, OCD, or GAD. There is high overlap between being a highly sensitive child or youth and these neurotypes or experiences; however, being a highly sensitive child does not have to mean your child would meet criteria for any of these other conditions or neurotypes. An assessment can be an important way to differentiate between these experiences for those that are unsure, have received many diagnoses related to their sensitivities, or have a desire to deeply understand their individual brain or experiences.
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