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Highly sensitive children often overreact to sounds, feelings, and other experiences that make them feel uncomfortable. Many parents worry that their highly sensitive child has a problem in sensory information processing.
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Having a highly sensitive child does not automatically mean that you have a child with stimulus processing problems, also known as sensory information processing disorder (SI). Many children are very sensitive to specific types of stimuli such as loud noises, background noises and emotions of others. A highly sensitive child may also prefer to avoid busy situations, does not like unexpected touch or hates certain clothes.
Having a few of these sensitivities may indicate that a child has a sensory information processing disorder, but it may also mean that the child simply has a few noticeable quirks.
When your child is a bit more sensitive, reacts more sensitively, it does not immediately mean that there is a sensory information processing disorder. Only when the sensitivities start to interfere with your child’s daily life, there may be a stimulus processing problem in your child.
A child who cringes at the sound of a flushing toilet is certainly hypersensitive, but he or she probably doesn’t have a sensory processing disorder unless there’s a drastic response, such as making loud noises to cover the sound or dropping to the floor with their hands firmly pressed to their ears.
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It is not always easy to distinguish between high sensitivity and an SI problem. Highly sensitive children, but also children with stimulus processing disorder, often react to certain stimuli such as:
Highly sensitive children will feel uncomfortable with any of the above triggers. Their high sensitivity and especially their reaction can then resemble a disorder in such a situation. However, if the child’s trigger is not present, he or she appears normal.
One way to distinguish high sensitivity from stimulus processing disorder is to look at how your child responds to treatment. Highly sensitive people can often manage the problems by applying these tips for overstimulation:
If these simple techniques work sufficiently, then your child almost certainly does not have a disorder. Sensory information processing disorders can also include balance problems, motor skills problems or body awareness.
The sooner a sensory information processing disorder is recognized, the sooner treatment can start. This helps make it easier for your family to learn effective coping strategies that can make life much easier.
If your child is only irritated by overstimulation, there is most likely no disorder. If hypersensitivity is an obstacle in daily life, it is important to seek advice from an occupational therapist specialized in sensory processing problems.
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