How to deal with a highly sensitive child

What does high sensitivity mean?

The term high sensitivity was first used in 1996 by Elaine Aron, an American psychologist. Nowadays, you see these terms popping up everywhere. There is even a magazine about high sensitivity.

A highly sensitive child is more sensitive to stimuli and needs a little more time to process them. Everything a highly sensitive child hears, sees, smells, feels and tastes can come in just a little more intensely than with other children.

Because of all the stimuli they have to process, these kids can be tired more quickly. As a reaction, a sensitive child may shut off more from his or her environment and become more quiet and withdrawn.

High Sensitive Person (HSP)

Highly sensitive children who cannot cope with too much stimulation and tend to shut themselves off, are also called High Sensitive Person (HSP).

High Sensational Seekers (HSS)

On the other hand, there are also sensitive children who need a lot of stimuli. These children are then also called High Sensational Seekers (HSS). They do not get tired of stimuli but need these new experiences and sensations to feel good.

How does high sensitivity come about?

High sensitivity is not a disease or disorder but a personality trait. Often a person is born with high sensitivity and thus babies may already show characteristics of high sensitivity. Alternatively, a child may develop it later.

In highly sensitive children (and adults), the nervous system is extra sensitive and lacks an important filter. As a result, stimuli are not filtered but come in more directly and intensely.

Characteristics of a Highly Sensitive Child

Because of this, a high-sensitive child may have several (positive and some more hindering) characteristics.

A highly sensitive child:

• often feels tired at the end of the day;
• can empathize well with another person;
• prefers to avoid confrontations or unpleasant situations;
• has a large world of experiences;
• feels the need to withdraw more often;
• cannot cope well with changes;
• likes to guard the peace and quiet;
• can experience intense emotions;
• can sense atmospheres and energies in the environment well.

But a highly sensitive child is often also very helpful, powerful, authentic, intuitive, aware and creative.

How do you deal with a highly sensitive child? Meditation can help

In our society, it is not possible to live without stimuli. Throughout the day we are exposed to images, sounds, smells and atmospheres.

You cannot 'protect' a highly sensitive child from this. However, you can teach your child to deal with these stimuli so that the high sensitivity is used as a strength.

One way to do this is through meditation. Children who regularly meditate for a few minutes learn to become calm again, better grounded, stay close to themselves and better handle emotions.

Meditating at School

Did you know that there is even a school where children meditate for 10 to 15 minutes twice a day? At the Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment (MSAE) in the United States, meditation is a regular part of the day. And the school's test results show that it has very positive effects.

5 ways to become less easily overstimulated

In addition to meditation, there are other ways for highly sensitive children to become better grounded, less easily overstimulated and regularly unwind.

1. Introduce sufficient structure

A highly sensitive child is often somewhat unable to cope with changes and surprises. If the structure is gone, he or she may become overexcited. So structure your day as much as possible by getting up at set times, eating, playing. That way your child knows exactly where he or she stands. With big changes such as a school trip or moving house you can prepare him or her extra, so they can get used to the new situation.

2. Go into nature more often

This is not only nice for highly sensitive children, but for many children and adults: go out and enjoy nature together! Go into the woods regularly, go to the beach or go for a walk, a bicycle ride or rollerblading. Nature brings tranquility and is a great way for a highly sensitive child to recharge his batteries.

3. Make sure to relax sufficiently every day

A long school day can be quite stimulating. If a highly sensitive child then also receives a lot of other stimuli in the evening from the television or iPad, for example, he or she will not be able to unwind properly. Make sure that your child can relax well after school and in the evening, for example by chatting together, playing sports, doing crafts, singing, playing or reading.

4. Make sure you get enough sleep

During sleep, your body and brain have time to process all the stimuli of the day. So make sure that a highly sensitive child gets enough sleep (which is just as important for any other child or adult). It can be nice to have a fixed evening ritual for this, of which a sleep meditation can also be a nice part.

5. Discuss the day together

Just before bedtime is also a good time to discuss the day. Discuss together how the day went and what was nice and not so nice. This way emotions can be processed and are not bottled up (to erupt later).

Meditations for children in the app

In the Meditation Moments App there are several meditations for children. These children's meditations have different lengths (4-5 minutes & 8-9 minutes).