Sensory Sensitivity

Evidence 

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2707900 

Michele Kong, MD; Megan A. Moreno, MD, MSEd, MPH 

One in 6 children have sensory processing difficulties. In specific populations, the prevalence is estimated to be as high as 80% to 100% and includes children with autism spectrum disorder or who have a history of prematurity, fetal alcohol syndrome, or Down syndrome, just to name a few.

Education 

The moment babies are born they take in an enormous amount of information through all their senses, and learn every time they move, touch, taste, smell, see and hear. At birth, the central nervous system is not yet completely developed. It is important for parents and caregivers to help manage the type, intensity and amount of stimulation babies receive. If babies receive too much stimulation or activity, it may cause their sensory system to overload. The way babies’ brains process sensory information creates the foundation for their attention, self-regulation, and coping abilities. 

When babies experience sensory overload, they will let their parents or caregivers know by sending signals. By paying close attention to these signals, you can prevent situations that may cause overload. Each baby will have a different threshold for the type, intensity, and amount of stimulation they receive. They will also have unique cues to let you know they are on overload. 

Some common cues of sensory overload include: 

• Being difficult calm or console 

• Crying continually 

• Acting very fussy and irritable 

• Tensing or arching the body 

• Sleeping or shutting down 

• Extending arms as if to say, “Stop” 

• Splaying fingers (fingers spread apart) 

• Avoiding eye contact

By paying close attention to signals you can prevent situations that may cause overload. If you do notice distress, you may help them recover by: 

• Stopping the activity and giving the baby some time to recover 

• Applying firm/deep pressure to the skin; avoid light touch that may tickle or excite 

• Rocking the baby repetitively and slowly                

• Swaddling the baby 

• Allowing the baby to suck on a pacifier or finger

Babies who experience sensory overload may repeatedly create an over-action of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. This exposure can cause babies to become hypersensitive and hyper-reactive to their environments. The best way to protect babies from sensory overload is to become an expert interpreter of his or her cues, and then you can begin to find the balance between what the baby can handle, and what and how much stimulation is enough to encourage learning. 

What if my child continues to have challenges with Sensory Sensitivity? 

As a baby grows those sensory overloading signals should be few and between. Most children have trouble with sensory information sometimes. But when these reactions happen frequently, or for long periods of time, they can interfere with social interaction, learning, behaviour, or development. 

When a child has sensory sensitivity, it means that they notice things more than others and are prone to reacting more quickly to sensory stimuli in the environment (even those that others don’t detect). As the child notices more and is more alert, it can mean they appear more distractible and get interrupted more frequently from completing and participating in daily routines/tasks. A little bit of sensory input, can feel like a lot and they feel overloaded and over-stimulated by certain sensory information. For example, bright lights and colours in the surrounding environment, certain smells (e.g. fragrances, lotions, toilets/bathroom, foods), noises (e.g. vacuum cleaner, TV, radio, fans, hair dryer), food textures and temperatures, certain fabrics (e.g. rough/scratchy vs soft fabrics, tags and seams on clothing, wearing socks and shoes) and touching different textures (e.g. grass, sand, water) can all feel overwhelming. 

Every person and every child are different, and we all have different sensory preferences. Some children are pickier eaters than others. Some children prefer to stay neat and clean rather than being willing to try messy foods. Some children love noise, activity, new sights, and smells, while others find them overwhelming. Some children will show greater reactions to pain than others.  

Getting help for sensory sensitivities. 

Occupational therapists can assess your child’s unique sensory preferences, determine your child's individual sensory profile and help develop a plan for managing any sensory sensitivities that may be impacting their ability to cope, participate and function in daily routines. They also work together with dietitians and speech pathologists, to address taste, texture and smell sensitivities that may be affecting your child’s feeding and eating.   

If you think some sensory issues are happening because your child isn’t seeing properly, you could get your child’s vision checked by an optometrist. This will help rule out any visual problems. 

If your child ignores sounds and people speaking, you could get your child’s hearing checked by an audiologist. This will help you rule out any hearing problems. 

An experienced professional can help you understand and manage your child’s behaviour. A good first step is talking with your paediatrician of any concerns you have about your child. 

Empowerment 

What can you do to help your child? 

• Understand we are all unique and we all have different sensory preferences, which influence our ability to function, focus and learn.  

• Help to monitor when things become too overwhelming or stimulating for your children and help them to find ways to stay calm, such as removing themselves from the situation, wearing earplugs or headphones if they will be somewhere with loud noises, or wearing sunglasses if bright light bothers them. 

• Avoid negatively labelling your children who may be more sensitive as “picky”, “a complainer” or “cry-baby.”  

• Learn to appreciate your children’s unique sensitivity so you can understand their reactions. 

• Avoid discounting their reactions and sensitivities, or shaming or embarrassing them for being who they are.  

• Understand that your sensitive children may feel, see or hear things that you do not. 

Useful Links 

First Five Years 

https://www.firstfiveyears.org.au/child-development/helping-children-with-sensory-sensitivity 

Tiny Love

https://www.tinylove.com/en/articles/sensory_regulation 

Center for Parenting Education 

https://centerforparentingeducation.org/library-of-articles/child-development/understanding-temperament-sensory-sensitivity/ 

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