What is Overstimulation?:
Overstimulation, also known as sensory overload, can happen to anyone, but it’s especially easy for children to become overstimulated. That’s because kids may not be able to understand why they feel a certain way, may be unable to remove themselves from the situation, or can have trouble regulating their emotions on their own. Some children may be more predisposed to overstimulation like those on the autism spectrum or with a sensory processing disorder, but it’s also something that can happen to any child. Having some strategies that you or they can use to help them regulate how they feel can be very beneficial.
What to look out for:
There are tons of different signs of overstimulation and each child can and will present differently. Below are some common signs that a child is becoming overstimulated. This is not an exhaustive list and your understanding of how your child shows how they are feeling should take precedence. Additionally, I’ve chosen to separate this section into two distinct groups: infants/toddlers and school age children. The way they present can be somewhat different, though in reality there is likely more overlap than presented here.
Infants and Toddlers may:
Cry or throw a tantrum
Become Irritable and seem tired
Throw their body around in a jerky manner
Refuse to perform simple tasks
Be unable to use their words to describe how they are feeling
Engage in distraction or stimming behaviors
School Age Children may:
Seem irritable or tired
Become more clumsy than is typical
Need more attention than is typical
Cooperate less with requests to perform a task
Become bored with usually enjoyable activities easily
As you can see the two groups are somewhat distinct, going from more fussing and crying behaviors to having trouble listening and needing more help. It can be harder to recognize the signs of overstimulation in an older child if you do not know what they are. For example, you could have a perfectly happy child that is playing while also slowly becoming more clumsy and harder to direct as you go. They aren’t necessarily unhappy with the situation, but they could likely benefit from a break in a more quiet and calm environment to allow them to bring themselves back to a more neutral state.
Some causes of overstimulation:
Now that we’ve discussed what overstimulation might look like, here are some activities or objects that could actually contribute to overstimulation:
Loud noises, especially those that are persistent
Flickering or bright lights
Large crowds
Intense smells
Textures of objects
Textures of foods (this is why some people have ‘safe foods’)
Some strategies to help:
In the moment strategies:
If your child becomes overstimulated, bring them to a place that is calm and quiet (and potentially dark) to help them calm down
Peaceful/soft music may help too
Speaking more quietly, especially if you have just removed a child from a loud environment, can assist in helping them settle
Vestibular stimulation may help with some kids, like rocking in a rocking chair or swinging in a swing.
Sensory swings like these may be a good option as a place that can meet a number of sensory needs at once
A baby can be swaddled to give them some pressure which may be calming, older children may enjoy weighted blankets
Teach older children ways to help them self-regulate, such as breathing techniques
See if your child is able to benefit from fidget toys as a distraction/stimming device to help regulate in unfamiliar environments
Bigger picture strategies:
Become aware of what signs your child exhibits before they reach a breaking point or have a meltdown
Understand what kinds of environments, toys, smells, etc. that they have some trouble with and help them avoid or manage those situations
Some children may benefit from a more structured schedule, so they have more awareness of the flow of their day to day
An evaluation with an Occupational Therapist may be beneficial so the child can receive help in processing sensory stimuli if that is something that they need
References:
Cinelli, E. (2023, August 11). What to Do When Your Child Is Overstimulated. Parents. https://www.parents.com/overstimulation-in-kids-how-to-deal-with-sensory-overload-7550046
Marketing, K. (2023, October 3). What causes overstimulation in kids?. Deron School. https://www.deronschool.org/blog/what-causes-overstimulation-in-kids/
Overstimulation: Babies and children. Raising Children Network. (2023, October 19). https://raisingchildren.net.au/newborns/behaviour/common-concerns/overstimulation#signs-of-overstimulation-nav-title
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