Every kid can become Overstimulated. If you’re a parent or a sibling or have been around children at all, you’ve most likely witnessed kids screaming and crying at an amusement park, at the grocery store, or even at their own birthday parties.
Meltdowns and emotional behavior can arise due to several reasons, but Overstimulation is often a major contributing factor. Kids don’t know how to deal with what they’re feeling and are not yet able to articulate their distress, so they resort to loud, tantrum-like behavior. By recognizing the signs, parents can learn to avoid overstimulation.
What Is Overstimulation And Why Does It Happen?
Overstimulation occurs when a child, or even an adult, becomes overwhelmed by too much activity and stimuli. Everybody responds to certain sensory information differently. Some children have a lower threshold for certain stimuli, such as those with autism or anxiety. However, even children with relatively high stimuli thresholds can be prone to experiencing overstimulation.
The threshold of overstimulation can vary due to several factors. A child who typically does well in crowds may become overstimulated if they are hungry or didn’t sleep well the night before.
Children can be overstimulated by anything, whether it’s sound, sight, taste, touch, or smell. It could be a combination of different sensory information. An itchy sweater, bright lights, food textures, or a long day out and about can elicit an emotional reaction from kids.
How Do You Know When A Child Is Overstimulated?
Depending on the age of the child, the signs of overstimulation can look a little different. Babies may cry, clench their fists, jerk their limbs, or turn their heads away from the stimuli that are overwhelming them.
Toddlers may cry, become irritated and cranky, and display other tantrum-like behaviors. Older children may also throw tantrums and demonstrate hyperactivity, aggression, or wild excitement.
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Sometimes, when kids are experiencing sensory overload, they’ll engage in calming behaviors, like rocking back and forth, humming, or pacing.
How Can You Help Your Overstimulated Child?
Once you’re able to identify that your child is overstimulated, the next course of action would be to remove the stimuli or take your child away from the overwhelming environment.
If taking a break from the stimulation isn’t possible, try to cover their ears, turn down the lights, or hold them close–whatever you can do to soothe them as much as you can.
For older children, you can teach them some coping skills, such as breathing techniques, lying on the ground, going for a walk, drinking water, or focusing on calming objects or thoughts.
Do your best to plan ahead so you can prevent overstimulation from occurring. Keep activities and errands short, or schedule a break in between each thing you need to do for the day.
If a child is becoming overstimulated on a regular basis, it may require some medical intervention. A healthcare provider can offer advice to help you manage your child’s behavior, or they may suggest an evaluation for issues like anxiety, autism, or ADHD.
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