21 Ways to Recognise a Highly Sensitive Child
How do you know if your child is highly sensitive? There’s no definitive checklist or sign that will give you absolute confirmation but there are common highly sensitive traits that many parents of highly sensitive children identify with.
If you recognise any of these 21 highly sensitive traits in your child you MAY well be raising a highly sensitive child.
21 Common Highly Sensitive Traits
- Your child often puts their hands over their ears to block out loud noises like sirens, alarms or DIY sounds.
- It’s common for your child to hide behind your legs in unknown or busy places.
- Your child is highly reactive to pain.
- Your child retreats to a quiet corner at a birthday party.
- There are inexplicable meltdowns after a school day.
- Your child takes time to warm up when in the company of others – even people they know well.
- Sleep is an issue. It started from birth.
- Your child is irritated by clothes tags, sock seams or ‘scratchy’ clothes.
- Your child notices the details: if you move something in your front room, your child knows it. If you change your perfume, your child remarks on it.
- A highly sensitive child cries or is visibly upset if another child cries. Your child is aware of another person’s discomfort.
- Does your child seems to prefer quiet games and enjoy their own company? Highly sensitives are happy to spend time alone.
- Your child is a picky eater and finds some textures and strong flavours unpalatable.
- A busy playground is not fun for your child. Whilst other children tear around from the slide to the swing to the climbing frame and back again, your child is standing at the side observing. A common highly sensitive trait is caution. It means assessing the situation thoroughly before jumping or climbing.
- Your child startles if you raise your voice at him.
- Your child has a strong sense of smell.
- Teachers have told you that your child is shy, quiet or sensitive.
- Grandparents tell you your child seems wise beyond her years.
- Your child has a perfectionist tendency.
- Your child is not keen to perform in front of strangers. They don’t do as well in tests given by strangers as they do in the company of familiar faces.
- Curiosity rules when it comes to your child. A HSC is immensely curious, constantly asking deep questions.
- Your child displays intense emotions.
My Child Has Highly Sensitive Traits. Now What?
These traits or behaviours are indicators and not absolutes.
Reading Tip: This list of highly sensitive traits could easily extend towards the hundred but once you have been through this list read 21 more ways to recognise a HSC.
If you think your child might be highly sensitive then head over to Elaine Aron’s site and do the Highly Sensitive Child test.
As she states, it could be that you can answer only one question positively, but that that positive answer is so true it indicates your child is highly sensitive.
The more you understand the traits of a highly sensitive child, the more you can support your child and help give them the tools to thrive in a world that generally overwhelms them.
And once you are certain your child is highly sensitive – then what? My number 1 tip is read The Highly Sensitive Child by Elaine Aron. Read it from cover to cover. Treat it as your parenting bible from here on in.
Over to You
Does anything on list list sound familiar? What would you add to the list of common highly sensitive traits?
8 Comments
Hope
Do you find that meditation helps your children?
Do you teach them that wherever they are,
They are always to listen to their intuition to stay safe?
jenjabbour
I’m just today learning about the HSP child. After reading several articles, I’m about 99.9% sure my almost 8 year daughter is highly sensitive. I used to believe she was high-needs – as a baby, she went from happy to screaming in an instant, she did not sleep well at night, has always been a light sleeper, was always more quiet/reserved/observant. I always have described her as very shy, very emotional, a drama queen, extremely sensitive, feelings hurt easily, a perfectionist. Her emotions flip on a dime. One minutes she’s happy and the next she is a mess. I have been at my wits end with her emotions lately and am literally pulling my hair out trying to figure out what to do with out damaging her! I love her dearly, but I’m so frustrated because I don’t know what to do for her. She constantly tells me she has no friends, she is always fighting with her brother, if I raise my voice or talk sternly to her, she accuses me of yelling and being mean. I’m going to read every last article on your site. I’m looking into the book by Elaine Aron, but am hoping to start making some positive changes to how I deal with her asap.
jenjabbour
Oh and she is highly creative. When she was 4 and had had a very hard day at preschool (another little girl had been mean to her), the one thing that made all her sadness wash away was sitting at the table and coloring. I’ve actually never forgotten that about her – as I’m very much like her and know that for me to make it in this life, I need lots of “me” time and “creative” time. So maybe I’m highly sensitive as well…
abby
hi just some advise or input my son has just turned three but has been assessed with …global development delay his development is at 18months old, has sensory processing disorder, visual spacial awareness, no sense of danger and medium risk for autism …he has made jerking moments and if you invade his space or try to restrict like hold him he gets jerky and hands are all over the place grits and grinds his teeth and screeches ..he also screams and cries when another kid does ..also gets upset at something anything and i dont know what it is such as this morning he cried when he watched a cartoon he has never watched ( peter rabbit ) and there was a hose flying about …he had a full on screaming petrified moment shaking all sorts and i think it upset him was scary for him it seemed …dont know what it relates to….??
Amanda van Mulligen
Thanks for reaching out. I would certainly keep seeking professional guidance to ascertain how to help your son and assess his triggers. Do you have the professional help you need to guide you?
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