HOW TO MANAGE OVERSTIMULATION IN KIDS

Modern family life is wonderfully full - but it's also louder, faster and busier than ever before. We look at how to respond when your child becomes sensorily or emotionally overwhelmed.

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You've probably seen it before - the sudden meltdown at a birthday party, the crankiness after school or the way your child seems "wired" even when they're clearly exhausted. Overstimulation isn't a sign of poor behaviour or a lack of resilience. It's simply a natural response to having more sensory or emotional input than a child can comfortably process, triggering stress responses that range from irritability and meltdowns to hyperactivity and withdrawal.

Understanding the signs - and knowing how to support your child through them - can make daily life feel calmer and more connected for everyone in the family.

WHAT IS OVERSTIMULATION?

Overstimulation is not simply "bad behaviour." Neuroscientifically, it occurs when a child's autonomic nervous system, responsible for regulating arousal, alertness and stress, becomes overactive. This is usually due to being overwhelmed by too much noise, activity, social interaction or even emotional demands. Children, especially toddlers and young primary-aged kids, have developing sensory systems and executive functions, as well as limited coping mechanisms. Their tolerance levels are also influenced by sleep, hunger, routine changes and temperament.

Some children are naturally more sensitive than others, but all kids can become overstimulated in the right (or rather, wrong) circumstances. The key is recognising it as a signal from the nervous system that your child needs to pause and recalibrate.

COMMON SIGNS

Research in developmental psychology shows that children communicate overstimulation in varied ways. Some of the most common signs include:

• Sudden irritability or mood swings

• Meltdowns or tears that seem to come “out of nowhere”

• Hyperactivity or difficulty sitting still