Doctor's guidance on raising sensitive youngsters

Dr Durcan explains how psychologist Dr Elaine Aron first coined the term “high sensitivity” in 1996.

- 

Sensitivity is a result of our neurobiology and genetics and is impacted by nature and nurture, she says.

Highly sensitive people are more strongly impacted by stressful life experiences and their environment, which makes the right approach all the more important. Since then, it's accepted sensitivity is on a continuum from low to average to high, with 30% of people classed as low, 40% medium and 30% as high.

Professors Thomas Boyce and Bruce Ellis, described the 30% low sensitivity group as "dandelions" meaning they are strurdy, transplantable survivors who grow and thrive in most environments, in general.