Traits Of Highly Sensitive Children (HSCs) And What To Do If Your Child Is One

More often than not, focus is often on the strong-willed child to manage or nurture his willful disposition, while the emotional needs of a highly sensitive child can easily be overlooked. Due to their thoughtfulness, their needs may not be as obvious as that of their strong willed counterparts.

What Are The Traits In Highly Sensitive Children (HSCs)?

It is important to first establish that highly sensitive behaviours in children is not the sign of an illness; it is not a syndrome, and it is not a bad trait.

Having said that, highly sensitive children experience things deeply, are empathetic and make one of the fifteen to twenty percent of children born with a nervous system that is highly receptive and quick to react to everything.

You will often find children with the traits to demonstrate wisdom beyond their years and prefer to reflect deeply before acting, and generally behave conscientiously.

The traits may be hard to spot but know that all HSCs are sensitive to their emotional and physical environment. Check more traits below

They avoid or complain about busy or noisy environments; and are easily startled by noise
They are unusually aware of the moods of others, body language, expressions; and have an uncanny intuition
More sensitive to pain than other children.
Hesitant to change and new environments.
Shy and slow to warm up to individuals especially in groups.

There are definitely other traits of highly sensitive children and the list above is not exhaustive.

How Can You Tell If your Child Highly Sensitive?

In addition to all the traits mentioned above, an online questionnaire where you can mark a checklist of behaviours to determine if your child is highly sensitive can be really helpful and should answer your questions on your child’s sensitivity. Complete the questionnaire here.

What To Do?

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If it does happen that your child is highly sensitive, what you should do is be grateful and appreciative of his thoughtful and caring nature.

As we have said earlier, it is not an imbalance or syndrome of sorts. A caring empathetic child is a huge blessing. Acknowledge this strength and love your child for it.

Help him to manage his sensitivity and stay calm before reacting to things; basically help him find a balance between his internal emotions and the interference from the outside world.

You should assist him to cultivate his self-esteem so that his sensitivity and kindness is not abused by others. Overall, love your child!