E62 · Sensory Defensiveness in Kids: How to Spot It and Help

Imagine a world where every sound is too loud and every touch too sharp. For children with sensory defensiveness, this is their daily reality. Their nervous system interprets normal sensations as overwhelming or even painful, making simple tasks a struggle. In this article, we’ll explore the signs of sensory defensiveness and practical solutions to help your child navigate their world more comfortably.Read The Article: Is Your Child Sensory Defensive? Signs and SolutionsThings Mentioned:Create a Sensory-Friendly Environment: Modifying the child’s environment can make a significant difference. Consider the following:Visual support: Use soft lighting during the day, red lights at night, and neutral colors in their room to reduce visual overstimulation.Sound control: White noise machines (this is a good low-EMF one), noise-canceling headphones, or quiet spaces can help a child manage auditory sensitivities. Avoid sudden loud noises when possible.Touch adjustments: For clothing sensitivities, find seamless or tagless clothing, and let the child choose fabrics they feel comfortable in. Avoid rough materials and opt for non-toxic clothing brands.Read this for a pretty thorough list of what we do with both our sensory-seeking daughter and our sensory defensive son: 19 Therapeutic Activities for Sensory Seeking Kids.Teach Coping Strategies: Teach techniques for self-regulation, including breathwork, mindfulness practices, and identifying sensory overload signs. Managing behaviors when kids are dysregulated becomes very important with kids who have sensory processing disorders. Check out this article for ideas on how to do that: Kids Behavior Management: 25 Parenting Tips and Tricks (Part 1).We use this kitchen tower (or just get on the floor and do it) and allow our kids to help when they want.Family dinnersHere are more ideas for non-toxic kid’s bath products.Bedtime: A wind-down routine may include dimming the lights early or using red lighting, using white noise machines or air purifiers for soft background noise, and offering deep pressure tools like weighted blankets or compression sheets. These are good pre-sleep and sleep strategies for kids and adults, regardless of sensory processing issues.….But Avoid Over-Structuring, Catering, and Tiptoeing Around Your Child’s Sensitivities: While these strategies are helpful for managing sensory defensiveness, it’s important to remember that children are incredibly adaptable. Shielding them from all sensory challenges, or "snowplowing" every obstacle in their path, can hinder their growth and resilience.Instead of tiptoeing around their sensitivities, the goal should be to help them slowly build tolerance to uncomfortable stimuli, a form of hormesis. Start small and incrementally increase the exposure, allowing them to gain confidence in their ability to handle new or overwhelming experiences. Over-catering to their preferences can unintentionally reinforce avoidance behaviors, making it harder for them to engage with the world around them.Connect With MindBodyDad (The Growth Kit's HQ):⁠⁠Weekly Newsletter⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ (MindBodyDad)⁠Instagram (The Growth Kit)⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.MindBodyDad.com⁠⁠Affiliate Disclosure