Temperament Trait - Sensory Threshold
This is the 7th in a series of 11 blog posts about temperament. (Click here to return to the beginning)
Do you sleep best with an eye mask? ear plugs? blackout curtains? Your sensory threshold is probably such that you respond to even slight changes in light, noise and temperature.
When we are observing a person's sensory threshold we are looking for the amount of sensory input from sight, smell, sound, taste and touch needed to trigger a response.
At the other end of the scale, if a truck could drive through your bedroom without waking you up, we can be fairly sure that you are at the less sensitive, impervious end of the spectrum!
At the responsive or sensitive end of the spectrum
Baby will notice even small amounts of perfume and other scents
Toddler may fuss if clothing is constricting or itchy or even when socks are at different heights
Child will respond to the different voice levels of their teachers
Teen will notice subtleties in clothing and decor choices
Adult may take a long time to get into the lake when the water is cold
At the impervious end of the spectrum
Baby will sleep through a change in light, noise level or temperature
Toddler is open to trying new foods with different tastes and textures
Child tends not to be bothered by minor bumps and bruises
Teens will seek novel sensory inputs in effort to self stimulate
Adult can more easily tolerate uncomfortable conditions for extended periods
One of the key factors to remember is that young children often don't have the vocabulary or self-awareness to express more than "no", "yuck" or "I don't like it" .
Particularly if we ourselves are less sensitive, we need to help children to understand and articulate that we experience the world differently - the sweater which feels soft and warm to us may feel itchy, restrictive or smothering to them. It's not a negative attitude that is driving behaviour but rather a negative experience. We need to put ourselves in their shoes, imagine what it feels like and then give them the words to express their needs.
Sensitive children are prone to sensory overload and need help learning to self regulate and controlling their environment. Gradual exposure to new stimuli is a gentle way to increase tolerance. These children will appreciate having control over light dimmers and volume controls. They will want to choose their own colour schemes and snacks and life will be easier if they have been allowed to taste and smell different toothpastes and shampoos to find the ones they like.
It is important to remember that sensory overload can be overwhelming and for some highly sensitive individuals may even be experienced as an assault. We can help children to recover from a sensory onslaught by separating them from the inputs and creating soothing down time but that may not be enough and we need to be prepared for emotional after-effects. Perhaps you've experienced a situation in which a child encounters a tiny hurdle and in response has a complete meltdown? It may be that this child is expressing the built-up stress of sensory overload.
Impervious children need to be reminded to monitor themselves. They may ignore hunger or discomfort until they're exhausted or getting to the bathroom is an emergency. Using a scale from 1-10 will help them communicate pain. They are likely to enjoy bright colours, spicy, crunchy foods, smelly markers, and loud music. Games where one sense is muted for e.g. with a blindfold or earplugs and they need to rely on other senses to navigate may be fun. However, do not let this child wear earplugs while riding their bike!