HS Children

Highly sensitive children are  born with a nervous system that is highly aware and quick to react to everything. This makes them quick to grasp subtle changes, prefer to reflect deeply before acting, and generally behave conscientiously. They are also overwhelmed by high levels of stimulation, sudden changes, and the emotional distress of others. Because children are a blend of a number of temperament traits, some HSCs are fairly difficult–active, emotionally intense, demanding, and persistent–while others are calm, turned inward, and almost too easy to raise except when they are expected to join a group of children they do not know. But outspoken and fussy or reserved and obedient, all HSCs are sensitive to their emotional and physical environment.

HS is a gift. According to this article, research studies demonstrate that Highly Sensitives – as far as they are not under acute pressure – are healthier and happier than Non-HSPs. Healthier because their marked early warning system informs them in time of sanitary and other dangers. And happier because HSPs perceive all emotions more intensive. Predominate positive emotions significantly, HSPs live deeper and more intensive moments of happiness.

A negative side-effect of the high sensitivity is the early reach of feelings like flood of stimulation or overtaxation. So, vapours or dust in the air can influence a Highly Sensitive as strong as loud music, glaring light, tight clothes or the noises of computers or other machinery. Hunger can bring a Highly Sensitive so out of control that he cannot concentrate any longer even with great efforts. Lack of sleep reduces the efficiency of HSPs massively, mutual tensions or conflicts upset them completely and in situations of competition or under observation it is more difficult for them to obtain good results. Often there will be found a strong appeal of Highly Sensitives to fears, sorrows and needs of their fellow-men or other creatures in general. A lot of difficulties go along with the fact that a Highly Sensitive Person expects unconsciously the same sensitiveness from his fellows. This can easily lead to be misunderstood or to feel being treated unjust. Often the Highly Sensitives are those who risk their lives in times of terror and absurdity to help other or to honour the truth.

But, for HS children to blossom as adults, they absolutely must be raised with understanding. Otherwise, as adults they are prone to depression, anxiety, and shyness. And often when forced to repress their senses as children, they become prone to addiction and co-dependency as adults to cope by numbing their senses and/or letting others sense for them.

I have experience what Dr Elaine Aron findings about Highly Sensitive Children. Many HS adults have had  excruciatingly difficult childhoods, even when their parents had the best intentions, because no one knew how to raise them. Parents and teachers told them there were “too sensitive” or “too shy” or “too intense.” They tried to change and could not, and so felt increasingly isolated or ashamed.

Our world needs HSP to help us towards a kinder future, and this means sparing HS children suffering and instead foster their talent. They do need special handling. They need to be appreciated, to have their special needs and sometimes intense reactions and behaviors understood, and, when correction is needed, they need to be handled with special care so that they do not become anxious or ashamed of their failure.

A society without a sensitive consultant will come sometime into difficulties because it is lacking the necessary balance against the cult of the stronger and the chase for short-term success. In our modern Western civilisation HSPs are rather pushed to the edge. They mostly do not place themselves into the foreground, feel not well in situation of competition and thus are mostly those in professional life who obtain no promotion. They do not put themselves on the stage or sell themselves . Besides that, the professions which former were typical for Highly Sensitive People changed in recent times and now they are too profil-oriented and nerve-racking. Professional refuges for Highly Sensitives are still therapist, psychologist, helping professions but also programmer and other resorts where consequent logic is asked as well as recesses in teachership. Also scientists, artists and archivists of knowledge and art are still in the hands of High Sensitives.

This video by Sir Ken Robinson makes a lot of sense in that it explains HSPs experience in the classroom often assumed to be ADHD.  The potential of creative people is not promoted in traditional education. HSP need the alternates he is discussing…