Auditory overload anxiety12/27/2023 Sometimes children enter into this fight or flight state when they have been exposed to too much sensory input, such as a child who is sensitive to touch being exposed to finger paints at school, or a child who struggles to regulate auditory input sitting in a loud classroom, or trying to play in a loud playground. This response is the same response that we experience when we come across something we perceive as threatening in our environment, and it prepares our body to react to whatever it is that is threatening us. When this happens, this could cause the child to enter into a fight or flight response. If a child is sensory sensitive, this means that they are only able to take in small amounts of sensory input before they feel overwhelmed. ![]() It is therefore important to try to determine the underlying cause of the anxiety, as dealing with difficulties with sensory processing could, in some cases, alleviate feelings of anxiety in the child. Unlike comparing ADD to sensory processing issues, comparing anxiety to sensory processing difficulties can become complicated as certain sensory processing difficulties can lead to anxiety however, a child with anxiety does not necessarily have sensory processing difficulties. Some of these symptoms are therefore similar to that of generalised anxiety disorder. On the other hand, if a child is not sensitive to sensory input, but rather seeking this input, they may also be seen as being disruptive in class, may struggle to sit still, and may have difficulties with concentrating and completing their school work. In an attempt to regulate themselves, a child may also seem to lash out if they are trying to calm themselves down, such as pushing peers on the playground. They may refuse to participate in a task if it involves a sensation they do not like, such as baking if they do not like sticky textures on their hands. When looking at sensory processing difficulties, a child who is sensitive to sensory input may avoid tasks that involve this input, such as not going on the swings if they are afraid of movement. Work pace can become slow, and in some instances, children may become tearful or aggressive as a result of their frustration. It can cause a child to become withdrawn from certain situations, and can sometimes present as a child wilfully disobeying an instruction from a parent or teacher as a result of a fear of not being able to perform the task. They tend to keep these worries to themselves as they are unable to express how they are feeling, resulting in refusals to participate in tasks, frustration at their environment, and difficulties with emotional control. This can also include things that parents wouldn’t expect their children to worry over, so can be difficulty to understand.Ĭhildren with generalised anxiety disorder struggle to concentrate in school due to the constant fears that are playing on their minds. When a child has a generalised anxiety disorder, it causes them to worry almost every day over lots of different things that may be perceived as big or small. ![]() Generalised anxiety disorders in children appear to be becoming more common in our children today, and it is important for us to understand what it is and how it differs from as well as relates to sensory processing disorders.
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