Many of us suffer with hypersensitivities of one sort and another and they are particularly common amongst children with neurological issues. Firstly, it is most important that you listen to your child when he says what is happening and believe him. Sometimes the symptoms are hard to understand.
For instance my daughter feels dizzy when she goes in the cookery room at school. Potentially this could be stress related, but I don’t think it is, it is something to do with the smell. Also, while hypersensitivities often run in the family, the exact details may differ considerably. One person may not like loud noises while another may find colors more of a problem.
When younger children behave strangely, it can be the result of a hypersensitivity. For instance they may refuse to go into a particular room because of the color of something or the feel of the carpet. However if they are unable to communicate this it is difficult to understand what is happening.
Eating problems can also be hypersensitivity-related. I remember very clearly how I felt as a young child when I was expected to eat mushy food such as mashed potato with gravy. Even now I feel very uncomfortable at the thought of it and try to avoid watching anyone eat anything like that. If possible, try to get to the root of the problem and there may be an easy way to avoid it. For instance my mother stopped giving me gravy and it wasn’t really a problem after that.
Explaining to the child that hypersensitivities are not uncommon also helps, and helping friends, family and school understand and to know what to do. Hypersensitivities are worse when under stress so, reducing the stress levels, where possible, is important. Some sort of relaxation method that is appropriate is a good start. Meditation, relaxation, yoga, listening to music, sitting by the river and so on are good. Mozart Effect CDs are especially good, there are a set of them including some specifically for babies and some for children (http://www.mozarteffect.com/). It is also important that the parents get some relaxation. If a parent is stressed, then the child usually become stressed. Yoga can be very helpful, there are now books and classes available that teach yoga to the parent and child together (http://www.wordpool.co.uk/pc/yogawithchildren.htm).
Sound Therapy can be very useful especially for those who are sensitive to noise. It involves listening to specially treated music for about 15 minutes a day with special headphones. Sound therapy can help to create stronger sensory pathways in the brain and so its ability to process sound correctly improves. There are various forms of sound therapy the most popular being The Listening Program, Tomatis, Samonas, Johansen Sound Therapy and Auditory Integration Therapy. (http://www.listeningcentre.co.uk/autism.php)
For those who are visually sensitive sunglasses or a baseball cap type hat can help. Vision Therapy is also very useful and you will need to track down a local vision therapist. This can help the coordination between the two eyes and the brain, it has been used with dyslexia and similar problems. (http://www.visiontherapy.org/)
A diet avoiding stimulants will be good, this includes sugar and sweets, chemical additives, coffee, tea and fizzy drinks. These can all increase the stress levels in the body and therefore increase sensitivities. Try to ensure a healthy varied diet with lots of fruit and vegetables. Check out any potential allergies and food intolerances because these can be a strain on the body and can have a significant effect on how the brain deals with sensory input (http://www.ctds.info/multiple_chemical_sensitivity.html). Visit your local nutritionist or allergy therapist.
Skin brushing is also popular. You can get a brush specifically for the job in most health shops. Brushing stimulates the skin and lymph system just below it and improves blood circulation. This enables the body to eliminate toxins better. You may find that the child finds this unpleasant since it is bit scratchy but he may also find it enjoyable. Allowing the child to brush himself, however young he is, will help him to feel that he has some control over it and it may be easier for him. (http://lightworkers.org/blog/45198/dry-skin-brushing-for-health-well-being)
Breathing exercises may also help (http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Cohen29.html) along with ensuring a healthy circulation of air. An air filter or use of plants that clear the air can be good (http://www.houseofplants.co.uk/healthytop10.htm). Many of us are not getting sufficient oxygen in our body and we are unaware of this, improving this can make a big difference to our general health.
It may also be interesting to work out if the hypersensitivities occur at a specific time of day, and what triggers them. For instance, they could be more pronounced when the child is hungry or tired, or when he has just eaten. From here it may be possible to minimize times when it happens.
Generally there are many issues which increase hypersensitivities and it may be necessary to try many things to find which is most appropriate for your child.
This is not intended to constitute medical advice. Please contact your medical professional if you are concerned about health issues.
Title: Helping Hypersensitive Children
Author: Caroline Collard
URL: http://www.typeamom.net/helping-hypersensitive-children.html
Accessed: 12:21 pm EST July 6, 2009
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