What if your child woke up every day with a migraine? You’d likely treat them differently—with more patience, compassion, and a desire to find the root cause. While your child with learning challenges may not have an actual migraine, sensory hypersensitivity can be just as debilitating—and it's often misunderstood.

What Is Sensory Hypersensitivity?

Sensory hypersensitivity occurs when a child’s brain overreacts to input from one or more of their senses. Instead of filtering information smoothly, the brain becomes overwhelmed by everyday sensations. This can affect their ability to focus, behave appropriately, or even eat a regular meal.

We take in the world through five main senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. For most people, these inputs are manageable. But for a child with sensory hypersensitivity, any one of these senses—or multiple—can trigger a strong, even painful, response.

Examples of Sensory Overload in Kids

• Smell: A child may refuse to eat because the smell of broccoli is overpowering, or they may gag entering a room with strong odors.
• Sight: Peripheral vision sensitivity means a leaf blowing outside a window could completely derail homework time.
• Touch: Clothing tags or textured fabrics like denim may feel unbearable, making dressing a daily struggle.
• Taste: Some children may only eat bland foods—or only spicy foods—because their taste buds are overstimulated.
• Mouth sensitivity: Certain textures may trigger a gag reflex or cause discomfort while eating, further limiting food choices.

When multiple senses are in overload, children can become so overwhelmed they just want to hide under a blanket and escape. This sensory stress can trigger cortisol and adrenaline spikes, which in turn affect mood, attention, and even long-term health—mimicking symptoms often associated with ADHD.

There Is Hope: These Issues Can Be Changed

The good news is these challenges are developmental—not permanent. With the right tools and neurodevelopmental techniques, you can help your child’s brain process sensory input more normally. As Dr. Jan Bedell of Brain Sprints shares from her 30 years of experience, these sensory issues that cause many of the symptoms of ADHD can be improved and, in many cases, resolved for good.

Techniques such as stimulating the trigeminal nerve (which influences the face, mouth, eyes, ears and nose) and targeted sensory input exercises can help reduce hypersensitivity over time.

Next Steps for Parents

You don’t have to navigate these learning and behavioral struggles alone. At Brain Sprints, we offer consultations to help you better understand your child’s sensory needs and create a personalized plan for development and growth.

Remember: You are the key to your child’s success. When you see their behaviors through a new lens, you’ll know how to help them thrive—without just relying on medication or coping strategies.

Want to talk with someone about solutions to your child’s struggles? Click here to schedule a consultation.