Highly sensitive children: what problems can they have at school?

An overview of the characteristics and special needs of highly sensitive children.

Imagine the following: you are sitting in a train station and suddenly you see a lady crying. And you feel brutal empathy. You try to restrain yourself, but at that moment a very sad melody plays at the same time as you see a child being scolded by his father. Nothing special would happen to you, would it? You would take your train and your mind would eliminate all those images and sounds.

If you are a highly sensitive child or adult, it's not like that; everything you witness you live and feel a thousand times.. They say that they are part of the gifted category, but there are no serious studies to corroborate it, so for the moment, we will focus on what is beginning to be glimpsed. Indeed, it has been shown that there is a statistical association between higher levels of empathy and a greater potential for peer abuse, which gives clear cause for concern.

In what ways can a highly sensitive child struggle at school? We unravel the keys to understanding a little more about these little ones and how their minds work.

What are highly sensitive children like?

Let's start with a summary of the psychological characteristics that tend to be typical in highly sensitive children.. Although they often appear to be shy, they are rather introverted. They do not find it difficult to relate to others, although they do like to be alone.

1. They like very creative activities

They often engage in activities that are not typical for most children. They are less interested in jumping rope or playing soccer than in reading or painting, possibly because they find them more stimulating and offer them new experiences without interruption.

2. They are easily stunned

These young children are often startled by classroom noise or bustle. This makes them more vulnerable to unexpected environmental experiences, especially if they occur close to where they are.

3. Their behaviors may be mistaken for hyperactivity.

During infancy, it is possible to confuse their high sensitivity with hyperactivity because, often because, on many occasions, they will lose attention when classes are too long.

4. They like nature

On the other hand, highly sensitive children are very attached to nature and animals, which calm them down.. Music can also be their escape from the world, giving them moments in which to lose themselves in introspection and maintain contact with the outside world only through what they hear.

5. They tend to introspective learning

Their vocabulary is often richer than that of other children, they are much more intense than their classmates in terms of their interests, and they tend to make better friends with adults than with children. This may be because they spend more time engaging in introspective learning, which brings them closer, in some intellectual respects, to the adult mindset and lifestyle.

6. They are very empathetic

High levels of empathy are one of their most remarkable qualities; they are very likely to feel a strong emotional connection with specific individuals. strong emotional connection with specific individuals, and established very quickly (without needing to know that person). (without needing to know the person). If we take into account how empathy is in general in childhood, we can understand how hard it can be for them to be with other children, who may see these behaviors as a sign of weakness.

7. They are hyper-aware

Often, these children suffer because their parents argue, because a friend has a sick grandmother, or because of environmental disasters. Their life experiences affect them more than other children, especially if they are negative, and leave painful memories.

The school environment, a battleground for highly sensitive children

After reading all of the above, you can understand what children go through during their school years. They are often abused by their peers and they feel it much more than others. and they feel it much more than other children.

That is why it is it is imperative that adults work in combination with a school counselor or psychologist.. It is not that highly sensitive children have problems; the point is to know that channeling these wonderful aptitudes can turn them into more successful adults, but to do so, they must be given the opportunity to develop in situations that do not harm them psychologically.

Having psychologists to help in the education and upbringing of highly sensitive children allows these youngsters to develop their potential and know how to better manage their emotions, as well as to adopt life habits appropriate to their needs.

Looking for professional support for your child?

If you live in the Madrid area and you are interested in having the help of psychologists specialized in child therapy, you will find the psychological assistance center Psicoadapta in the center of the city.. Our team of experts has many years of professional experience working with children, adults and families of all kinds. Our contact information is available here.