Why does my child's emotions change so quickly?

Sensory processing plays a significant role in how children experience and respond to the world around them. For some children, sensory input whether it’s loud noises, bright lights, certain textures, or lack of movement which can feel overwhelming or underwhelming, leading to sensory overload or a lack of stimulation. This is where the concept of the "window of tolerance" comes in.

It refers to the zone in which a child can remain calm, focused, and regulated while processing sensory input. When a child’s window of tolerance is wide, they can manage various sensory experiences more effectively and therefore, be less emotionally reactive. However, for children with sensory processing difficulties, their window of tolerance can be much smaller, making it harder to cope with everyday sensory experiences which is why you may see behaviours which appear to come from no-where or feel like your walking on egg shells everyday. 

What Happens When a Child Exceeds Their Window of Tolerance?

When sensory input pushes a child outside their window of tolerance, their nervous system can respond in one of two ways:
1. Hyperarousal (Fight-or-Flight) – The child may become overstimulated, leading to behaviours like meltdowns, anger, or extreme anxiety. Noises might feel deafening, lights too bright, or clothing textures too irritating, causing the child to feel out of control.
2. Hypoarousal (Shutdown or Numbness) – On the flip side, a child might respond to sensory overload by withdrawing, becoming lethargic, or emotionally numb. They may seem zoned out or detached, as their brain tries to protect them from overwhelming stimuli.

Helping Children Expand Their Window of Tolerance

Expanding a child’s window of tolerance is crucial to helping them navigate their sensory world more comfortably and confidently. Here are some ways to support a child’s sensory processing and build a larger window of tolerance:

1. Identify Sensory Triggers: Understanding the specific sensory inputs that overwhelm or under-stimulate your child is the first step. This might be bright lights, crowded environments, certain sounds, or specific textures. Once you know their triggers, you can either avoid overwhelming stimuli or gradually introduce them in a manageable way. If you find it difficult to recognise your child's triggers I would advise you to explore a sensory assessment to help you understand. 

2. Create a Sensory Safety Plan: This is a personalized approach to help a child manage sensory input. It might involve providing sensory tools like noise-canceling headphones, fidget items, or weighted blankets, and ensuring the child has access to calming spaces when needed. These strategies can help prevent sensory overload and keep them within their window of tolerance. It is best completed with input from everyone involved with your child and your child themselves!

3. Introduce Calming Techniques: Teaching children self-regulation skills such as deep breathing, mindfulness, or using sensory breaks can help them manage sensory overload. A sensory break allows them to reset and return to a calmer state before they become overwhelmed.

4. Offer Predictability and Routine: Routines provide a sense of control and predictability, which can help children feel safer in their sensory world. If they know what to expect in their environment, it reduces anxiety about potential sensory overload.

5. Use Mutual-Regulation: Our first step in the build the bridge framework.....because sometimes, children need help from an adult to calm down when they’re overstimulated (as do us adults!). Offering a hug, speaking softly, or using a calming presence can support a child in regulating their emotions when they’re struggling to stay within their window of tolerance.

Why Expanding the Window of Tolerance Matters

When a child’s window of tolerance is expanded, they feel more in control of their environment and are better equipped to handle the sensory input they experience daily. This helps them engage in learning, social interactions, and play without becoming overwhelmed. Building this foundation is essential not just for managing sensory processing, but also for fostering emotional resilience, confidence, and overall well-being.

Understanding and supporting a child’s sensory processing needs empowers them to thrive, making the sensory world around them more manageable and less daunting.

Kate xx