Does your child suffer from overstimulation?

In our modern societies, the abundance of technological stimuli, the overloaded schedules between school and extra-curricular activities, but also the plethora of toys available can saturate children and make them lose all desire to learn or ‘to explore. Slowing down and lightening up could thus be the solution.

Children are real sponges to their environment

From an early age, children seek to explore their environment through their five senses. They like to put all kinds of objects in their mouths, learn to talk, walk or play and are extremely sensitive to what is going on around them.

However, by constantly occupying a child, whether with screens, school or extra-curricular activities, he no longer finds the place to be bored and passively absorbs an abnormally high quantity of information.

How to recognize an overstimulated child?

Just like adults, children who are overstimulated tend to lose motivation and enthusiasm on a daily basis. They no longer find interest in learning, whether in or out of school, and cannot maintain their attention on a single task.

In some cases, a real apathy sets in, even going as far as sadness, poor school results and learning difficulties. Overstimulated, the child loses patience and cannot stand boredom, contradiction or frustration.

What to do ?

In most cases, simply slowing down, avoiding screens and over-intensive extra-curricular activities can re-teach the child about boredom, which stimulates creativity and enthusiasm. Just like for adults, breaks and vacations allow you to regain motivation and improve your morale.

If this is not enough, the help of a health professional such as a psychologist or a child psychiatrist is necessary to possibly diagnose ADHD, attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity or to change certain lifestyle habits.

Find out more: “Cultivate wonder”, by Catherine L’ecuyer, Eyrolles editions.