Does your child seem unusually anxious in noisy or crowded places? Do they get upset by certain clothes, avoid messy play, or startle easily at everyday sounds like a blender or vacuum? While these behaviors might seem puzzling or even frustrating, they could actually be signs that your child is a sensory avoider—not just “sensitive” or “anxious.”

I’m Lisa Tarr, I’m a Pediatric Physical Therapist as well as the CEO and Founder of First Steps Pediatric Therapy. Today, I want to talk to you about the behaviors of sensory avoiders, or anxious children, and when you should seek support. 

What Is a Sensory Avoider?

To understand what a “sensory avoider” is, first we have to explain what sensory processing is. Sensory processing is the way your brain receives and responds to the information it receives from your senses (e.g., touch, hearing, balance, etc.). Sometimes, the brain has trouble processing this information, which can lead a person to feel either overwhelmed or underwhelmed by their environment.

A sensory avoider is someone who struggles with sensory processing because they have a much lower tolerance for input from the senses. They tend to get overwhelmed by things in their environment very easily, like loud noises or bright lights. They can seem shy or withdrawn because the world around them feels like “too much” for them to feel comfortable.

Signs Your Child Might Be a Sensory Avoider

The signs that a child could be anxious, or a sensory avoider, include: 

  • They don’t like crowded or busy places, e.g., stores like Costco
  • They don’t like to be dirty or messy and won’t touch certain things, like foods
  • They tend to get startled or scared easily by a sudden touch or noise
  • They tend to hate jeans, tight clothes, or certain fabrics
  • They don’t like to play with other kids on the playground 

Tips to Help Sensory Avoidant Children Feel More Comfortable

Everybody gets stressed once in a while. But for sensory avoidant kids, their level of stress is much higher, and they can become upset for long periods of time. They can even develop physical symptoms from this stress, like tummy aches or headaches, or even vomiting. They are so overwhelmed by their senses that it’s a bit extreme, and it’s really difficult and exhausting for parents.

Children who are anxious or sensory avoidant tend to get dysregulated, meaning they have trouble controlling or regulating their emotional responses to the sensations they’re experiencing in their environment. For example, when they hear a noise that’s unpredictable, like a vacuum starting or a blender starting, that can actually trigger a stress response.

A simple tip to help you is, if your child gets stressed out by sudden loud noises, warn them if you know one is about to happen. Make an announcement and let them know, “I’m about to turn on the vacuum, it’s going to make a loud noise.” You can give them time to move to a separate room before you turn on the machine, and that simple “heads up” can help prevent them from getting overwhelmed and dysregulated.

When Should You Reach Out to a Professional?

Sensory avoiders can get to a point where they become dysregulated and then start to get into the fight, flight, freeze or fawn type of behavior. And when that happens, it can be hard to get them to calm down. If your child’s behavior is disrupting your daily life, that’s when you should seek help from a professional. 

For example, our occupational therapists can help if your child:

  • Avoids daily routines like brushing their teeth, trimming their nails, or washing their hair
  • Refuses to get dressed, or you have to buy specific clothing for them because everything else is “uncomfortable”
  • Has a very intense reaction to unexpected or unwanted stimulus (e.g., they run and hide or cover their ears when you turn on a blender)
  • Becomes physically aggressive (hits, pushes, etc.) and tries to run away when overwhelmed
  • Gets constipated, dehydrated, or malnourished due to having a limited amount of “acceptable” foods they will eat

Let’s be honest, it’s really hard as a parent to be able to get everything done that you need to (like grocery shopping) without bringing your children along with you. But if your child gets upset in busy, noisy environments, you’re not going to be able to help them in the middle of Costco if they start feeling dysregulated. So, if you’re noticing that type of behavior is getting very frequent for your child, that’s when you should reach out to us to help support you.

Reach Out to First Steps for Expert Support

Our occupational therapists can definitely help if your child is a sensory avoider. We can help you identify their triggers and give you some strategies and tools you can use to support both your child and your family.

Call us at (700) 900-7432 for more information or to schedule an evaluation for your child today.