Leah and I are back this week for podcast Episode 5: Why Your Kid Freaks Out Over Tags and You Hate Perfume: How Physical Sensitivity Impacts Moms & Kids. We’re diving into something most people have never heard of: the 8 sensory systems that shape how highly sensitive kids (and their moms!) experience the world (and cause meltdowns).

If you’re parenting a highly sensitive child while being sensitive yourself, you know how overwhelming life can feel. This episode is your roadmap to understanding physical sensitivity and how it influences behavior, emotions, and even meltdowns.

When I found out that there were 8 senses, not just the basic five, I finally understood why I am the way I am. It was incredibly freeing.

So today, we’re breaking down all eight sensory systems that impact sensitivity:

1. Tactile (Touch): Tags, messy hands, tight hugs — too much touch can feel like pain.
2. Auditory (Sound): Vacuums, hand dryers, multiple voices — sound can be physically overwhelming.
3. Visual (Sight): Bright lights, cluttered rooms, busy patterns — visual input can trigger anxiety.
4. Olfactory (Smell): Perfume, food smells, diapers — sensitive noses pick up everything.
5. Gustatory (Taste): Picky eating isn’t just picky — it’s sensory. Bland foods feel safe.
6. Vestibular (Balance & Movement): Swings, stairs, car rides — movement can be scary or addictive.
7. Proprioception (Body Awareness): The secret weapon for calming overstimulated kids and moms. Think weighted blankets, deep pressure, pushing, pulling, climbing. It’s organizing, regulating, and almost always soothing.
8. Interoception (Internal Signals): Hunger, thirst, bathroom needs, emotional awareness — sensitive people feel it all… or not at all.

What Actually Helps - Sense by Sense

General Principle:

• Accommodate when you can, build tolerance gradually when needed
• Use calming sensory input (especially proprioceptive) to regulate
• Prevent overload rather than manage meltdowns

Tactile Solutions:

• Sensory-friendly clothing
• Let kids cut tags out themselves

Sensory-Friendly Clothing Brands

• Smartknit Kids - seamless socks specifically designed for sensitive kids
• Primary - tagless, soft basics with flat seams
• Target's Cat & Jack line - affordable tagless options with sensory considerations

Noise Management:

• Loop earplugs - discreet noise reduction for kids and adults
• Calmer earbuds by Flare Audio - reduce overwhelming frequencies
• Noise-canceling headphones - Puro Sound or Muted brands for kid

Visual Solutions:

• Dimmer switches
• Sunglasses indoors if needed

Olfactory Solutions:

• Unscented products
• Kitchen exhaust fans

Gustatory Solutions:

• No pressure eating
• Gradual exposure through food chaining

Vestibular Solutions:

• Don't force playground equipment
• Car sickness accommodation

Proprioceptive Input

• Heavy work activities (pushing, carrying, climbing)
• Weighted blankets (brands like Gravity, YnM, SensaCalm)
• Tight hugs (if welcome)
• Chewing gum or crunchy foods
• Sensory swings

Interoception Building:

• Help kids name body sensations
• Regular check-ins before crisis

🎧 Listen now and ask yourself: Which sensory system do you and your child struggle with most?

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