The holiday season can come with expectations. A time for connecting with family and friends, sharing good times and gifts, lights, songs, and plenty of food. This is the ideal, and often what we see in the media. Real life is not always like that, and for many, the holiday season can be a stressful and overwhelming time, sometimes for the exact same reason listed above.
What is sensory overload?
Sensory overload is when the brain takes in more information through the body’s five senses (touch, smell, taste, sight, sound) than it can process. A lot of information coming at once can lead to feelings of anxiety, overwhelm and even panic. These feelings can be internalised; however, they can also come through in behavioural presentations.
When thinking about your child’s sensory experience, it’s helpful to consider their sensory sensitivities and how their processing systems work. Supporting their sensory needs can make a real difference and help them stay regulated during the holidays.
Ensure your child is aware of changes
Tell them that this time of year can be overwhelming, and that is okay. Make them aware that people may be generally more excitable, and places and public spaces may be busier and filled with more noise and lights than normal. Just making sure your child is aware of the changes can make a massive difference in their ability to process and handle all of the additional sensory information they will come into contact with. Also, make sure your child knows that their opinions matter, if they find a space too loud, or just too much, encourage them to let you know. Let them know their voice will be heard and is valued.
Supporting sensory experiences
The goal is to help your child enjoy the festive period while keeping their sensory systems regulated. Some children may benefit from reducing sensory input, such as dimmed lighting or quiet spaces, while others thrive when their senses are stimulated through festive sights, sounds, and textures. Understanding each child’s unique sensory profile helps us personalise their experiences.
Anticipate sensory overload and plan for it
Try to minimise your child's overexposure to potential triggers. For example, if you are going to a busy public space or event, try to plan for the time when it may be less busy. Or, if attending a pantomime, bring along some ear defenders. Planning ahead can not only make things easier for your child, but can also relieve some stress for us, as parents, and also the rest of the family.
Your child’s senses
We often think only of sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell. But during the festive season, all of these can be heightened. It’s also important to consider the lesser-known senses that play a big role in how children cope during celebrations.
Proprioception
Proprioception helps us understand where our body is in space. During the holidays, when furniture is moved or decorations fill rooms, this sense can become challenged. Preparing your child for environmental changes, keeping walkways clear, and giving them time to explore new setups can help them feel comfortable and confident.
Interoception
Interoception is the internal sense that helps children interpret hunger, fullness, temperature, and physical comfort. Festive occasions can be hard for children who struggle with this. Unlimited snacks, unfamiliar foods, or clothing that feels too warm or uncomfortable can lead to dysregulation. Supporting your child by offering guidance, structure, and comfortable clothing choices can make celebrations easier.
Provide some consistency
Even though the holidays are filled with change and novelty, we can negotiate this by maintaining an element of consistency where it matters. For example, you may have a child who has a restricted diet. As food is a staple of celebrations over the holiday period, it may be beneficial for someone who eats a restricted diet to still have their preferred foods available to them. Or if planning to visit a restaurant, discuss the choice with the person with the restricted eating habits, show them different menus and come to a decision of where to eat together.
Allocate a quiet space
The holiday period can be a time when people visit one another. It can also be a time when the house is filled with decorations, presents, lights and music. Decide upon a room that is to be kept the same, to be kept aside from all of the changes and stimulation that comes with the festivities, and make sure this room will stay that way for the holiday period. Doing this can ensure that someone who may struggle with sensory overload has a quiet space to retreat to when they are feeling overwhelmed.
Plan together
The holiday period comes with activities that are out of our normal routines. Family visits, shopping trips, school plays, and breaks from school routines, to name a few. Sit down with your child before the holiday or festivity begins and make a plan for when these things will happen, and allow your child have a say in the days and times if you can. Just knowing they helped to plan for these activities can soothe a child who finds things to be overwhelming, as it removes the element of change somewhat if they themselves have helped to plan.
Take away
Festivities are one that brings overstimulation, even for those who do not have any problems with sensory processing. Therefore, it is not entirely shocking that a person who normally faces problems with sensory overload may struggle at this time. Planning is key here and with the right planning and ideas in place, there is no reason why everyone can’t enjoy the holiday period in a way that is manageable for them.
