High sensitivity & neurodivergence in children

High sensitivity & neurodivergence in children

Diversity instead of norms: Every child shines in their own way.

Neurodiversity in children

Neurodiversity in children is a concept that describes how the brains of all people function differently. This results in Differences in thinking, learning, behavior, and perception of the world. It is about not about an illnessIt is not about a disorder, but rather a natural variation of the human brain, often described as "wired differently." This approach emphasizes the diversity and uniqueness of neurological development without judging it as a deficit. Only two subgroups are classified as "disorders" in Germany based on their specific characteristics. In other countries, however, children with such structures are considered particularly gifted and are therefore specifically sought out and promoted by industry.


The following section provides an overview of the different forms and manifestations of neurodivergence.

Neurodiversity in children

Neurodiversität bei Kindern bezieht sich auf angeborene Unterschiede im Denken, Lernen und Verhalten. Der Ansatz betont die Vielfalt und Einzigartigkeit neuro-logischer Entwicklungen, ohne sie als Defizit zu werten.

  • Autismus,
  • Legastehnie,
  • Hochbegabung oder
  • AD(H)S sind Formen der Neurodivergenz.

High sensitivity in children

Highly sensitive children perceive information more intensely through their five senses than their peers because their nervous system processes stimuli more thoroughly. Approximately 15-20% of children are affected.

Typical characteristics:

  • They are considered empathetic,
  • creative
  • profound,
  • They quickly suffer from sensory overload, which leads to outbursts of anger, withdrawal, or exhaustion.

High sensitivity in children

Highly sensitive children perceive information more intensely through their five senses than their peers because their nervous system processes stimuli more thoroughly. Approximately 15-20% of children are affected.

Typical characteristics:

  • They are considered empathetic,
  • creative
  • profound,
  • They quickly suffer from sensory overload, which leads to outbursts of anger, withdrawal, or exhaustion.

High sensitivity in children

Highly sensitive children, similar to highly perceptive individuals, are more attuned to their sensory perceptions. These children typically possess even stronger intuitive abilities.

  • Empathy,
  • Perception,
  • Precognition, that is, perceptions that go beyond normal sensory perceptions.

High sensitivity in children

Highly sensitive children, similar to highly perceptive individuals, are more sensitive in their sensory perceptions. These children typically have even stronger intuitive abilities.

  • Empathy,
  • Perception,
  • Precognition, that is, perceptions that go beyond normal sensory perceptions.

Scanner personalities in children

These children prefer variety to routine.

Typical characteristics:

  • Many interests: enthusiasm for different topics, frequent changes of focus.
  • Rapid learning in core aspects: They delve deeply into new topics, but often lose interest when the work becomes monotonous over a longer period of time.
  • Little patience for routine.
  • A strong urge to explore.
  • Strong creativity: Divergent thought patterns, diversity of ideas, often original solutions.

Scanner personalities in children

These children prefer variety to routine.

Typical characteristics:

  • Many interests: enthusiasm for different topics, frequent changes of focus.
  • Rapid learning in core aspects: They delve deeply into new topics, but often lose interest when the work becomes monotonous over a longer period of time.
  • Little patience for routine.
  • A strong urge to explore.
  • Strong creativity: Divergent thought patterns, diversity of ideas, often original solutions.

Autism spectrum disorders in children

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in children encompass differences in communication, social interaction, and behavioral patterns.

Typical characteristics:

  • Communication and language: Delays or difficulties in understanding nonverbal signals, limited willingness to talk.
  • Social interaction: Challenges in building and maintaining friendships, understanding social rules/norms.
  • Repetitive behaviors and limited but profound interests: rituals, rigid routines, strong fixations on individual topics.
  • Sensory sensitivities: Over- or under-sensitivity to stimuli

Autism spectrum disorders in children

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in children encompass differences in communication, social interaction, and behavioral patterns.

Typical characteristics:

  • Communication and language: Delays or difficulties in understanding nonverbal signals, limited willingness to talk.
  • Social interaction: Challenges in building and maintaining friendships, understanding social rules/norms.
  • Repetitive behaviors and limited but profound interests: rituals, rigid routines, strong fixations on individual topics.
  • Sensory sensitivities: Over- or under-sensitivity to stimuli

Multitalentism in children

Children who show unusually strong abilities in many areas, rapid learning ability, and great interest in many topics.

Typical characteristics:

  • Steep learning curve in several areas: rapid understanding of new concepts, in-depth knowledge of topics, good abstract thinking. This often leads to boredom in class and frustration when learning progress is slower.
  • Great curiosity and versatility: interest in many topics simultaneously. Therefore, difficulties with routines and patience.
  • Creativity and original thinking: unusual approaches to solutions, thinking outside the box. This leads to social differences: peers often have different interests.
  • Strong pattern recognition and problem-solving skills. Therefore, often overwhelmed by too many projects.
  • Sensitivity and intensity: strong emotional reactions and empathy. Social integration can be difficult.

Multitalentism in children

Children who show unusually strong abilities in many areas, rapid learning ability, and great interest in many topics.

Typical characteristics:

  • Steep learning curve in several areas: rapid understanding of new concepts, in-depth knowledge of topics, good abstract thinking. This often leads to boredom in class and frustration when learning progress is slower.
  • Great curiosity and versatility: interest in many topics simultaneously. Therefore, difficulties with routines and patience.
  • Creativity and original thinking: unusual approaches to solutions, thinking outside the box. This leads to social differences: peers often have different interests.
  • Strong pattern recognition and problem-solving skills. Therefore, often overwhelmed by too many projects.
  • Sensitivity and intensity: strong emotional reactions and empathy. Social integration can be difficult.

Giftedness in children

Multitalented individuals (scanner personalities) are enthusiastic about many different topics and are often generalists. Highly gifted individuals demonstrate above-average intellectual ability (IQ > 130), which is often accompanied by a deep, focused interest in specific areas.

Giftedness in children

Multitalented individuals (scanner personalities) are enthusiastic about many different topics and are often generalists. Highly gifted individuals demonstrate above-average intellectual ability (IQ > 130), which is often accompanied by a deep, focused interest in specific areas.

ADD - ADHD in children

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) describes patterns of attention problems, impulsivity, and often also motor restlessness. Typical characteristics:

  • Attention deficits: difficulty concentrating for long periods, completing tasks, easily distracted.
  • Hyperactivity/motor restlessness: Fidgeting, restlessness, difficulty sitting still.
  • Impulsivity: Unreflective reactions, interruptions, spontaneous decisions.
  • Mood swings and frustration: Irritability, easily frustrated with tasks that require patience.

ADD - ADHD in children

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) describes patterns of attention problems, impulsivity, and often also motor restlessness. Typical characteristics:

  • Attention deficits: difficulty concentrating for long periods, completing tasks, easily distracted.
  • Hyperactivity/motor restlessness: Fidgeting, restlessness, difficulty sitting still.
  • Impulsivity: Unreflective reactions, interruptions, spontaneous decisions.
  • Mood swings and frustration: Irritability, easily frustrated with tasks that require patience.

Differentiation is difficult

It is often difficult to distinguish between different neurodiversities in children. Differentiating characteristics such as attention processes, language and communication behavior, social interaction, and sensory processing frequently occur together, making clear distinctions challenging.


Therefore, the following description of high sensitivity serves only as an example of the challenges of neurodivergence.

Differentiation is difficult

It is often difficult to distinguish between different neurodiversities in children. Differentiating characteristics such as attention processes, language and communication behavior, social interaction, and sensory processing frequently occur together, making clear distinctions challenging.


Therefore, the following description of high sensitivity serves only as an example of the challenges of neurodivergence.

High sensitivity

Highly sensitive personality (HSP)

People with above-average sensitivity (highly sensitive, hypersensitive, oversensitive) perceive sensory impressions more intensely. This hypersensitivity can affect all sensory impressions (visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, tactile). Furthermore, non-sensory perception (e.g., empathy, visions, premonitions) is usually very pronounced in highly sensitive people (HSPs). The literature explains this phenomenon by suggesting that the excitation and inhibition processes in the nervous system differ from those of non-HSPs.

High sensitivity

Highly sensitive personality (HSP)

People with above-average sensitivity (highly sensitive, hypersensitive, oversensitive) perceive sensory impressions more intensely. This hypersensitivity can affect all sensory impressions (visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, tactile). Furthermore, non-sensory perception (e.g., empathy, visions, premonitions) is usually very pronounced in highly sensitive people (HSPs). The literature explains this phenomenon by suggesting that the excitation and inhibition processes in the nervous system differ from those of non-HSPs.

The nervous system of HSP

In highly sensitive people (HSPs), the nervous system is stimulated more quickly and intensely, while inhibitory processes are reduced. Consequently, HSPs reach their subjectively perceived stress level much faster, require more rest and relaxation, and need to adhere to their circadian rhythm.

It is estimated that approximately 15-20% of all people are highly sensitive, which corresponds to about 16 million people in Germany. Even higher mammals exhibit the same percentage of highly sensitive animals. As early as infancy, 15-20% of babies show heightened sensitivity to stimuli, which they express through intense crying, frightened facial expressions, or attempts to flee. The protective mechanism against overstimulation, transmarginal inhibition, also develops earlier in these babies than in non-HSPs.

The special characteristics of high sensitivity

The special characteristics of high sensitivity

  • Creativity: whether musical, artistic, poetic or dance-related, thanks to a high level of imagination.
  • Passion: intense dedication, immersion in the task/another world
  • Insight: a more profound and detailed examination and interpretation of circumstances
  • Empathy: Perceiving the wishes, intentions, motives, or feelings of others on a cognitive, emotional, and/or social level = interpersonal intelligence
  • Intrapersonal intelligence: perception, naming, and differentiation of one's own emotions
  • Intuition: for dangers, opportunities, but also for assessing human behavior and emotional states
  • Good listening skills
  • A great need for harmony
  • 7th sense: premonitions, visions

The challenges of high sensitivity

The challenges of high sensitivity

  • Predisposition to stress-related illnesses: On the one hand, they reach their subjective state of stress faster than others, and on the other hand, stress processing takes more time due to both personality structure and social conditions.
  • High vulnerability
  • Severe mood swings: both due to overstimulation and the moods of others
  • High affinity for depression, phobias and aggression if the person has experienced a bad childhood or grew up in poor family circumstances.
  • Weaker immune system: The immune system is drastically reduced by chronic stress.
  • Tendency towards allergies: The body of HSPs also reacts hypersensitively to environmental influences.
  • Stronger reaction to medication: They often require a lower dose of medication.
  • Increased sensitivity to substances: e.g., coffee, alcohol, nicotine, and drugs
  • Introversion: This does not refer to the shyness or anxiety around other people that highly sensitive people (HSPs) often develop after experiencing trauma. Rather, it refers to the fact that, due to their emotional and physiological hyperarousal, HSPs tend to avoid large circles of friends and large parties/activities. Quality over quantity.

High sensitivity in childhood

Because highly sensitive children perceive their fellow human beings and environment more intensely, they also sense interpersonal and intrapersonal conflicts, parental problems, tensions, and negative parenting styles. They tend to want to help their parents, making many sacrifices in the process and neglecting their own needs.

In highly sensitive people (HSPs), prolonged stress can prevent them from fully processing intense impressions, and the remaining information is simply transferred to the subconscious. This often results in the impression that something is wrong with them; this leads to shyness and not infrequently to isolation or the development of negative emotions.

The confusion of high sensitivity with ADHD

The confusion of HSP with ADHD

Since many symptoms of ADHD overlap with those of high sensitivity and giftedness, misdiagnosis can easily occur. The differences lie in perception and thinking styles. A person with genuine ADHD uses an analytical perception and thinking style, which is quick and effective. This heightened sensitivity to stimuli leads either to impulsive and hyperactive behavior (ADHD) or to lethargy and introspection (ADD). A person with pseudo-ADHD (=HSP) possesses holistic perception and thinking structures that enable creative thinking. Among highly sensitive people, a distinction is also made between a quiet, reserved type and an active, stimulation-seeking type. The latter strives to maintain an optimal level of activation to avoid monotony or boredom.

High sensitivity and giftedness

High sensitivity & giftedness

There is a very close link between high sensitivity and giftedness, and it can also be confused with ADHD in terms of diagnosis. Gifted children are also overwhelmed with stimuli on an intellectual, emotional, social, and sensory level. With easier tasks, they often get in their own way because they are presented with multiple solutions simultaneously and struggle to make a decision. In comparison, typically thinking individuals arrive at solutions more quickly – this leads to frustration and failure on easier tasks.


  • The causes of giftedness are thought to lie in genetic predisposition and environmental influences. Giftedness can manifest in the areas of intellect (linguistic, technical, mathematical), social skills, music/art, emotions, or psychomotor abilities. For example, 2 out of 100 people are intellectually gifted (IQ > 130 points).
  • However, validated, scientific tests currently only exist for the intellectual domain. All other domains are usually assessed via questionnaires and interviews.

High sensitivity as an adult

Those who are highly sensitive as adults were already so as children, but in most cases, it hasn't been recognized because this topic has only recently gained scientific attention. In more extreme cases, a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may even have been mistakenly made, as many personality traits resemble those of the recognized disorder. It is clear, however, that high sensitivity is not recognized as a disorder and is not included in the ICD-10 catalog, but rather viewed as a special personality characteristic and ability. Nevertheless, I consider it important to mention that there is a strong correlation between a sensitive personality and mental health issues if the person experienced a difficult childhood or grew up in impoverished family circumstances. In this combination, a significant number of highly sensitive people develop depression and/or (social) phobias. As is so often the case, there are also preliminary signs that the sensitivity could develop into an illness, such as a reduction in the ability to enjoy life, form relationships, perform well, or work.