What symptom might a child exhibit if they are overwhelmed by sensory inputs?

When a child is overwhelmed by sensory inputs, they may struggle with transitioning between activities. This difficulty arises because intense sensory stimuli can lead to heightened anxiety or stress, making it challenging for the child to shift their focus from one task to another. For example, a loud environment or a crowded space might cause such discomfort that the child finds it hard to engage in a new activity or even to comprehend the instructions given for a transition.

Children who experience sensory overload often react by becoming more withdrawn or exhibiting behaviors that indicate they are in distress, rather than smoothly adapting to new situations. Thus, their struggles with transitions reflect how sensory overload impacts their cognitive processing and emotional regulation.