List Price: $14.95 Our Price: $9.99 You Save: $4.96 (33%)

Product Description

The bestselling author and psychologist whose books have topped 240,000 copies in print now addresses the trait of “high sensitivity” in children–and offers a breakthrough parenting guidebook for highly sensitive children and their caregivers.

With the publication of The Highly Sensitive Person, Elaine Aron became the first person to identify the inborn trait of “high sensitivity” and to show how it affects the lives of those who possess it. Up to 20 percent of the population is born highly sensitive, and now in The Highly Sensitive Child, Aron shifts her focus to highly sensitive children, who share the same characteristics as highly sensitive adults and thus face unique challenges as they grow up.

Rooted in Aron’s years of experience as a psychotherapist and her original research on child temperament, The Highly Sensitive Child shows how HSCs are born deeply reflective, sensitive to the subtle, and easily overwhelmed. These qualities can make for smart, conscientious, creative children, but with the wrong parenting or schooling, they can become unusually shy or timid, or begin acting out. Few parents and teachers understand where this behavior comes from–and as a result, HSCs are often mislabeled as overly inhibited, fearful, or “fussy,”or classified as “problem children” (and in some cases, misdiagnosed with disorders such as Attention Deficit Disorder). But raised with proper understanding and care, HSCs are no more prone to these problems than nonsensitive children and can grow up to be happy, healthy, well-adjusted adults.

In this pioneering work, parents will find helpful self-tests and case studies to help them understand their HSC, along with thorough advice on:
• The challenges of raising an highly sensitive child

• The four keys to successfully parenting an HSC

• How to soothe highly sensitive infants

• Helping sensitive children survive in a not-so-sensitive world

• Making school and friendships enjoyable


With chapters addressing the needs of specific age groups, from newborns through teens, The Highly Sensitive Child delivers warmhearted, timely information for parents, teachers, and the sensitive children in their lives.


From the Trade Paperback edition.

Customer Reviews:

• A relationship saver.
  My daughter is 5-1/2 and cries more than her baby brother. She smells everything and complains almost non-stop about what I considered to be silly things. I was beginning to think there was something "wrong" with her! At a party, a friend, recognizing her own child in mine, recommended this book.
  
  My child and I were butting heads because I could not relate to her - at. all. This book has helped me to understand HER perspective on life. It has helped me be more patient with her. You can take the online quiz to determine if your child is HS and if they are, READ this book. It has literally been a relationship saver for us. ...more info
• the highly sensitive child
  This book is very useful in parenting. Our children all have a touch of high sensitivity (particularly our son)as well as myself and husband. We have tried alternative methods with our son and most would not work. This book gives insight into our child's thinking and has assisted us greatly in making us both aware of different traits and our responses. I wish we had sought this book out when our girls were younger :)...more info
• Fabulous book and resource.
  This book has been such a blessing to our family! My son is very sensitive and having this book on hand has really helped me to understand what it means and how I can help him to be happy and successful, just the way he is. Some seems to be a little over-written like she could have said the same thing in a lot shorter or simpler way but it is so good, I have already recommended it to many friends and they have liked it too....more info
• Excellent, kind-hearted insight into your wonderful child!
  Wow. I am so happy to have found this book. It has finally connected the dots for me. My son has, since birth, been a highly sensitive person, bothered by noises, lights, changes in routine, etc. But for some reason, I had never put them together as part of one temperament. Now I see that his terror at the sound of fireworks, his shielding his eyes from bright sunlight, his extreme discomfort at tags on his clothes or if his shoes are not on just right, his disliking of hats or anything coming near his head, his terror at the doctor or the hairdresser, reluctance to potty train (because it's a change in the routine!)...they're all related! And this book affirms for me that the way I have been handling these things gently and with understanding, is far better for his temperament than punishing or even time-outs. This books has been a revelation to me, and I am a MUCH better, more sympathetic parent for having read it....more info
• Highly sensitive child
  Helpful book. Helps to identify sensitive children and ways to make their life and your life more plesant. ...more info
• Excellent book!!
  This book has completely changed the way that I deal with my highly sensitive child. I knew that she was sensitive, but I didn't really know the why's or how's. This book explained to me EXACTLY who she is, why she is the way she is and how to go about dealing with her. It's been so much more peaceful and positive in our household since reading this book - and I was able to share information from the book with her teachers. She's now excelling in school! Excellent read and a must-have manual for parents of highly sensitive children....more info
• Great book if your child matches the highly sensitive profile
  Wow! What a great relief to find a book that so clearly describes my child. It had been scary for me to think that my child was different and to doubt myself - wondering if my parenting was making my child cry more or cling more.
  
  This book was great for us to help us let go of the stereotypes of what our child "should" be doing - and to really appreciate the amazing qualities that our child has. We've changed our outlook in many parenting situations. Our son has become more confident in many arenas as a result. We now recognize the internal struggle he goes through when he is weighing the risks involved with every, single activity that he embarks upon. And we have found ways to build his confidence.
  
  Highlights of the book for me were: 1. recognizing the challenges of having a highly sensitive BOY. There is a definite role that boys are expected to fill in society and it's not that of the sensitive, shy person... 2. Recognizing that my son's actual senses are part of his sensitivity and increase when he is overwhelmed. For example: the bath water feels too hot, the tags in his clothing bother him more, sunlight bothers his eyes, etc. 3. The author's explanation for why a sensitive child shuts down (for those of you who have read the book, the "oranges" description) really helped me to understand how to avoid overwhelming my child with too many stimuli.
  
  I wish this author were available for personal child behavior counseling. I'd love to speak with her in greater depth.
  
  I loved the book and have bought copies for family members and teachers. If your child fits the description (it is fairly obvious if they do), this is a great resource to have....more info
• Sent from heaven
  If you are the parent of a child who cries easily, has deep thoughts, is very mature, extremely compassionate, perfectionist, passionate. You should read this book. Also you should try Magnesium lotion. Why? Read the Magnesium Miracle and other books about magnesium transdermal treatment. Magnesium is essential for the nervous system. Magnesium deficiency hinders the nerve cells to give or receive messages properly. The cells become excitable and very reactive. This causes kids to become highly sensitive and nervous. Noises will seem tremendously loud and lights can appear extremely bright. Magnesium relaxes. Given orally can cause diarrhea, but not if applied on the skin. Read the medical journals and you will confirm it.
  I have to mention that magnesium lotions have a tendency to sting a little bit, but it disappears quickly. The Magnesium Miracle...more info
• The Highly Sensitive Child
  This was recommended by my pediatrician for my 4th baby- who seemed sensitive to light and any loud voices. I learned ways to soothe her in times of stress that I would never have thought to be stressful. I learned to look at things through a sensitive child's eyes and be more appropriate for her comfort....more info
• Good, with a grain of salt
  As a mother of a sensitive child it was nice to see a book out there that does not condemn this or tells you push, push, push. A lot of what she said made sense I just felt like she was really into her subject matter and perhaps was a little too wordy. The overall theme of listen, understand and validate was a good one. ...more info
• Brought tears of relief and understanding
  Elaine Aron has provided a wonderful book to the parents and caregivers of highly sensitive children. I came across this book in the midst of a rocky transition to preschool for my son. I now feel confident that my frustration and sadness at his suffering can be replaced understanding and support. I have always accepted and loved him deeply for the special person he is but understanding more about how he must feel and how to reassure him makes a world of difference. I have not yet finished the book but already have no hesitation about giving it the highest recommendation. One drawback, book lacks an index which would be nice for quick reference. / Addendum, since reading this book I have developed some additional concerns about my child - wondering if he might be Asperger's or the like. We are in the process of an evaluation as I would like to assist him maneuvering in social settings if this is the case. Regardless this book was helpful. Am now reading "Quirky Kids: Understanding and helping your child who doesn't fit in -When to worry and When Not to Worry" which is a nice discussion of those issues....more info
• Very helpful and encouraging but could use more details
  We are the parents of a wonderful kid who is troubled by over-sensitivity to certain kinds of stimulus, including textures, noise and smells. While it does not offer as much in the way of solutions as we'd like, it is very helpful in understanding our daughter's seemingly inappropriate reactions to ordinary stimulus without branding her as deliberately disruptive or "bad". It's helped us question some of the labels that therapists are quick to place on kids these days (bipolar, ADD, oppositional, etc...)and come up with a better understanding of what's causing her problems, and in the process, helped avoid innappropriate medications.
  
  We'd really like it if the authors provided more in the way of coping strategies and theraputic options but even understanding what's going on is very helpful. We may buy the author's other book, The Highly Sensitive Person" to see if they have provided more prescriptive advice there. ...more info