Calling all mothers of highly sensitive children

Hi Moms,

Is your child "highly sensitive"? Check out this site for more information: http://www.hsperson.com/pages/child.htm
You can also take a test on there to see if your child is highly sensitive.

This was intended to be a cry out for help. I am in desperate need to find other mothers of highly sensitive children that I can connect with. Others who completely and utterly can understand the struggles and rewards of being a mother of a highly sensitive child.

I love my daughter with all my heart. She is my proudest and greatest accomplishment. However, on most occasions, it's difficult being her mother. I feel like a terrible mother admitting that, but it's true! For most of her life, I felt like an incompetent mother. I listen to all these moms talk about how easy their child is, or how so many things that bother my child, doesn't seem to fade theirs in any way. Honestly, I get really annoyed. I know it's my own issue because I am jealous. I really like to hear when parents are having struggles, because it's true, "misery loves company." It's so awful, but it does make me feel better. In those moments, I don't judge my own parenting style because someone else is having problems. I know this is a horrible way to see things, but the first step to getting past it, is accepting the truth. This has been my truth for almost 2 1/2 years.

My daughter, Faith is highly sensitive and I am wondering if anyone else notice these traits in their child. Before our friend recommend this book, "The Highly Sensitive Child," by Elaine Aron. I used to feel so isolated that my daughter was so "acutely aware" of everything. Until I
started reading this book and it's has brought me so much comfort because I'm not alone.

I'm going to do a list of the senses and how they affect her.

Sight:
-doesn't like extremely bright light
-doesn't like complete darkness
-notices when someone gets a hair cut
-Acutely aware of environment

Sounds:
-doesn't like loud sounds
-loves stories with different voices for different characters or sound affects

Taste:
-doesn't like overly flavored food, especially spicy
-doesn't like her food mixed, if she eats salad, she like the component of her salad separated with the dressing on the side so that she can dip it
-Very picky with her food, depends on texture and taste

Smell:
-doesn't like strong smells
-notices different smells

Touch:
-doesn't like tags on her clothes, I have to cut them all off or she will scratch herself until she bleed
-doesn't like certain fabric; scratchy, hard
-loves to play with my hair, it's her comfort item (Tugs on my hair, anytime she needs comfort)
-very low tolerance for pain; a scratch, a cut, teething, illness (I hoover over her all the time, afraid that she will get hurt or get sick, because it means it will be rough nights in stored for me)
-doesn't like sand in her shoes, at all!

Sensitivity:
-Extremely irritable when she is slightly hunger
-Extremely irritable when she is slightly tried
-Not being with me, she freaks out almost every time I leave, no matter who is with her. She is almost 2 1/2 years and I have never ever been away from her at night. She truly is afraid that I will leave her.
-I was the only one who put her to bed the whole first year. I'm still the primary person. Her daddy can read the stories, but on most occasions, I have to be the one to lay with her
-Acutely aware of other's mood
-Overly worries about things
-Doesn't sleep much
-Sensitive gag reflex
-Stranger anxiety
-Gets bored often
-Wants things a certain way
-Startles easily, we can't scare her, because she will have nightmares that night
-Seems to read your mind
-Very cautious
-Can't cry too much or she throws up
-Very perceptive
-Great sense of humor

Please reach out if you're in the same situation and would like to form a support group. My stress and impatience with my daughter has taken a toll on me mentally and physically. It's almost three years of sleep deprivation and constantly worrying about her. I'm seeing an acupuncturist and a therapist for treatments and strategies. It definitely has been helping, but I think that finding others mothers out there will be a great source of support. You just can't truly understand something until you have experienced it yourself. This blog has also helped me to deal with the difficult night, last night.

Thuan