Over stimulated???

[andrewsmom]

Hi everyone!! Hope you're all doing good today!

I know being over stimulated has been talked about on here before. I remember reading about how when some kids get over stimulated they kind of withdraw into a particular activity or toy.

Well, we went to a rather large function yesterday. There was a TON of kids. The kids were all running all over the place, playing with balloons.....kind of out of control in my opinion...just so you understand the picture.

Andrew would go out to the dance floor where all these kids were and toss around a balloon for a minute or two, and then just lie right down on the floor.

I mean right in the middle of everything. He would just lie down like he was going to sleep. I was afraid the other kids were going to fall right on him. When we went to get him he was kind of like a "lump" and gave us no help picking him up.

After a few minutes of holding him in my lap, he was fine and wanted to go right back out again. He did this several times. Everytime he would end up lying down again.

My question is....do you think he was over stimulated? Was it all just too out of control for him? We've never seen him do anything like this before.

-Trisha

[Emilysmom]

Hmmmmmmmm........yes, it almost sounds like he was getting way too much info to process all at once from the noises and all the things to see, and he could only handle it for a bit and then had to sort of "escape" for a few minutes. Interesting that he escaped right in the middle of the dance floor though!

I remember in a situation like that many years ago, Emily would close her eyes and cover her ears and a woman commented that our family must be a very QUIET bunch and that Em was just not used to any sort of commotion. I had to LAUGH cause we are anything but quiet! But this noise was "new" and overstimulating to her.......not the day to day noise she heard at home.

Susan

[Valerie]

Sure sounds like he had too much. But in all honesty, I would LOVE that reaction! Nicholas goes into total meltdown mode when it's too overwhelming to him! Just acts terrorized!

[momofrussell]

Was it warm too? Russell would do this or something similiar maybe if it was VERY VERY warm outside.

A.

[ValerieC]

Funny how children react to different situations. If it's too loud for Alethea she just gets terribly fussy until we remove her from the situation. However, when she is overstimulated, she won't sleep at night. Same with all my children. They just had very restless nights with a lot of crying and waking.

[ValerieC]

BTW it sounds like I would have been quite overstimulated myself. I might have reacted just like Andrew. I can't take that kind of atmosphere or I get beside myself.

[momofrussell]

Yes.. lots of crying and no sleep would be Reece actually when she gets overwhelmed. And for her, she gets overwhelmed VERY easily. I have to watch her actually. She tends to "shut down" often in the afternoons if they have played hard during the day.

A.

[andrewsmom]

No...wasn't warm at all. It is funny that you all mentioned your kids not sleeping well that night. I posted this so early this morning because I was up half the night with Andrew. Usually he just fusses and goes back to sleep, but last night he was up full out crying until I went and picked him up several times. hmmmmmmm...

-Trisha

[chasesmom]

Very interesting....Andrew did exactly what Chase used to do when over stimulated and we would have to go pick him up but unlie Andrew, Chase couldnt regroup and we would just have to leave. good for Andrew, wtg buddy!!!
Robin