Causes of Overstimulation in Babies
Several factors are responsible for overstimulation in babies, they include:
- Loud noises, colorful places, bright light and too much crowd might trigger some babies.
- Staring at screens for a long period. TVs, phones, and other devices can all be too much for a baby’s brain to get used to before they’re at least 18 months old. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends avoiding screen use before age 2, then reducing exposure to around 1 hour of educational programming a day until they’re 5.
- Excess activity. a toddler could have a meltdown at the end of a day because they had so much to do. Too much activity can be overwhelming due to inability to process much.
- Missing a nap or going to bed late. Being overly tired can quickly overwhelm your baby.
- Disruption in routine. Babies have habits, so when they experience changes that get cranky.
- Too many people. Some babies enjoy meeting people, while others get irritated or overwhelmed when in the midst of people.
- Extremely cold or warm conditions can play a role in overstimulation.
- It might be temporary but, teething can irritate your baby and make them more susceptible to other stimuli.
- Certain medical conditions. For example, autistic [2] children have a more sensitive sensory system, so they get easily overwhelmed by sights, sounds, touch, smells, or tastes. A sick child may also become overstimulated more easily.
Overstimulation can be caused by external stimuli such as crowds and noises or internal stimuli, such as teething [3] or being tired from a missed nap.