Preschool sensory over-responsivity has been found to significantly and positively predict anxiety symptoms at elementary school age (age six).  

Lawrence University

Overwhelm and stress in response to a sensory experience; a more intense response to sensory input; magnified, negative responses to typical sensory experiences in everyday life. 

Overresponsivity/Hyperreactivity to sensory input

Carpenter KLH, Baranek GT, Copeland WE, Compton S, Zucker N, Dawson G, Egger HL. Sensory Over-Responsivity: An Early Risk Factor for Anxiety and Behavioral Challenges in Young Children. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2019 Jun;47(6):1075-1088. doi: 10.1007/s10802-018-0502-y. 

Sensory Over-Responsivity in Young Children Reference 

Children with ADHD have less sensory-motor abilities than typical children. Additionally, the patterns of sensory modulation in children with ADHD are significantly different from the patterns of sensory modulation in typical children. Particular behavioral problems like aggression and delinquency in ADHD are correlated with specific sensory issues. A child with ADHD who has greater sensory issues is more likely to have behavioral problems. Sensory functioning in a child with ADHD is also strongly correlated with academic achievement. Children with ADHD have more difficulties in tactile processing, balance and coordination, auditory processing, visual processing, and olfactory identification. 

Sensory Processing deficits in ADHD

The DSM-5 criteria for children with ASD includes deficits in sensory processing, specifically sensory modulation. Any sensory modality may be affected but some evidence suggests that individuals with ASD have a greater frequency of sensory deficits in the domains of taste and smell, as well as tactile sensitivity. 

- neurobiology of sensory symptoms in ASD

Sensory Processing Deficits in Autism Spectrum Disorder

In a sample size of 917 preschool-aged children, 20% of parents reported that their children had sensory over-responsivity in at least one sensory domain. 

Prevalence of sensory over-responsivity in preschool children 

In a sample size of 917 preschool-aged children, 43% of the children had both parent-reported sensory over-responsivity and anxiety diagnoses. In the same sample, a significant relationship was found between the presence of children with parent-reported sensory over-responsivity and who also met the criteria for other disorders like ADHD.  


Sensory over-responsivity and disorders in preschool children 

Sensory over-responsivity in preschool children as a predictor of anxiety in elementary school children  

Preschool sensory over-responsivity was not found to be a predictor of non-anxiety disorders at elementary school age (age 6).  

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