Why do children experience sensory overwhelm?

All forms of information arrive through our senses, and the way that we process this input, make sense of it, and respond to our environment is highly individualised. From the first moment of the day, children are exposed to constant stimulation which makes demands on their attention, emotions, and space. For each of the senses, there is a cap on the amount of input the child can tolerate.

What happens when this cap is exceeded, and how do we support the child to recalibrate, plan their response, and regain confidence to try again?