At a recent seminar in China on child psychological development, experts paid particular attention to highly sensitive children, commonly known as HSCs.
These children often have a low threshold for stress and react intensely to failures, while also being more vulnerable than their peers. Sometimes, they cannot handle any criticism and may easily become emotional, even crying when faced with harsh words.
As a result, parents of sensitive children tend to worry more. But why do sensitive children exhibit such “difficult” characteristics?
According to experts, this occurs due to the overdevelopment of the amygdala in the child’s brain, leading to heightened alertness. As a consequence, their reactions to even minor or unusual stimuli can be intense.
Nonetheless, from another perspective, experts also assert that high sensitivity can be considered a talent. Children in this group possess three innate advantages that are hard for others to attain. Most importantly, parents need to recognize and value their child’s unique character traits to guide and nurture them appropriately.

Experts also assert that high sensitivity can be considered a talent.
Thoughtful and considerate in all situations
The sensitive child’s nervous system develops uniquely, allowing them to receive and process information deeply. This means they not only passively receive information but also analyze and accurately perceive subtle details. Before making any decision, they consider each aspect, envision potential risks, and prepare timely coping strategies. Consequently, their pace may be slower, and they might require more time to execute tasks.
While their words and actions may be cautious, their profound thinking ability enables them to quickly grasp the essence of issues and discern the nature of events. They can meticulously observe and analyze situations, gaining a clearer understanding of the world and developing critical thinking skills.
This deep thinking ability not only helps them achieve their goals but also yields better outcomes than their peers. Consequently, they can make intelligent choices, minimize risks, and optimize results in diverse situations.

Deep thinking ability helps children achieve their goals and yields better outcomes.
Sensitivity and high sense of responsibility
Sensitive children can easily perceive subtle changes in their surroundings. For instance, they can sense when someone is pretending to be happy but is actually anxious through facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice.
However, this level of sensitivity can cause anxiety and restlessness in children, making them feel pressured. Although the amygdala is only the size of a finger, the number of nerve fibers connecting it to other brain regions is far greater than the number of fibers returning to the amygdala.
When children feel stressed or anxious, their natural tendency is to want to fix everything immediately, putting pressure on themselves to find solutions. Consequently, they often exhibit a strong sense of responsibility, are considerate of others’ emotions, and want to take on responsibilities.
Children with this ability typically make friends easily and deeply connect with those around them due to their ability to understand and manage others’ emotions and needs.

Children with this ability typically make friends easily and connect deeply.
Deep perception, vivid imagination, and exceptional creativity
The ability to deeply process information allows children to notice details that many might overlook and helps uncover underlying patterns. With a rich inner world, these children tend to contemplate issues from multiple perspectives, increasing their chances of success in fields that require unconventional thinking, such as invention, design, and creative arts.
Beyond the present, these children can combine diverse colors in their artwork and discover countless unique solutions to problems by approaching them from various angles.
The amygdala, responsible for survival-related vigilance in the brain, typically prioritizes danger signals to maintain alertness, while other signals may be suppressed.
Children with sensitive amygdalas easily detect abnormal stimuli, often experiencing anxiety or fear. Parenting such children requires patience, perseverance, and determination.
Nevertheless, opportunities and challenges go hand in hand. Thus, parents should provide a safe, loving, and encouraging environment for their children while continuously working on their weaknesses and nurturing their innate strengths to raise happy, courageous explorers and creators.
Creating a safe space for them to freely explore and experiment optimizes their potential. It is also crucial to guide them in managing their emotions and coping with different situations to build their confidence in decision-making.
Lastly, developing profound thinking skills not only provides academic advantages but also lays a solid foundation for future success. These skills will enable them to make sound decisions, build self-confidence, and foster independence and self-leadership abilities.