Is my child an Orchid?

Highly sensitive children are more prone to, and vulnerable to the impact of stress. 

While it’s easy for parents to dismiss a sensitive child’s stress and anxiety – or tell him or her to “get over it” and stop being so emotional – it’s important to stop and remember that some kids are born sensitive. Yes, it’s genetic.

These sensitive souls are known as orchid children – and they have their own set of orchid child characteristics to take into consideration when raising them. Signs of orchid sensitivity start early. A baby who is easily startled, may well be showing the early signs of being an orchid child. 

Recently, there’s been an addition of the tulip child to the theory. Tulip kids fall somewhere between the super-sensitive orchid and the super-robust dandelion.

Dandelion children are resilient and handle stress well, while orchid children are much more sensitive and, as a result, run the risk of suffering depression and other issues later in life if not properly nurtured in childhood.

Orchid children appear to have less receptors in their brains for the stress hormone, cortisol. As a results, when stressed, the cortisol floods the bloodstream, increasing anxiety, exponentially. 

This is what makes it so important for orchid and tulip children to be raised in a carefully attuned environment.

That’s why the environment a child is raised in is so important. If am orchid child’s needs are not nurtured correctly, they run a high risk of depression, anxiety and substance abuse.”

On the flip side, if parents provide the right home environment, these children can be resilient, creative and stable. The right nurture pays dividends in your child’s development. 

To find out if your child is an orchid, tulip or dandelion, fill in the form below and a member of our team will send you the test, free of charge, for each of your children. The test involves a primary questionnaire which you can complete at your own leisure.

If you have concerns about your child and wish for a more comprehensive test by our psychologists, contact us.