What Is That Terrible Noise? Please Make It Stop!
By Carol K. Kennedy, Ph.D.
Sound habituation: Getting used to noises that are disturbing and disruptive to your young person's life.
How many of us have heard loud or even disturbing sounds that really startle us? Think about what really bothers you the most and makes your cringe. Now think about a person, possibly your child, who cannot tolerate these noises at all and goes into crisis mode from them. Currently, we are all re-entering society from lock-down and students are returning to school in many parts of the country. We need to focus on what helps our children to better acclimate to their environments. This may come in terms of getting used to sounds that really bother them either inside the home, in the community or back in their schools. I recommend watching our sound habituation video, first of all.
Return to normal - not so easy for every young person, especially those with disabilities. Let's focus on return to society and the classroom here. Your child may have gotten used to the usual sounds in your household- TV, video games, siblings, cooking, dogs barking, babies crying, doorbells ringing, phones ringing and other ambient sounds that may be bothersome, irritating, distracting or startling. Sounds that we take for granted can be extremely painful for a person with Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADD, and other hyper- sensitivity issues. This may cause them to be very agitated or to tune-out for self-preservation.
Based on the work of Temple Grandin, Reggie Bennett and I conducted clinical research into sound habituation with students at our residential school. We found that identifying and playing certain sounds that our students found intolerable, at lower and then increasingly louder volume with headphones, over time, helped them to get used to the sounds and be able to tolerate them. Working with their staff person, students were able to control the volume, over time and many sessions so that they could control their own responses. Eventually they were able to not over-react or go into crisis mode. They became habituated to these sounds. With our help, you will be able do this with your child at home. Dr. Grandin talks about sensory over-responsiveness where a person cannot tolerate certain sounds, pitch, volume, basically input of sound. Some persons need direct help with sensory modulation (Temple Grandin https://www.templegrandin.com/templegrandinbooks.html) which is how we developed our successful strategy.
Back to School: Now going back to school, certain sounds will be once again upsetting to certain young people. Noise in the hallway, school bells ringing, noise in the cafeteria or at dismissal time, noise in the classroom, other kids shouting, noise in the gym, lockers slamming shut, may all trigger negative responses. This is where sound habituation training will be so helpful. Work with your child to identify what is most disturbing to them and then review the video on our website. Try listening to these sounds until they become normal and just background noise. It may take time and patience on your part. For some students on the Autism Spectrum, unpleasant or disturbing noises may cause them to shut down, tune out and ignore the person talking to them or trying to get their attention. Remember, they are not being deliberately rude or hostile. They are very much in the self-preservation mode. We as parents, clinicians, educators, family members can help our child overcome this over-reaction to sound stimulation, be able to respond appropriately without pain, and thereby helping them to lead happier, calmer lives in school and out. Let's help them make their lives as successful as possible during this time of transition.
Check out the important work by Dr. Temple Grandin at
https://www.templegrandin.com/templegrandinbooks.html