Re: Overstimulation question, ( Hyperacusis (Auditory Defensiveness) and Sensory

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Auditory defensiveness (hyperacusis) is when a child or adult is so

bothered by sound, no matter how mild it is to a non-defensive

person, that they literally run from it, cover their ears, tune it

out, or otherwise do something to block it out. With the passage of

time, inadequate coping skills set in and the problems may mount.

This is a sensory issue that can have widespread consequences,

including developing bad learning and listening habits. The

defensiveness is caused by an over-sensitivity in hearing. The child

may be hearing sounds at the highest volume and pitch. An example to

illustrate this would be living in a stadium where all sounds come in

full blast, through rock concert-strength speakers. A child who is

affected might be able to discriminate actual words at whisper tones

from a distance of 25 feet. Flushing a toilet must sound like

standing right next to Niagara Falls. The sound of the pencil being

used by a classmate is highly distracting and bothersome. It is under

these extreme conditions that poor coping skills, like tuning out

noise, can cause severe problems with normal conversation, especially

if other activity is going on in the same room. Processing,

comprehension, compliance with simple requests all are disrupted when

only a portion of what is being said filters in. A child who is

affected is usually highly distractible.

Here are some of the possible consequences of Auditory defensiveness:

Poor communication skills

Poor expressive skills

High level of irritability

Anger

Tendency to have tantrums

High level of frustration

High level of distractibility

Withdrawal from social interaction

Poor academic performance and skills

Inability to function well in a classroom setting

Frequent misunderstanding of oral instructions

Inability to process more than 1 or two part instructions

Unwillingness to perform actions that involve noise (flushing

toilets, washing hands, baths, showers)

Unwillingness to play with children in a group

Unwillingness to stay in public places

If this sounds like your child, please consider having her evaluated

with a Speech Language Pathologist is experienced in treating

children sensory integration issues.

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