Auditory Hypersensitivity and Preschool

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Auditory Hypersensitivity and Preschool

by Rachel
(Massachusetts)

My daughter is 2 1/2 years old and has just begun the transition process from Early Intervention to Preschool. She has been diagnosed with Apraxia of Speech and Sensory Processing Disorder. She has also been misdiagnosed with PDD-NOS. She has made great progress with her speech at home with EI. She has not made progress with her sensory disorder. We have not found any truly successful coping mechanisms for her auditory hypersensitivity and because of this, we avoid birthday parties, church, playgrounds, playgroups, etc., where even one child/adult/environmental sound is too loud/or abrasive to my daughter and may cause her to shut down.

When she shuts down (eyes close, body shakes, cries, or body goes limp or coma like), she becomes unresponsive or uncooperative for up to two days. I'm worried that placing her in a preschool classroom will throw her over the edge to the point where she will not benefit from one on one ST or OT at school. Yet, we don't have the finances to give her the therapy privately. She won't wear ear muffs and because she constantly mouths inedible objects, ear plugs are not an option for her.

What, if anything, can we do now in the next five months to prepare her for preschool? Are there any other alternatives to preschool that I'm not thinking of? I know that certain sounds are painful for her and are in a sense like torture. I don't want to send her someplace where she will be in pain or learn behaviors that may present even bigger problems come kindergarten. Please help.

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Auditory Hypersensitivity and Preschool

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Oct 28, 2009
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Listening therapies?
by: Anonymous

My son has some auditory defensiveness, but not to the extend your little one has :( Even I am worried about preschool (same stage you are--transitioning out of birth to 3). My OT has mentioned listening therapy before. She is not personally trained in it (or to an extent she feels comfortable providing it) but one of her consultants is. We have talked about possibly trying it, but b/c it isn't a big issue for him right now we haven't done so.

All I know is that it is a series of noise activities designed to gradually desensitize that over-excited area of the brain. I would look into it. Good luck!

Oct 21, 2009
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What's your gutt say?
by: Anonymous

These are those times when your gut instinct should come first. What level of anxiety your daughter suffers sounds incredibly serious. The truth is she may not be ready for this transition. My daughter is also Auditory Defensive and we've always had to back teachers off from their schedule. Desensitization is a very individual process. My daughter had progress and set-backs, but usually, especially when she was young pushing too soon set her back. I know it's scary to think your daughter will have this struggle and have problems in school. It is and was painful for us. But our daughter's safety and comfort had to come first. When she's ready she will do well, if she's not it will only be a source of more anxiety

Oct 21, 2009
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Any other coping techniques?
by: Rachel

We've tried headphones, pressure vests, jumping, deep pressure massage, Wilbarger brushing protocol, and pool therapy. Nothing has worked consistently and reliably. The brushing actually made her sensitivity worse. We are starting listening therapy but I don't know how successful we will be because she doesn't tolerate headphones on her ears. Are there any other thoughts to try?

Oct 21, 2009
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brush treatment
by: Anonymous

talk w/ the O.T they used a brushing treatment on my daughter to help redirect some of her sound sensitivity. it does help we are back at church.

Oct 20, 2009
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hypersensitivivity and preschool
by: Anonymous

Hi Rachel,

I joined this group because my 10 yr old autistic son has severe hypersensitivity to noises. He is now able to tolerate vacuums and blenders but now it's more, he is sensitive to tone of voice and kids crying and screaming and such. I did Auditory Integration Therapy 2 summers ago. It kind of helped but I now have understood that loud noises make him fearful. I think it is the sudden onset of the noise and he has emotional regulation too. he can't regulate his emotions....I am still racking my brain on how to help him with this and am considering on cantacting an SIDspecialist, like Carol Krankowitz ....who wrote the out of sync child book. there is I think another book called building bridges. I haven't read that one though.

I was thinking of having him wear noise reduction headphones to help. I sincerely think, that although he does have a crystal clear speech he is definitely a hyperlistener, and has acute hearing.

Good Luck!

Oct 20, 2009
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by: Anonymous

Hi I am not sure what state you live in, but here in Missouri we have Early Childhood Special Ed. through the school system. It is a Preschool program geared for kids with learning delays. You have to contact Parents as Teachers to be screened for this which you can't do until they are 3, however they will get them started as soon as the testing is complete. This also sets your child up with an IEP which makes the transition to kindergarten easier. You may want to check into it and see if you have this program available. My son went through it and it helped him alot! Good luck!

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Auditory Hypersensitivity and Preschool

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Auditory Hypersensitivity and Preschool