Use A Toy Vacuum To Help Cure The Auditory Defensiveness Blues
Children with auditory defensiveness can begin to decrease their fears by using a toy vacuum.
Sound hard to believe? Well, I have actually seen this work!
Take a typical child with auditory defensiveness (hypersensitivity to sudden or loud sounds) and you will find they absolutely abhor the sound of the vacuum cleaner, among many other things like toilets flushing, sirens, hairdryers, loud laughter, and a dog barking to name just a few.
Therefore, it makes it difficult to clean your house, when your child screams in a panicked fear at the very sight of the vacuum cleaner. Turn it on, and watch the hands cover the ears, tears pour down their face and the running away begin.
How do I know? Because I have personally seen it and been told about it over and over, with my own daughter and the children I have worked with.
It was while I was working in early intervention that I discovered a toy vacuum with real sounds. I thought, how great would that be if I could get these children with sensory processing disorders to play with and tolerate this toy, so the real thing just wasn't so scary anymore. Well, little by little these children allowed me to introduce the vacuum to them.Did it work? Absolutely! True, it took a while, but their fears subsided and moms started vacuuming again while their child was still in the house.
But wait, there is more...the toy vacuum cleaners companies have put out now actually work! They really pick up dirt! How cool is that. Now, you will have a child who not only will tolerate the sound of the vacuum, but who becomes mommy's little helper vacuuming right along side of her. And, it is also an amazingly beneficial heavy work activity to boot! Now how's that for the total package...3 amazing benefits of one little toy!
Check out these toy vacuums below.
Happy spring cleaning!
Related Resources and Further Reading
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