When a person has autism, their hearing is often more sensitive than that of a non-autistic person. They might keenly hear what’s considered background noise to other people, such as electricity, creaking pipes and the hum of air conditioning. This autism hearing sensitivity is known as hyperacusis, though the condition can also be present in non-autistic people. Here’s what you need to know to minimize the effects of autism hearing sensitivity.
Why does autism hearing sensitivity occur? Autism is closely linked to sensory processing disorders and difficulties—whether hyposensitivity (minimally responsive) or hypersensitivity (highly responsive).
Autism hearing sensitivity can affect an autistic person’s everyday life. Overwhelming sounds, touch sensations or smells may cause sensory overload, which is when the senses absorb more information than the brain can process. Constantly noticing background or loud noises can become irritating, distracting, scary and even painful in some cases.
Because of sensitivity to sounds, autism might lead a person to take extra precautions with their ears, such as wearing headphones or earplugs to dampen loud noises. With autism hearing sensitivity, it’s important to alternate between exposure to noises (even bothersome ones) and quiet periods of relief.
If the person with autism hearing sensitivity is a friend or family member, get to know their triggers and help them find calming, quiet spaces to get relief from noisy and overwhelming environments.
Certain sounds are worse than others for people with hearing sensitivity. Find out how each type of noise might affect you or your loved one and how to address the situation.
Air conditioning noise reduction can be done with a few clicks of a button. Turning down the fan setting or setting a timer that will turn it off occasionally will offer some relief. For those hot days when you absolutely need air conditioning, try masking the sound or using sound-reduction methods like earplugs and headphones.
Persistently loud air conditioning and forced air noise could be a part of a bigger issue with your home. To head off possible problems and minimize the noise, have your air conditioning and vents checked and cleaned.
When the furnace kicks on, air forced through ducts can cause noise. You can try reducing furnace noise with regular cleaning and maintenance. Like conditioning, loud heating noises might indicate an issue with your system; contact a professional if the noises are persistent or particularly loud.
They might solve bigger issues with the heating system and reduce furnace noise. Otherwise, sound masking methods and headphones can prevent irritation caused by the constant humming or air noise from the furnace.
Washing machines and clothes dryers can make a lot of noise with their rinse, draining and spin cycles. The rattling and rumbling can be a lot, even for non-autistic people who don’t experience sound sensitivity.
For some autistic individuals, having control over the noise brings some relief. If the sounds of a washing machine and clothes dryer are causing anxiety, turn it off for a moment of relief. Then, when you’re ready, turn it back on. If you have the resources, soundproofing your laundry room or space will also help with washing machine noise reduction. Putting a soundproof quilt on your door or hanging an acoustic panel or sound-absorbing foam in the space can also help minimize the sound that travels through your home.
Low-gain hearing aids for autism can help with hearing and sensory sensitivities. Low-gain hearing aids are fitted using a specific method with the intention of treating auditory processing disorders in people with minimal or no hearing loss. These devices reduce distracting background noise and bring voices to the forefront.
If you or a loved one experiences sensory overload issues due to sound sensitivity, low-gain hearing aids for autism are worth considering. For autistic children, low-gain hearing aids could even help them better process sound to enhance their learning and language abilities.
