

"You would want to eliminate obvious problems," Cuthill said. Although most children get hearing screening as newborns, another screening for an older child is worthwhile. If a parent is alarmed or worried about something, that in itself is a red flag for us." So where do I start?: Hearing testing is a good place to start, Cuthill said. "In fact, sometimes you might have to seek advice in more than one place because people might say, 'Don't worry about it.' "But if a parent has a persistent concern or feeling that something isn't right, they should take the next step and look for someone else's opinion. Should I seek help?: "I don't think it's ever an overreaction to seek advice or help," Cuthill said. So it might not be that the vacuum is too loud - the sound might just have some quality, like fingernails on a blackboard, that bugs your kid. "Research indicates that there is likely a biologic/physiologic basis - a difference in the auditory and/or nervous system of affected individuals." Sometimes, Knight added, a child is reacting to a certain feature of a sound rather than its volume. "This can be related to an enhanced perception of loud sounds and/or reduced tolerance for loudness," she wrote. What's going on with my child?: Knight said by e-mail that even common or familiar sounds can make some children anxious or fearful. To answer this question, I contacted Kristin Knight, a pediatric audiologist at Doernbecher Children's Hospital, and Sara Cuthill, a developmental pediatrician at Kaiser Permanente's Interstate Medical Office East. he tends to expect the worst and covers his ears." Finally, the reader noted that the sensitivity seemed to be worse when her child was sick. But, if he doesn't know how loud something will be. She added that it seemed to be partly a control/surprise issue: "For example, if he knows we are vacuuming or doing something noisy, he is fine.
#AUDITORY SENSITIVITY AND ANXIETY PROFESSIONAL#
She asked: "When is it not an overreaction to start seeking professional help - medical or otherwise? Also, if the child is overreacting because he is afraid of loud noises, how do you get him to mellow out about it?" The reader wrote that her child had been reacting strongly to movies, a museum play area, even loud toilet flushes. You should not avoid noisy situations as this will make you even more sensitive to noise.An Omamas reader recently wrote to say that her preschool-age son had been showing sensitivity to noise. You can try to ease hyperacusis yourself by doing some relaxation techniques.ĭo not use earplugs or earmuffs unless you really need to. cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to change the way you think about your hyperacusis and reduce anxiety.sound therapy to get you used to everyday sounds again - this may involve wearing earpieces that make white noise.If there's no clear cause, you may be offered treatment to help make you less sensitive to everyday sounds. Hyperacusis can be cured if it's caused by another condition, such as a migraine, head injury or Lyme disease. They may refer you to a hearing specialist for further tests and treatment. It can come on suddenly or develop over time.Ĭontact your GP if everyday noises seem too loud. Your sensitivity to noise can affect relationships, school or work and your general wellbeing. You may have hyperacusis if some everyday sounds seem much louder than they should. Talk to your GP if you think you have hyperacusis.

Hyperacusis is when everyday sounds seem much louder than they should.
