Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Noise sensitivities?

DS4 (and DS6 to a lesser extent) has some pretty severe noise sensitivities. We went to the science museum today and watched a demonstration on fire, there were a couple of loud bangs and after the first one poor DS4 was shaking he was so upset. We would have left, but DS6 was completely enthralled (and then there was DD2 who saw the bunson burner and kept saying over and over "I don't like fire, mommy. I don't like fire").

As a kid I could never watch fireworks and I absolutely hated 4th of July and New Years Eve because it would be so loud and scary. To this day, we don't pop balloons in our house because the noise scares me so bad and I turn into a sobbing mess. DS4 seemed to do ok with 4th of July, we did a lot of talking about it before hand so he wouldn't be surprised and we brought him ear plugs to help with the noise. Eventually he (and I) got used to the noise because it was a very long fireworks show and it didn't bother him. But afterwards, we both were visibly on edge and just sort of spent from the constant sensory bombardment.

I just worry about things like the science demonstration where I couldn't have known ahead of time to be prepared. And, I kind of feel like this is something we need to give him tools to deal with as the situations arise rather than having to have pep talks and controlled situations simply because loud noises are unavoidable.

So, any ideas or advice? I feel so bad for him because I vividly remember *knowing* it was illogical to be afraid of noise and yet not being able to control it.

I keep earplugs in my purse. We use them surprisingly often for DS4, my "sensitive little flower."

Honestly, I just can't take him to movies. It's impossible for him. Too dang loud! And he was a wreck at a pro baseball game with lots of home runs because they kept setting off the fireworks and I didn't have my purse with me. I won't forget again!

I and my FIL have the same issue with cacaphonous loud random noises. Jr has the same issue.

What we are doing with Jr is slowly acclimatizing him to cacophony by taking him to the mall, arcades, sports events, etc. When he shows signs of stressing, we leave. He can now spend an hour at the arcade and can sit through the first half of a football game outside. We'll try a pro baseball game next week. He still cannot stand touchhdown celebrations at our local sports bar, so I have to put my hands over his ears!!!

We've taken him to the range at the ranch and skeet practice and he is now used to that. He still has a problem when the horses first come up and stand around blowing.

What has helped IMHO is that we got him his own piano and a drum ( hollow cardboard box ) to beat on.