Noise Inventory
“I feel like my head is constantly bombarded with noise,” commented a high school student diagnosed with autism. “I don’t expect everything to be totally quiet, but it sure would help me if we could stop some of the extra noises.” He went on to say that is wasn’t so much the loudness of noises that bothered him, just the numbers of different noises that swirl around him.
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SOLUTION STRATEGIES. Teachers, family members, and employers who are interested in maximizing the potential of individuals with autism might want to take an inventory of all the noises in the classroom, home, or place of employment.
Some individuals with autism are particularly sensitive to sound in general or to certain sounds or frequencies. At the very least, an environment filled with sounds is distracting to our high school friend. He said he sometimes become frustrated when different noises interrupt his trying to read or trying to finish a paper or test at school. He struggles to sort out all the sounds from multiple sources, trying to determine which he needs to pay attention to and which noises he can ignore.
A noise inventory will reveal a number of different noises in a typical home, school, or workplace that most of us don’t even notice. Phones ring, computers hum and ping, fans swirl, dogs bark, people talk, doors slam, cars honk, timers ding, bells ring, and buzzers buzz. Just sorting through the circus of different cell phone signals is a challenge.
If sounds are particularly agitating, an individual with extreme sound sensitivities related to autism can consider wearing sound-masking head phones. Many environmental sounds cannot be eliminated without extraordinary measures, but some can be done away with fairly easily. For example, the volumes on telephones, television, computers, game consoles, and other electronics can be turned down. Cell-phones can be put on “mute” or “vibrate” mode in places where they distract people. We can all take time periodically to scout out sounds that can be eliminated or diminished. The quieter environment will probably be more pleasant for everyone.
NOTE TO LISTENERS AND READERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. You can click on a button to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solutions. Check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. www.FAQautism.com
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