Published on 12, July, 2020
My teenage daughter is awaiting diagnosis of ASD due to a number of different issues.
But one of the problems she has is that she can hear any tiny noise, even noises other people cannot hear, and hates bright light.
The noise issue is the hardest one to help her with as it is small noises that she can hear, so I try to be as quiet as I can and not rattle things or make unneccessary noises, but sometimes small sounds just can't be avoided, like my joints cracking or the sound of a page turning, or a pen on paper. It's impossible to be totally silent.
She does play music or watch tv quite loudly and even likes subtitles on so as not to miss a thing.
She goes to senior school and has to deal with the noises there which she does find overwhelming and so comes home tired and irritable.
I do understand that hearing these noises causes her distress and I wondered how other people who have such sensitive hearing are dealing with this?
Thank you for your comments Classic Codger.
It's surprising how no one has really believed me and my daughter about the sensory issues until this year.
But I have been aware of her sensitivites from when she was tiny, and done all I could to help. I even gave up knitting as I realised the noise of the needles would upset her, and she could hear the wool being pulled.
She kept leaving the house for school as late as possible and so was often late, and then I realised she was hoping to miss the noise and crowds at the start of the day, so I spoke to the school and they said they would allow her to arrive 10 minutes later when it is quieter and the other students are already in the room.
She does not have a diagnosis if she is on the spectrum yet, as we are still waiting for results, so I don't know what else the school can do.
The curtains are always shut here, and I have low voltage lights and use the little lamp in preference too, as it casts a soft golden glow rather than a harsh light.