Fear of Noise- Please Help

Hi S.

It is only at night, or does he fear loud noises during the day as well. If both...

From a web site:
Hyperacusis is a decreased threshold to discomfort from sound. It can range from a person who is mildly uncomfortable in a restaurant setting wherein all the rest of the people at the table have no discomfort at all ... to a person who has profound discomfort from many of the sounds encountered in daily life.

Take a look at: http://tinyurl.com/6s4mp2

It might be worth asking your pediatrician.

Best,

-- M.

S.,

Fear is totally normal at this age...my son is 2 years old also, and developed a fear of the dark out of nowhere about four months ago, and we tackled it together.

I approached it by talking to my son, when he was playing and distracted, and he just let it spill. Once they start talking it just doesn't stop coming out. We came up with a solution together, as a 'team'...I use that word a lot with my little dude and he will say this is 'teamwork Mommy' and it cracks me up and melts my heart at the same time! For our dark issues we had a 'nightlight party' and put them ALL over the house, bought super cool flashlights and even a song and dance. It can be so much fun when you're working to empower your little one.

I read some of your other requests, and it looks like your son may have been effected by the move...key inducer of new fears and behavior change. New always makes for huge changes to how they feel, act, behave and all around view the world.

And, also the one about speech therapy...not that this is his issue, but if he is sensitive to ALL loud noise, you may want to get his hearing checked. Strictly speaking as an former educator and not trying to scare you at all!! In my experience, kids who had speech issues/early langauge issues usually had issues with hearing issue as well or ear canal development issue. It's just a thought...and it never hurts to get those preventative tests done to be sure.

But, I would do the talking and teamwork approach first!! Toddlers love being made to feel apart of the bigger picture and like they can solve their own problems.

Good Luck and welcome to the neighborhood!

Hi S.,
My guess would be that its the fear around the new enviroment and the loud and new noise triggers this fear. Theres an exercise you can do with him to get intouch with his senses and the environment around him and hopefully help him get more accustomed to your new home. It can be fun too. Turn off the T.V. etc and make the home very quite. Try and listen for all the sounds (birds, planes, cars, etc), when you hear a sound point it out to him and say what it is "Oh wow, did do you hear the trash truck?", "Do you hear the birdy's on the roof?" etc. For older kids they can point out the sound but I'm guessing language is a barrier for the 2yr old so I would point it out for him and identify & normalize all the sounds. Then point out louder sounds as you see fit, like the heater etc. I hope that helps.

I think maybe your son is just adjusting to a new environment. I remember when my daughter was 18 months old, and we moved. She had been sleeping through the night since she was two weeks old, but once we moved into the new house, she had a challenge sleeping through the night. It was a lot of work, but I had to help her to feel comfortable sleeping. I would give her a massage, hot bath, food, read stories...all things that would help her sleep, and when she got up in the middle of the night, I would have to take her back to her room (sometimes my own), and console her, rub her back or sit with her. it was tiring! But eventually, she got better. I hope that helps. :)

if it wasn't for the recent move i would say his ears may just be very sensitive. I took our daughter to her first movie and she started to cry, and had to leave, she said it hurt her ears. Maybe it's being in a new place and he isn't sleeping as sound and hears noises and just wakes up and get's scared. A good way to find out is take him to bed with you at night and see if the same thing happens.

Maybe if you play some music or white noise all the time it will decondition him. Make noise during the day at random times when you are near to comfort him, or maybe make the noise and don't react. He needs to be conditioned out of it since he is too young to be reasoned with. Good luck.

Hi I am H. mother of 2g and 1b my son the youngest is a very light sleeper (like me) I need "white noise" I use a fan all year everytime I go to bed just to help block out noise. So with my son I got a sound machine for his room (I use one for camping and trips for when I am away from my "fan") I use a portable one from sharper image that was about $100. But got one for Logan at Bed Bath and Beyond for 29.00 and they have cheaper ones too. I use the rain setting because I is a steady flow of sound the others tend to have different sounds that keep my mind going. Yes I know may sound weird to people who sleep through earthquakes, but it makes sense to me that wakes up to the tick of a clock. Works for us, maybe for you too. Good Luck and God Bless

Try adding a white noise machine in his room. A small (safety) fan will work. Something that creates white noise drowns out other noises, and if you leave it on all the time it won't kick on and off so it won't startle him. Another option is leave the fan running on your a/c heating unit (all night) so the blower is constantly on and he won't hear the fan kick on and off, the heater will still go on/off quietly according to thermostat. This takes more energy than a white noise machine but should help you all get some sleep.

Ditto what Deanna Leigh said.

I think for your son, it's just the normal developmental sort of "fears." And, you recently moved. This can jar their usual selves.

For me, my daughter, ever since she was a baby, she was always "noise" sensitive/sensory sensitive. Not in a "problem" sort of way where we had to get clinical help...but just as Parents, we learned that about her.

She is now 6 years old, and it has gradually lessened. BUT, since she was a baby, and yes, a toddler, and yes even now....she simply cannot tolerate "loud" noises.

As a Toddler, we once took her to a Sesame Street show... and she told us it was TOO loud and we had to leave. We suspected that that would happen, and well we were right.

To this day, my girl does not even like going to the movie theater because it is too "loud" and she does not like it.
For her, loud noises just gets her really agitated and irritated & upset to varying degrees.

As a baby & toddler, yes, loud things scared her hysterically.
In Kindergarten, my girl had a hard time with her PE Teacher, because he had a VERY loud voice...and it really would upset her and give her anxiety. With that situation, she spent time with a school counselor. And, then she was fine.

But also, as Deanna Leigh said, at the age your son is, they DO develop "fears." It is purely developmental based. Your son is not the only one. It is normal and common. So, it is probably a "phase" and will pass. But for each child, the length of the "phase" varies. It may take him time to outgrow it. Deanna Leigh gave great suggestions as how you could help your son with the heating noises. I would try it.

At various ages, they develop different "fears." But it's all normal and common. Fears of the dark, or noises, or shadows in the night, of their imagination, etc. And yes, you just moved into another home... he is probably having to adjust and having a transition change... give him time... lots of time. No pressure, no scolding, just hopefully something will help allay his fears.

I don't have a solution for you per say, but how about a space heater? Maybe that would help. Maybe those are "quieter"? Sears or Costco may have those.

All the best,
Susan