What is Auditory Sensitivity and Defensiveness?
Episode description
Join Aniesa as she discusses auditory sensitivity and auditory defensiveness. Discover how sounds can affect children and adults, how sensory systems are designed to protect us and the fight, flight or freeze mechanism.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Auditory sensitivity affects children and adults who struggle with being sensitive to certain sounds, loud or unexpected noises and sounds that are at specific pitches or those that might startle them.
- You may notice signs of auditory sensitivity if children are covering their ears or prefer not to go to places with crowds as the sound of them can be very dysregulating and cause sensitivity.
- Your auditory system has a very close link to how much attention you're paying to the sounds and some people’s systems they are much more sensitive than others. Any sensory system is designed to keep us safe and trigger an automatic response that we call fight, flight or freeze.
- Your brain processes sound differently in adults and in children and often you can have an auditory overload if there is too much going on at once.
BEST MOMENTS
“Often kids will be able to focus when there is a constant and consistent underlying sound like ambient noise.”
“Loud noises and certain pitches can distract and cause stress.”
“Fight, flight or freeze occurs when we experience anxiety and when you react or respond when you are more stressed to sounds.”
CONTACT METHOD
www.instagram.com/aniesabblore/
www.instagram.com/sensationalkidstherapyuk/
www.facebook.com/sensationalkidslondon
ABOUT THE HOST
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on paediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of paediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents.
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