Have We Discussed This Before?

[MomWithOCDSon]

I know many of our kids have various sensory things, but I'm wondering if there's any commonality with this:

 

My DS sometimes talks SO LOUDLY!!

 

It's not all the time, but it does seem to run in spurts, and then, somehow for some reason, it'll abate and then he speaks at normal volume. There're only the 3 of us in our household (DH, DS and me), so it's not like he's competing to be heard or for attention. And he is entirely unaware of it. For the last couple of weeks, we've been telling him things like "I'm right here . . . you don't need to shout!" and "Pipe down, for cryin' out loud!" He's baffled. We suggest he basically talk at what seems to him to be a whisper, and that'll likely be the right volume for us; he says that feels so weird to him, and he can't figure out how we could hear him at that volume.

 

Meanwhile, there's no complaint about his having trouble hearing us, even at low volumes, or his teachers or friends, so it doesn't appear to be a physical hearing problem. And if it were something like clogged ears from upper respiratory stuff or something, you'd think his voice would sound even louder to him inside his head than it does to other people, so you'd think that would encourage him to lower his voice all on his own, right? Plus, no sign of congestion.

 

Maybe he's just feeling better and enthusiastic and wants to "share"?!?! Any and all thoughts appreciated!

[smartyjones]

yes, ds does do this and yes, it seems to come in waves -- not necessarily related to times of exacerbation. sometimes, i may notice it in a restaurant or other place -- he is not so much just compensating for a loud place, he sounds like a loud drunk not realizing he's being overly loud.

 

he also sometimes does it at home and has done it some in the past week -- usually related to a time when he is excited -- perhaps a regulation issue -- ?

 

you know -- he may also do it if he has been quiety, intently working on something independently, then when he enters back to socializing, it may be overly loud

Edited January 13, 2012 by smartyjones

[P_Mom]

My younger PANDAS son is the loudest person I have ever met. We are constantly telling him to lower his voice. My older. much milder PANDAS son is the exact opposite...we can't hear him and are constantly telling him to speak up!

[PhillyPA]

This has been a problem my whole life! Loud talkin' men. You guys Italian? We are an Italian/German mix and it must be the combo for loudness. I married into it too. I guess I couldn't get enough of it growing up so I wanted it to continue. You can hear my family talking a mile away. I am constantly telling people to quiet down, lower your voice, I am standing right next to you.

 

I am not so sure this is a pandas thing but it is an annoying thing...

[bigmighty]

Yes. Your description of your situation/household is identical to what we experience. It goes in spurts where DS seems to have no cognition with respect to volume for a week or more at a time. Then it is somewhat back to normal.

[NancyD]

Have you had their central auditory processing tested? You can do that beginning at (i believe) age 7...My DD has the same issue and it's due to deficits in central auditory processing. I believe that TBI infections can cause these problems...perhaps PANDAS and other infections can too. When DD was tested the audiologist gave me a headset to let me hear what conversations sounded like to her -- particularly in large groups or with lots of ambient noise. I was amazed at how muffled everything sounded to her. Almost like she was under water. Over the years we have learned how to compensate for her auditory processing issues -- she had relatively no auditory processing in one ear and very little in the other ear. We made sure she was seated with her best ear to the teacher and the teacher had to have a headset with a speaker box installed on the ceiling. Since we have been treating DD for PANDAS/Lyme/Bartonella I have to say that her auditory processing is greatly improved. She no longer requires any of these accommodations.

[nicklemama]

Yes, and in waves. He's an only. He competes with no one.

[trggirl]

Yes, we have this too. We are constantly telling her to turn it down a notch or two. She is also an only child so no competition.

[tpotter]

Yes, and now that DS is 19, he is aware of it, particularly when we point it out. I like the comment someone made of: it sounds like a drunk who doesn't realize he's talking too loudly."

 

We all get a good laugh out of it, and when it continues, I ask DS if he's feeling well. He always responds that he's not feeling that great (beginning of sinus infection, possible allergies, etc.) He can control it, typically, though, if it is pointed out, but he frequently get racing speech with it, too. Then again, it also lets me know he had caffeine to drink, and we're trying to get him off that stuff

[bulldog24]

yes we have it too. my son is soooooo loud

[Dedee]

OMG....My daughter is SOOO loud. She is the third of 3 kids so we thought for a long time she was competing for attention. I have also had her hearing tested but it was fine. We constantly tell her to talk in a softer voice but it is something we have to reinforce almost daily.

Edited January 14, 2012 by Dedee

[MMWG]

Yes, yes, yes!!!

[MomWithOCDSon]

Wow! So maybe this is just another piece of the phenotype!

 

And no, we haven't had his auditory processing tested. But we already know that, especially during exacerbation, he displays other processing "differences," so I guess it makes sense that this could be part of that same bundle.

 

I had hoped this was something he'd grow out of sooner or later, but since it keeps resurfacing from time to time, I'm beginning to wonder! Especially since you, tpotter, say your 19-year-old still does this! Aarrgghh!

 

Oh well, there are worse things! Guess I'll just invest in some comfortable ear plugs!

[NancyD]

I definitely think this is another piece of the phenotype. As we have treated DD's PANDAS/Lyme/Bartonella/MycoP her auditory processing has gotten so much better and she does not speak as loudly as she used to. Her hearing has always been fine...it's the central auditory processing that was (hopefully temporarily) damaged.

 

Wow! So maybe this is just another piece of the phenotype!

 

And no, we haven't had his auditory processing tested. But we already know that, especially during exacerbation, he displays other processing "differences," so I guess it makes sense that this could be part of that same bundle.

 

I had hoped this was something he'd grow out of sooner or later, but since it keeps resurfacing from time to time, I'm beginning to wonder! Especially since you, tpotter, say your 19-year-old still does this! Aarrgghh!

 

Oh well, there are worse things! Guess I'll just invest in some comfortable ear plugs!

[smartyjones]

I ...it's the central auditory processing that was (hopefully temporarily) damaged.

 

i read a book last summer, i think When the Brain Can't Hear. interesting info but most interesting was the author's story -- if i remember correctly -- her career was in some realm of audiology; she then had some type of accident - perhaps car -- and seem to recover but had auditory processing issues -- i think the only way she discovered this was because she worked in the field -- otherwise no one would have known -- i think some other symptoms like irritablity that wouldn't generally be thought of to be an auditory issue.

 

the book had good information and perspectives, but not so many real answers for ds -- it was similar to when i read The Out of Sync Child -- the more i read the, more i thought this diagnosis or issue doesn't really fit ds. he has bits and pieces but not enough to say this is a big isssue for him.

 

actually, as i write that, that's how ds got diagnosed in the first place -- a behavioral therapist was ticking off 'syndromes' and 'conditions' as she observed ds. he'd seem to show symptoms of one and then would disprove it. when some things i said resonanted with OCD for her, she mentioned pandas. if that one person wasn't so savvy, i'm quite sure ds would have had an asperger label even though he doesn't really fit -- so perhaps PDD.

 

not so much for you mom b/c your son is older -- but for people with younger kids -- this is now the 2nd or 3rd time it's come up -- so there's the tap on my shoulder -- i need to read again the book, When Labels Don't Fit, that i read a few years ago that offered some good practical solutions for strategies with working with issues.