Sound Sensitivity

[Guest Guest]

Chemar and ALL

 

I realised that my son has prominent vocal tics when there is a sudden high pitched/squeaky/catchy sound while watching TV. For example, when is watching a cartoon and he invariably gets a vocal tic the moment there is a high pitched sound or a high volume sound or a sudden sound variation or a catchy/squeaky sound in the cartoon. Is it normal for kids with vocal tics or does that mean that he is sensitive to sudden changes of sounds or loud sounds.

 

Chemar, if it gives you a clue that it is due to sound sensitivity problem , is there any specific supplement to address this. Same thing, when I am telling him a bed time story or something , whenever I exclaim any word or make an obvious modulation in my voice or utter any word with a catchy tune (like for example beaaaaautiful), he tends to repeat that catchy word or comes out with a "mm" vocal tic immediately then. This I have observed consistently with him. Does this throw any clue to you or is it common. I would appreciate if you can let me know if there is any specific supplement or work around for this.

 

thanks in advance.

efgh

[Chemar]

My son reacts to both high pitched and deep bass tones.

 

I know other TS people have reported the same.

 

This could also be due to the Sensory Integration Dysfunction that so many TSers seem to also have.

 

As to specific supplements....not that I know of, although there are reports that the L-carnitine plus B6/B1/zinc are especially helpful re vocal tics.

 

My son had a course of occupational therapy that was based on Carol Stock Kranowitz's book "The Out Of Sync Child" to help with his generalised sensory integration dysfunction........we found that his "hyperreactivity" to sensory stimuli was much improved after the therapy.

[Guest Guest_efgh]

Chemar, thanks. Can you tell me more about the occupational therapy in brief. how long is the course and what is the focus on? What do they do during the therapy? Is SID different from tics and if so, should it be approached differently.

could it be that your son found improvement in that as his TS improved??

thanks a million for your patient replies.

[Chemar]

We did a six week OT course and it focussed on all five senses...sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell.

 

SID is VERY different from tics......many kids have SID but no tics and some have tics but no SID.

 

However, from my experience, it seems that many kids with neurological disorders also have SID

 

When my son had the OT, his TS was still in very severe form, and he was still on the nasty meds.

[Guest Guest_efgh]

Chemar, thanks. How did you diagnose that your child may have SID. Since the sypmtoms of SID seem to overlap with OCD, how and when could you distinguish the both?

[Guest Guest_efgh]

Chemar

 

One more clarification. Typically is there any "age of onset" for SID. Like for example ADHD becomes obvious by age 7, TS before age 18..

At what age did you diagnose SID for your son?

 

thanks.

[Chemar]

I honestly dont know about age of onset for SID.

 

My son seemed to be hypersensitive to everything from birth!! tho we got a formal SID diagnosis when he was 11

 

I dont see an overlap with OCD tho...at least not the OCD symptoms my son shows....with the SID it is more a sensitivity to sensory stimuli that is marked...certain textures, tastes, smells, and lights and sounds are just not tolerated well, whereas his OCDs fall more into the organizational and "have to do it just right" category.

 

In my son's case, these do not necessarily trigger more tics ( tho they sometimes do) but mostly he just "cant handle" the sensory input and so cuts the labels out of his clothes, wears socks inside out because the seams irritate his toes, HATES perfumes or other strong smells, etc etc

 

sometimes, in the case especially of light and sound, the hypersensitivity can trigger tics too for him.

 

I know other kids and adults who have SID and in many instances, that is the only "problem" for them.......just extremely sensitive to sensory input.

[Guest Guest_efgh]

Thanks Chemar for your detailed reply. My son too DOES NOT like tags on clothes, does not like sudden loud noises distracting him, etc. People with SID - do they just manage to live with it, is it something that has to be attended to ... Is Occupational therapy a "mandatory treatment" or do some kids outgrow this without any formal treatment?

thanks again.

[Chemar]

The occupational therapy is very helpful, but has to be done by a therapist who actually understands SID and does specific therapy to help it. The group we went to were the ones who introduced us to "The Out of Sync Child" book, and followed the guidelines suggested by it's author.

 

We continue the therapy alone now, like the skin brishing etc. and basically have adapted our lifestyle to suit the situation....

 

I dont feel OT is "mandatory" and it certainly isnt a "cure".....just helpful, especially in identifying the areas that need attention and then teaching one the skills to help them.

 

I dont think one outgrows this as my husband(who has mild TS/OCD etc) still reacts to similar sensory stimuli and so is SID himself at age 57!

[Guest Guest_efgh]

Jennifer

 

With regard to the first post of mine in this thread, did you notice this same pattern with your son too??

 

Just wondering if the pattern is similar with many kids.

 

thanks!

[Guest Keep It Real, Look at your posti]

Thanks Chemar for your detailed reply. My son too DOES NOT like tags on clothes, does not like sudden loud noises distracting him, etc. People with SID - do they just manage to live with it, is it something that has to be attended to ... Is Occupational therapy a "mandatory treatment" or do some kids outgrow this without any formal treatment?

thanks again.

careful to plant something deep, and I add totally unnecessary regarding loud noise and tags. Who cares, I am very sensetive to peopl who talk lightly, and get really frustrated when I can't hear them. My parents acted as though that was just my thorn in life and deal with your frustration and realize not everyone talks the same.

 

My recommendation: Ear Muffs make a great gift, and....... well....for petes sakes, how old is he? One should be able to remove a tag from clothing at oh lets say what age 8-10? Ill bet even really good remover by 18! Certainly don't waste your time in discouraging an individual thinking there is something wrong with not liking tags and loud noises, that's the least of the problem.

 

Get help or "Therapy" if your loved one should ever talk about not liking World Towers in New York and a sudden love for learning to fly.

 

I mean, come on, start your own business tag removing and replacing it with permanent maker that says "Quiet Please."

[Guest Guest_efgh]

What do you mean by ear muffs?

 

Can you please elaborate on what you have written. Do you feel i should ignore it or should i worry about it?

 

thanks

[Guest Mickey]

Know many students that are sound sensitive.

Also have common denominators:

earaches

picky eaters

likes sweets

light sensitive

many are OCD

"dirty ears"

language delays

learning disabilities

 

Anyone experience eating pizza and then having OCD?

No joke, doing a food diary.

Food intollerance to caesin and/or gluten (milk protein & wheat protein)

boy puts fingers in ears constantly (not noisy to others)

Just writing down some thoughts.

[Phyl]

This is from the Occupational Therapists in Watertown, Ma:

Individuals with sensory integration dysfunction are not able to effectively process information from their senses and, therefore, have difficulties with tasks such as putting on their coat. Imagine yourself in a world where something as basic as the pull of gravity or the touch of other people is perceived as unreliable, inconsistent, or threatening. You would not feel secure and safe, you might not be able to have fun, and your self-esteem might be compromised as you realized that you were not able to do things as well as your peers.

Sensory integration dysfunction can result in delays in motor skills and problems with self-regulation, attention, and behavior that can affect performance in school, at home, with peers, and during leisure and work activities.

 

 

How Do I Know if an Individual Has Sensory Integration Dysfunction?

 

An individual may need to be referred for an occupational therapy evaluation if difficulties are seen in several of these areas or if one area causes major functional problems.

 

Was unusually fussy, difficult to console, or easily startled as an infant

 

Has difficulty regulating sleep/wake cycle--settling for sleep, staying asleep, and waking without irritability

 

Is over-sensitive to stimulation--over-reacts to touch, taste, sounds, or odors

 

Strongly dislikes baths, haircuts, or nail cutting

 

Uses an inappropriate amount of force when handling objects, coloring, writing, or interacting with siblings or pets

 

Has poor muscle tone, fatigues easily, leans on people, or slumps in a chair

 

Was slow to roll over, creep, sit, stand, or walk, or to achieve other motor milestones

 

Is clumsy, falls frequently, bumps into furniture or people, and has trouble judging position of body in relation to surrounding space

 

Has difficulty learning new motor tasks; experiences frustration when attempting to follow instructions or sequence steps for an activity

 

Avoids playground activities, physical education class, and/or sports

 

Does not enjoy age-appropriate motor activities such as jumping, swinging, climbing, drawing, cutting, assembling puzzles, or writing

 

Finds it difficult to make friends with peers; prefers to play with adults or younger children