Diagram to clarify that "Auditory Sensitivity" isn't just 1 thing.
The left 2 boxes are (anecdotally) very common in a lot of autistic people. Right boxes: Hyperacusis is likely prevalent in 50-60% of autistic adults & I'm not sure about misophonia prevalence, could be similar.
cont. alt text: Unrelated to volume. Only bothered by other people who perform the sound, not when they make the sound. People chewing, People slurping, Pens clicking, People breathing, People lip smacking, People clearing throats, People typing on a keyboard. 1/2
Top right grey box: Hyperacusis. Physical eardrum pain/discomfort/too loud. Related to volume, complexity, and pitch of sound. Vacuums, Hair dryers, Toilets flushing, Talking loudly, Buses stopping, Dishes clinking, Doors slamming, People coughing. 2/2
Something for non-autistic people to remember:
A lot of these auditory conditions change based on stress. It's not a constant thing. With more stress & especially with other sensory sensitivities, it can be worse or better.
The only constant threshold for me is my hyperacusis.
On any one day, depending on my tiredness/stress levels/sensory environment/other sensory sensitivities,
the reduced habituation I experience and/or the reduced auditory filtering I experience can be much worse.
Just because it's not consistent doesn't mean it isn't real.
Some days I may be able to go to a restaurant with my headphones and be mostly fine,
and other days I just have to decide I cannot because my auditory processing will be overwhelming, and trying to filter out other people's voices, air conditioning, kitchen, will be exhausting.
And just to clarify,
although Hyperacusis and Misophonia are both diagnoses,
the 2 boxes on the left really are autism specific and don't have specific consistent terms in research.
And even misophonia and hyperacusis is lumped in as "auditory sensitivity" in autism research.
One condition that I did not put on the diagram which should be on it is called Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD),
and this can also be worse with stress. Basically although you can "hear" fine, it is hard to understand & make meaning out of other people's speech.
Autistic people can have all 5 of these conditions!
It's not uncommon for autistic people to have anywhere from 2-5 of these auditory conditions, and a lot of them can overlap as well in terms of sounds that are an issue.
I definitely have 3 out of 5 (no misophonia or CAPD).
Related thread (ear protection list in the thread too),
"the autistic participants with high levels of sensory responsivity had higher heart rates following the unpleasant stimuli than the controls or other autistic participants did."
I can't believe they said this:
"They exposed all the participants to mildly unpleasant sensations"
Sorry, if they think (per the article) that the autistic kid is going into FIGHT-OR-FLIGHT MODE after touching them with a cloth or playing white noise (most painful for me) stimuli to them,
it's not "mildly unpleasant."
Autistic children shouldn't have to do this to prove pain
And we wonder how autism research is lacking ethics.
This is the "mild" version -
Putting autistic children in an MRI and playing stimuli to them to literally show that it causes anxiety, overwhelm (and very likely pain!) to autistic children.
Your Child Will Not Tell You That Loud Sounds Hurt Them if They Do.
If your kid is upset and/or cover their ears when:
toilet flushes, hair dryers going, vacuuming, lawnmowers, buses stopping, shouting,
They probably have hyperacusis and loud sounds are painful!
1/8
Kids aren't going to say "that sound hurts my ears" because it's the equivalent of an NT telling another NT that "the sky is blue."
It is assumed that everyone's brains work the same. We grow up with this assumption. It is hard to know how to describe it when it's different.
2/8
And from a very young age everyone else Seems Fine with it and there is pressure to Be Okay so the only way I had was "that's too loud" and I got told "No" and when you get told "No" enough,
you know that people aren't going to care, so you stop saying it.
3/8
It's the stares when you wear headphones. It's the looks of your peers, it's the quiet exclusion of parties or group acceptance. It's wondering if other people actually want to be your friend or they're too nice & don't know how to tell you. 2/8
It's parents putting so much effort into trying to set up play dates because they see their autistic kid alone. It's the judgement of being able to happily exist alone reading a book. It's teachers telling you to look at the class more or make more eye contact. 3/8
Reminder that it's nearly impossible to search for information about why ABA is bad and find #ActuallyAutistic sources.
What happens when I google (in incognito mode) "Why ABA therapy is harmful" -
The answer to "Is ABA therapy good for autism?" on the web browser:
"ABA is a type of therapy that can improve social, communication, and learning skills through reinforcement strategies. Many experts consider ABA to be the gold-standard treatment for children with autism."
The site in the first question-
No mention of asking the child:
"Goals should be established between the parent and the professional. Any goals your ABA therapist wants to work on with your child should be explained & communicated to you up front."
This is a thread on my (very recent) experience about “delayed emotional processing,” or more accurately:
Forcing yourself to look okay even though you are not because you cannot communicate the complexity of the situation to other people,
1/25
[CW dentist]
and it would not be “appropriate” to break down in front of those same people.
CW dentist
I went to the dentist today, a place that actually has good, supportive staff and has generally been very accommodating and kind. I even got a room on the first floor
2/25
because I told them about my ankle injury. No issues there.
And it’s important to note that sometimes there isn’t any one person at fault, but is simply how us autistic people are required to navigate the world. When I went in, I had to tell the receptionist
You know this "behavioral therapy," that
Teachers
Therapists
Doctors
all endorse for autistic kids?
It teaches autistic kids to hide sensory pain, and increases the likelihood of PTSD and suicidality in autistic people.
Yea, it's surprising. But it's also true. #SayNoToABA
"After repeated cycles in the classroom, the Autistic child begins to develop PTSD because the neurotypical BCBA is focused on the function of behavior and the compliance of the child, and not what the child is communicating with their behavior."-Amy Grant therapistndc.org/aba-therapy-an…