Why do children with Autism and SPD cover their ears?

Young people with autism and/or sensory processing disorders or sensitivities are often more likely to suffer discomfort from certain sounds and sensations. This can also sometimes be referred to as hypersensitive to sound, auditory processing disorder or hyperacusis

Most of us can sit in a crowded café, full of chatter, babies crying, chairs scraping, coffee machines and yet we can regulate where we put our attention and choose to hear our friend in front of us in conversation. It’s hard to imagine how it would be if all the sounds were hitting us at the same time and at an unbearable level, because its something we don’t ever need to consciously think about.

Reasons for covering their ears?

Parents often notice that their children are covering their ears, both at times when noise is obviously present, but also sometimes when there does not seem to be noise. A child with autism or SPD may be hearing sounds at a frequency that don’t even register in a standard hearing range. They may cover their ears to simply block out a sound that is too loud, or that is pervasive or invasive. For example, some may find unpredictable sounds stressful. If there is a drip that isn’t regular, we might notice it, but possibly not the gaps between drips, but for a person with sensitive hearing it could be very uncomfortable, and the anxiety caused by the differing times between drips could make it unbearable. Ear covering can result from overwhelm caused by other sensory inputs such as touch or smell that create an overwhelming sensory environment. This can often lead to a subsequent meltdown, and covering ears can be an indication of this tension building. The silence created by closing off the ears may also simply be comforting or self-soothing.

How do I know why they are covering their ears?

You can only recognise that your child is being challenged and see if you can support and accompany them through it. Concentrate on staying calm yourself and being as aware as you can of what is happening for your child when they are in auditory overload. Wait until they have settled and see if they are able to tell you what happened – this may help you to see if you can find solutions together. If non-verbal you can only assess their body language and what you saw happening before, during and after, look for patterns. My son would suddenly cover his ears and go into meltdown when we were in the conservatory. We were not able to see why. We set up a video camera in the corner of the room to see what we missed by playing it back later. It turned out that he was reacting to the distant sound of planes going over the house, but not until a few minutes after. We had already processed the noise and forgotten it, but for him it was delayed. You may need to be inventive to work out what the triggers are.

One of the most common triggers we hear about are the hand dryers in public toilets. It makes life difficult for parents of sensory kids when their children are too frightened to use public spaces like these. Also, announcements on public transport services, as well as the noise from being in a small space with lots of people listening to different music, talking on phones or to each other cause challenges.

If children are regularly covering their ears in a way that seems ritual, or not related to sound, it could be that the movement has become a comforting or regulating one, this is referred to as stimming.

Some young people have Synesthesia which is a neurological difference where senses cross over. So, for example, they might hear sound when they look at colours. When they are young, they are unlikely to understand that not everyone’s experience is like theirs so whatever they are experiencing is going to be incredibly difficult for them to communicate even if they have verbal skills.

Potential solutions and way to help your child if they cover their ears

You may need to create a safe quiet space or place within the home or learning environment – There are cheap and innovative ways to soundproof small areas you can find online. You will be looking to create a space with not too much clutter, a calming neutral colour, a comfortable place to rest, and low or adjustable lighting.

Books, Social stories and visual aids may help with signposting what a young person can do to help themselves when sounds around them get too big or overwhelming.

An Occupational Therapist can assist you to analyse your child’s sound sensitivity. They can design strategies around your child that consider the external environment as well as the internal experience of the young person.

Some earphones and ear defenders will block out all sounds, these are usually referred to as ear defenders or noise-cancelling. Some earphones or ear plugs will work to reduce or muffle sounds so that you can still hear what is going on but at a lower level. These are often marketed for music festivals or other loud events where you might want to be able to hear what is going on but at a lower level.

At times when your child is regulated and happy, allow them to experiment with sound in a way they can control. Try different types of music, some cannot stand the unpredictability of jazz, but might love the traditional 4/4 beat of rock music, or the sweeping emotional sensations created by classical music.

Look for shopping centers that have quiet areas, or cinemas that have sensory friendly shows where the lights are kept on low and constant, and with sound at a lower level.

As with everything sensory, the experience is completely unique to the individual, so there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution. Patience, observation, keeping notes and diaries to see longer term patterns helps. Although my son is nonverbal, I would often wait until he was settled and maybe say things like ‘I am wondering what is happening for you when you cover your ears and if I can help you. If you are able to show me what is making your ears hurt, I will try and fix it for you’ or things along those lines. He would often look at me briefly when I said it and I am certain it helped him know I was on his team and trying to make things better, even when he had no way to tell me.