Some autistic people react differently to sensations because they process information differently than allistic (non-autistic) people. Sensory sensitivities can make sensory input feel overwhelming. You may be unable to filter out irrelevant noises, becoming uncomfortable and distracted.
Someone with autism may process information from their senses differently. He may be unable to filter out irrelevant noises or sights, such as, in the previous example, the microwave or flickering light. Or he may find certain sounds, lights, or textures to be severely distracting or uncomfortable.
Being over-sensitive to noise or light can cause problems in everyday life for children with autism. Parents and peers must be cautious to avoid making too much noise around a child with autism but this always isn't possible.
Our 12-year-old son has autism, mild intellectual disability and anxiety attacks so severe that we end up in the emergency room. Loud noises are the worst – for example the school fire alarm, thunderstorms, a balloon popping, fireworks.
One of the common symptoms of autism is hypersensitivity to sensory input, including sound. Individuals with autism may experience sound sensitivity, also known as hyperacusis, which can cause discomfort, anxiety, and even physical pain.
Many autistic people experience hypersensitivity to bright lights or certain light wavelengths (e.g., LED or fluorescent lights). Certain sounds, smells, textures and tastes can also be overwhelming. This can result in sensory avoidance – trying to get away from stimuli that most people can easily tune out.
Children with autism may experience intense anxiety as a result of issues with emotional flexibility. For example, a change in routine or environment may trigger episodes of anxiety. Social anxiety, or the fear of new people and social situations.
The popular image of a person with autism is a quiet, isolated individual who prefers solitude to social interaction. This is often true, but by no means always the case. While autistic people, by definition, have challenges with social communication, many enjoy social interaction, group activities, and friendships.
Pink noise and brown noise
Pink noise has some of the higher-pitched tones removed. Brown noise is more of a deep rumbly sound and is my personal favourite to listen to as I fall asleep. White, pink or brown noise may not only block out household noise but can help your child to relax and fall asleep.
Some autistic people can experience difficulties making themselves understood, understanding what's being said to them, and understanding facial expressions and body language. This can cause considerable frustration and anxiety which may result in anger or distressed behaviour.
Likewise, a child with autism may not speak, look at other people or play with their peers. Both shy children and those with autism may appear quieter and more reserved than other children, and may find it harder to make friends.
Children with autism are often clumsy, physically awkward or uncoordinated.
The seven senses are sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste, balance (vestibular) and body awareness (proprioception). In individuals with autism, the brain sometimes processes sensory information differently to those without ASD.
Many people with high-functioning autism have unusually intense emotional reactions when compared to their peers. For example, a frustrating experience like spilling coffee on their shirt or taking the wrong turn on the way to work can cause irritability and difficulty concentrating for the rest of their day.
Autistic people may: find it hard to communicate and interact with other people. find it hard to understand how other people think or feel. find things like bright lights or loud noises overwhelming, stressful or uncomfortable.
Autism in young children
avoiding eye contact. not smiling when you smile at them. getting very upset if they do not like a certain taste, smell or sound. repetitive movements, such as flapping their hands, flicking their fingers or rocking their body.
Hyperacusis (say it with me: HY-per-uh-CUE-sis), is an increased sensitivity to sound that is commonly found among people with autism. This means that certain noises, such as classroom bells, the radio or the TV, may be uncomfortable for your child to hear.
If your child does wake up, the sound might be soothing to them and help them to fall back asleep. White noise doesn't work for everyone, but it's definitely worth trying! Unfortunately, it's common for children with autism to have difficulties communicating how they feel and what they need.
Some researchers claim that white noise can lead to children developing auditory processing disorders. This is because the brain quickly adapts to the sound and stops acknowledging it as something worth listening to. The long term effects of this can lead to issues with learning, speech and language.
Many autistic people enjoy spending time alone and consider it important for their wellbeing.
Level 1 is the mildest, or “highest functioning” form of autism, which includes those who would have previously been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. Individuals with ASD level 1 may have difficulty understanding social cues and may struggle to form and maintain personal relationships.
While many people with autism may appear to lack empathy and sympathy, it is not the case for all people with autism. For those who struggle with displaying appropriate empathetic responses, the reasons may relate more to social communication issues than a lack of underlying emotional response.
Many autistic people have intense and highly-focused interests, often from a fairly young age. These can change over time or be lifelong. It can be art, music, gardening, animals, postcodes or numbers. For many younger children it's Thomas the Tank Engine, dinosaurs or particular cartoon characters.
Phobias – or unusual fears – have been a feature of autism. Some kids are scared of loud noises, while other kids fear other seemingly every-day, “shouldn't-be-scary” things, like running water, swings, or vacuum cleaners.
The most common unusual fears in three or more children with were toilets, elevators, vacuum cleaners, thunderstorms, heights, and visual media (characters in or segments of movies, television shows, commercials, or computer games).