A Solution for Sound Sensitivity

While individuals diagnosed with autism and other sensory disorders can have a broad spectrum of symptoms, there is one symptom that seems to be more universal than others: sensitivity to noise.

For those of us that aren’t as sensitive to noise, it may not be obvious, but parks, playgrounds, restaurants, shopping malls, busy city streets, airports, birthday parties, movie theaters, school cafeterias (the list goes on), can all feel painfully loud for individuals with autism and other sensory disorders.

While you can try to limit your child’s exposure to loud environments, it’s almost impossible to avoid them.

Over-ear earmuffs and foam earplugs are sometimes the standard solutions for making kiddos that are sensitive to sound more comfortable in loud environments.

However, these solutions don’t always allow sound-sensitive kids to seamlessly blend in with their environment. While they do block out the loud noises, these methods also make it impossible for individuals to hear anything at all, which can be a safety concern and can inhibit social interaction.

That’s where Vibes Hi-Fidelity Earplugs come in. Although they were originally designed for concertgoers, Vibes have become a popular tool in the autism and sensory disorder community to help reduce discomfort resulting from loud sound, without inhibiting the ability to hear clearly.

Vibes are reusable earplugs designed to reduce the noise of the outside world, while still allowing you to hear everything around you clearly.

Unlike bright, bulky earmuffs, Vibes have a clear, low-profile design, which helps people be discreet about using hearing protection, which gets more and more important as kids get older.

The video below tells the story of Noah, a child on the spectrum who is extremely sensitive to sound. When things got loud, Noah was always very uncomfortable, and often had to leave the area.

When Noah’s dad, Dan, got him a pair of Vibes, Noah was able to sit through an entire play without any outbursts or signs of discomfort.

Noah loves to go to the arcade with his dad, but they usually had to go early in the day when it’s fairly empty and quiet, but with Vibes, Noah is now able to be comfortable in the arcade when it’s loud and filled with other kids.

Thanks to Vibes keeping his ears comfortable, Noah’s family has now been able to take a cruise, something they’d always wanted to do, but were never able to do, due to Noah’s sensitivity to sound.

Another parent reported that her teenaged daughter, who is on the autism spectrum, wanted to go to her school’s prom, but was worried about the loud music hurting her ears.

She had earmuffs, but didn’t want to be seen wearing them at the dance. She had decided against going, but after their family discovered Vibes, she was able to step outside her comfort zone and go to prom, since Vibes allowed her to hear the music at a more comfortable volume, and no one could tell she was wearing them.

Vibes have helped thousands of sound-sensitive children and adults on the spectrum be comfortable doing things like attending birthday parties, going to sporting events, taking music classes, eating at loud restaurants, using public transportation, going to the movies, and more!

If you know someone that could benefit from being able to turn down the volume on their world, you can use promo code FCV to get 15% off + free shipping when you order Vibes Hi-Fidelity Earplugs at www.discovervibes.com.

You can also purchase cords that clip onto the ends of the earplugs, which allow them to be hung around the neck, on Amazon.

Click here to learn more about Vibes.

Vibes is an official Business Supporter of the Autism Society of America, and each pair of earplugs includes a donation to Hear the World Foundation, which provides hearing healthcare and hearing aids to children in need.

Interested in writing for Finding Cooper’s Voice? LEARN MORE

Finding Cooper’s Voice is a safe, humorous, caring and honest place where you can celebrate the unique challenges of parenting a special needs child. Because you’re never alone in the struggles you face. And once you find your people, your allies, your village….all the challenges and struggles will seem just a little bit easier. Welcome to our journey. You can also follow us on Facebook, subscribe for exclusive videos, and subscribe to our newsletter.