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My kid (17 months) is afraid of our vacuum and food processor and power drill. Any tips on how we can get him to stop being afraid?
:p> mbachur <d:
Some kids are just afraid of the noise. You might try to desensitize by using a sound machine at the lowest volume and then raising the volume as he gets used to it.
Why is your kid playing with a power drill?
I knew that but I thought I’d make a joke.
Oh haha! By the way if you do it often enough he will get used to it.
He could have sensory issues. Is he a picky eater? Does he refuse to wear certain things like socks with seams or mittens? I was shocked to learn all these things can be related.
BS”D
I’ve been using power drills since before bar mitzvah and I still cannot stand the noise and just about shudder when someone else uses one. I think it is just natural – even the fastest, smoothest working cordless emits a horrendous noise.
Ditto for vacuums – if I have to work in my home office when she comes, my cleaning lady gets a break from vacuuming because I leave the home so as not to hear the vacuum.
Go to the library or try to find someone (a PT or OT) you can borrow “The Out Of Sync Child” from. It could really make a difference for him…
yeah wanderingchana i was just gonna ask you if you were an OT! you sound like my mother whose an OT we know all about that stuff! 😉
>O<613
I’ve had kids who were afraid of the noise and kids who would davka come close for a better listen. The ones that were afraid eventually outgrew it and do not have sensory issues. I don’t think it’s anything out of the ordinary.
yeah that is true! Loud noises can just be scary for kids! seems pretty normal!!!!
>O<613
Some kids just don’t like loud noises. Don’t start giving your kid labels! It’s ridiculous how over-analyzed everyone is these days! If all these disorders had been around when we were kids, nobody would’ve been undiagnosed – you don’t like the sound of nails on the chalkboard? Sensory issues! You fidget in class? Get out the Ritalin! You play a prank on the teacher? ODD!
Come on people, chill out a little. I’ve been in special ed for many years and of course I understand labeling when necessary, but this is just silly.
give the kid the chance to touch the machine,or let him open the on button from it if possible, if it’s a dangerous machine, then let the other spouse hold the child when the sound of the thing is being heard. this is how they get used to it.theese little munchkins. my child, i wanted him to sleep through the night,so, i used to shut the ringer of the phone,that it shouldn’t ring,and make any noise,it was the biggest mistake done. let’s not mention all the other noise that stopped when it was sleeping……we learn from our mistakes. noise is not dangerous,it’s in fact heathly.
Put on music and pretend the machine’s “singing”.
chill!
observatteen u had me laffing
LAer, I wish someone had given me “The Out of Sync Child” when my son was 17 months instead of years later. I can’t speak for anyone else’s experience – I can only speak for my own. Sorry I didn’t make that clear.
wanderingchana, I get that. I would worry if my kid was overly sensitive to seams in clothing too (although I still don’t like tags in some of my clothes), but I’d venture to say that there are probably more kids who are afraid of loud noises than not. Same goes for picky eaters. Anything in extreme is not good, but [normal] picky eating and fear of loud noises is par for the course with such little kids. No need to overreact. If your kid gets freaked out by a truck driving down the street, won’t eat anything except Cream of Wheat and jarred bananas, AND won’t wear socks with seams, THEN I’d be concerned.
LAer – just as I wouldn’t diagnose a kid without seeing him, I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss it without seeing him. I hate to tell you how many kids missed out on early intervention because their pediatrician told the parents to chill out. BUT – I do agree that only those in need should get the therapy. (I don’t do labels, I just do therapy)
mbachur – if the mods want to they can send you my email and I would be happy to let you know (after asking a hundred questions) if your kid is normal and hates noise, or is normal and may have some sensory sensitivities. Or find a good OT who can ask the right questions and give good answers. A professional who tells you “not to worry about it” without bothering to hear the whole picture isn’t the right person to ask. My rule of thumb has always been that no matter how mild or severe sensory issues are, the real question is ‘how much or little is it interfering with your/your child’s day?’
In general, if you watch different kids/people listening to loud noises you will see that there are huge differences between those who ‘don’t like’ noises, those who ‘can’t stand’ noises and those who ‘cannot tolerate’ noises. In those cases a picture is really worth a thousand words.
I had a friend tell me that her daughter didn’t like ‘things’ in her soup. I told her that lots of kids don’t. It wasn’t until many conversations later that she told me that by ‘not liking’ it she meant that her daughter would make her mother make soup in a separate pot and wash the ladle before using it to serve her her soup. Most stories are worth looking into before dismissing.
It could be sensory issues, he may be hypersensitive to sound, or he may simply (like so many of us) not like loud noises. the vacuum often frightens people’s pets, and a power drill is an annoying whine. He will outgrow this fear eventually. there is nor eason for a 17 month old to be exposed to SOME of these noises. Loud continuous noise can damage hearing, by the way.
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