I want to share something personal with ones who dont know. I have Central Auditory Processing Disorder and am sensitive to certain noise. My family always said my ears are sensitive. I read lips and push the phone hard to my head to understand at times. I am not ignorant, nor slow. I also have an ear for music and quickly learn melodies but have trouble singing with instruments and do better acapella. I have pain with certain pitches, and along with CAPD, I have trouble with too much information going into my ears at once. Please, take the time to read this info. I know Jesus took his stripes for my healing and hope for it, trusting him. But I hope people understand why I talk too loudly and avoid certain places or situations. This info is not so much about CAPD but sensitivity to noise. Recognize the onset of overload. Overload can show up in different ways for different people. They may look like they are having a panic attack, getting hyper, shutting down, or having a tantrum. If you know theyre disabled, it may be safer to assume overload as opposed to willful misbehavior or anxiety. Reduce the noise level. turn off any music, and ask people to give the person some space. Offer to guide them to somewhere more quiet. Give them time to process your question and respond, because overload tends to slow their processing. Sometimes tight bear hugs can help people feel better, because it applies deep pressure. Offer to give them a tight hug, but dont take it personally if they decline. Dont talk more than necessary. Ask them questions if you need to in order to help them, but dont try to say something reassuring or get them talking about something else. Speech is sensory input, and can worsen overload. Dont overreact to aggression. In rare cases, overloaded people become physically or verbally aggressive. Dont take it personally, because their fight-or-flight response has been activated and they arent thinking clearly. Afterwards, they will often be tired and more susceptible to overload for a while. It can take hours or days to fully recover from an episode of sensory overload. If you can, try to reduce stress occurring later on as well. Alone time is the best way to recover. Listen to the person. They know themselves and their overload. If they can tell you what they need to calm down, pay attention. Individual people have individual strategies. If their attempt to calm down involves behavior that looks bizarre, such as rocking or flapping hands, dont interfere. Sometimes well-meaning people, trying to help a person with autism or sensory processing disorder fit in, will accidentally discourage a useful coping mechanism. Sensory overload does not necessarily involve any emotion. Although they may seem to be panicking or upset, you can be in extreme sensory overload without feeling any negative emotions. Its more of a cognitive state than an emotional one. Prevention is the best solution. If you are in regular contact with the person, learn what tends to overload them and avoid it. If its unavoidable, warn them in advance, and discuss strategies for how to manage overload if it occurs.
Posted on: Thu, 13 Nov 2014 03:50:58 +0000