He may appear as though he does not hear the sounds around him and may not generate appropriate motor responses to auditory input (e.g. This child does not register important auditory cues in his environment. The opposite extreme is a child who is hyposensitive to sound. A child that is hypersensitive to sound may show physical signs of avoidance such as covering his ears or ducking his head.
This child may appear agitated and always ready to flee. He may startle easily or appear very distracted, focusing on every noise around him. This child may attempt to avoid and withdraw from noisy, crowded environments. A child who is hypersensitive to auditory input is overwhelmed and even frightened by the volume, pitch, and unpredictability of common environmental sounds. Two more common examples of difficulties with the auditory system are hypersensitivity and hyposensitivity to sound. For example, the phrase “line up for recess” is quite different from “line up behind Tommy for recess.” If a child misses one small part of a direction, it can change his response entirely. Some children misinterpret information they hear or miss subtle information such as a single word. Our brains help us listen, process what we hear, and understand what has been said. A fully functioning auditory system is also integral for the development of listening skills, communication, and social skills.ĭifficulties arise when the brain does not accurately interpret and respond to auditory information. Kids with healthy auditory systems have a healthy awareness of their environment, develop motor planning abilities to respond appropriately to sounds, and generate protective responses to dangerous situations. Children typically enjoy toys and play activities that appeal to the auditory system, gravitating toward toys that make noise or activities that go along with a song. They are neither distracted nor overwhelmed by common sounds and often react automatically, knowing just what to do when they hear familiar noises like the school bell or the alarm clock. Most children function in noisy environments without missing a beat. A child with a functioning auditory system is able to filter out sounds that are not important, such as a friend tapping his pencil on the neighboring desk, while tuning into sounds that are important, such as the teacher’s direction to start working on an assignment.
They are able to follow verbal directions from their teacher or parent. A Healthy Auditory SystemĬhildren with healthy auditory systems are able to respond to sounds naturally, looking when their names are called or turning their heads toward a sound. The inner ear and the sense of hearing also contributes to our vestibular system, helping us with movement and balance. In general, the cochlea translates and interprets every sound we hear (what is it?) and the vestibule helps move the sound along to the brain to integrate the sensations we receive and help process motor responses to the sound (what should I do next?).
The inner ear has two important organs that, as partners, have big jobs. What should we do next? What is going on around us? Is the sound alerting us to something dangerous or important, like a fire alarm or a honking car horn? Is the sound quiet and calming, like classical music or the whirring of a fan? When we hear a sound, it travels to our brains to be analyzed in order for us to generate a response.