Asperger’s syndrome, like many of the autistic spectrum disorders, is a life altering health condition that presents with a variety of symptoms. What may be a symptom in one Asperger’s child may not necessarily be a complication in another child with the same diagnosis. As the parent of a child who has been confirmed with Asperger’s syndrome, it is important to consider how your child’s senses are adversely affected, especially in terms of hearing and auditory response.
Auditory sensitivity is a term used to describe a unique health complication in which a patient has complications with types of sounds, or certain degrees of loudness in sound. When complications arise, the patient may have a tendency to cover the ears, hide from the sound, or even cry or develop anxiety. In children who have Asperger’s syndrome, it is not uncommon for an auditory complication to be one of the first signs that a sensory issue exists.
Occupational therapy for children with Asperger’s syndrome is almost a necessity as it works to alleviate many sensory complications that children develop. Even if auditory sensitivity is the only complication of your child’s senses, it needs to be treated in occupational therapy to ensure your child has the best coping skills for life situations as he or she enters into adulthood. Learning to manage sounds, using ear plugs, is one way in which occupational therapists work to help a child with Asperger’s syndrome overcome their sensitivity issues.
With proper occupational therapy, diagnosis, and treatment – from health professionals who specialize in autistic spectrum disorders – your child can learn to live with auditory sensitivity complications among other sensory issues that may develop. While there is no cure, at this time, for the complication in senses, it is a condition that can be overcome. The key to your child’s optimal health will lie in the ability to first identify that it is a concern by your child’s behavior when specific sounds are present.
Asperger’s syndrome, like many conditions, is a life altering health condition that plagues not only adults but also children. For many children, the diagnosis of Asperger’s syndrome does not come readily but, over time, is confirmed through sensory complications. When your child has any issues with auditory function or hearing capacity, always consider Asperger’s syndrome as possible health complication.
Sources: Parenting a Child with Asperger Syndrome, by Brenda Boyd