Noisy Kids

“Knock-it-off, are the only words I’ve heard from him this past week,” said Donna.

Donna and Fred’s grandkids are down for the summer. She called asking for help, since Fred was complaining that the kids are too loud. His irritation was causing tension and putting a damper on the summer vacation.

To make certain we got this one right, we asked him to bring in one of the grandkids.

When sounds are not commonly heard, the brain will pay extra attention to ensure you are aware of this new noise. It is a primitive mental response to keep us safe. This same effect is when you stay in a hotel and new sounds keep you from sleeping well. Your brain is not sure what to do with the new noise and wants you to decide if the sound is important.

When kids are out of the house, our brains adapt to the quieter environment. Then grandkids visit, bringing noise into what was a quiet home. These unfamiliar sounds get attention from our brain, and this constant attention is a bit exhausting, which can result in grumpy people.

Depending on the length of their visit, you may just need to accept the sound and focus on relaxing. For others however, the best fix is a program adjusted for the kids.

If you wear hearing aids and notice you are getting tired and irritable with kids in the house, you can have one program to reduce these sounds. Even though they may be here temporarily, a program set to allow you comfort and confidence around them can ease everyone’s experience.

Donna and Fred brought in their granddaughter to ensure we got a program that would soften the sounds. We set up the program then they went to lunch with the whole family and called after lunch to let us know it went well, Fred was relaxed and engaged.

If you struggled when around younger people, it is time to have a checkup for your hearing. Call my office, 941-244-9300, with any questions about program settings.