DD asking for ear defenders at school?

[pinkponie]

DD is neurotypical but doesn’t like very loud noises like fireworks- neither do I. However, lately at school she said the teachers have been offering ear defenders to children if they’re watching or doing something with loud noises and she’s been taking them when offered/ asking for them. Is this normal? My second child is younger and isn’t bothered but I know that every child is different and as I said, I don’t like fireworks either but DD seems to apparently not be able to tolerate any loud kind of loud sound at school although she’s never asked me to get some for home. For clarification, she doesn’t need them or ask for them when she’s doing her work/playing with her friends/ eating lunch etc. She’s nearly 9 for context.

In my school, ear defenders are in every classroom. Some children want them because of the novelty. Sometimes, they are having a rubbish day and want to block out the world a bit. Other children really need them for many reasons. I find it very frustrating when a child is clearly struggling in some way and their parent decides that because they are fine at home, they are clearly fine in school. If a child needs an adjustment, for whatever reason,they get it. If they are swinging the lead, we figure out the issue and deal with it. If they genuinely need them, they have them. Schools aren't, for the most part, excessively loud, but loud happens and an unhappy child will struggle to learn. I have a child in school at the moment whose mum removes the ear defenders from him at home time because "he doesn't need them" yet he walks round covering his ears with either his hands or ours. It doesn't have to be loud to be too loud. You trust schools to teach maths, trust us to teach children to regulate as well.

Sorry but I still don't really understand. The Reform MP was not merely commenting neutrally on an observation that the use of these has increased. The connotation was that there is something wrong with ear defenders being available or offered to children in classrooms.

Is there? I can't see any downside. If it's a novelty then children get bored of it once the novelty wears off and only those who actually benefit from them will continue to use them. Most people don't find the level of noise in a classroom hurts their ears or affects their concentration, but for people who do the ear defenders are helpful.

When DS1 was in y4 a dad of a child bought a set for the whole class for anyone to use, I thought it was brilliant because it took away the stigma. There are a few pairs available in DS2's classroom but I discovered yesterday he thinks he isn't allowed to ask to use them despite the fact he says they help him a lot.

I just see it as a modern convenience like we no longer expect children to use ink wells and fountain pens, it's all cartidge pens or those red handwriting pens. Sure, maybe only left-handed children need faster drying ink, but it benefits everyone to have the option.

OK, the window one was a bad example because it effects other people, unlike ear defenders.

A better analogy might be sunglasses on a bright day. Why is it OK to block out light, when it feels to much for our eyes but not OK to block out sound when it feels to much for our ears?

The linking of ear defenders with disability aids is a social construct, there's absolutely no reason non-disabled people can't wear them (I'd prioritise those who need them most, but they're cheap and easily available, so not usually an issue).

Lots of things that have been developed to help with disabilities have gone on to benefit everyone. Eg. Lifts, audiobooks, voice recognition software, electric toothbrushes. It's called the cut curb effect. Necessity breads invention, so for those able to manage without, there is ofter no incentive to look for anything better. However once a solution has been found for those who weren't managing, the potential benefits for everyone can be seen.

In this case the DD doesn't 'need' the ear defenders, but has found she is more comfortable and able to concentrate with them, so why denie her that benefit just because disabled people also benefit from the same thing?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgkjvr7x5x6o

They can affect hearing negatively. That's why.

I'm surprised that the classroom environment is loud enough to upset child with no (suspected) sensory difficulties.

The children I know that use them tend to use them when there are other noises that cut through the baseline background noise e.g. shrieking when running around playing games.

Some classrooms can be harder environments for sound balance e.g. science labs have no soft surfaces to absorb noise compared to carpeted classroms.

I use earplugs when going out to venues where there's loud background noise that forces people to yell in each others faces to have a conversation.

You do understand that ear defenders and noise cancelling headphones are different things right?

Do you also understand the difference between an audiologist suggest research be done and an actual proven link?

And that there's a difference between occasional use and 5 hours a day?

And that people with undiagnosed Auditory processing disorder are much more likely to use head phones, leading to correlation not causation.