3yo dd and quirks about smells (hard to put title on, sorry)

[rhetorician]

just curious; dd1 (3) I think qualifies as a sensitive child - has trouble with loud noises (mowers, cutters, hand driers etc), but is also very sensitive and acute about smell (e.g. will identify smells very precisely). I've noticed that she uses the idea that something smells bad associated with something that scares or upsets her. So if I am nagging her, she might say 'I smell a horrible thing', or Cruella deVille is 'that smelly lady' - I don't think it's a simple 'you smell' type insult. Anyone had this?

Have you heard of synaesthesia?

People who have synaesthesia experience a crossover between senses. They might hear a colour or taste a sound. Maybe your DD is smelling emotions in a similar way.

Try Googling it and see if it rings bells for you.

yes, I have - but wondered if it was common enough at this stage, e.g. before pathways become fixed. If so, it's very mild, at least in this manifestation

There is a book available called "the highly sensiitve child" that gets lots of recomendations on here.

I have a Dd who is extremely sensitive but she also has ASD so is tricky to handle too.

She remembers smells of things that have upset her, ie we had a broken freezer once when we came back from holiday and the next time we went away she had a major panic attack on the way home because she was worried she would smell the smell again.

She really struggles with public toilets too due to the smell and the noise of the handdryers, it just freaks her out.

It was hard when she was 3 but it does get easier as they get older and you learn what upsets them and you can either avoid it or gently get them used to it.

Good luck

I have two girls with AS and they both have elements of synaesthesia. I didn't find out until they were quite a lot older than your DD, not because they didn't experience it at her age but because they didn't realise that everyone else wasn't the same.

They are both also acutely aware of smells. DD2 makes snap judgements about people based on their smell. She can't bear to be near some of her teachers and peers which makes life interesting. We have similar issues with public toilets.

all very interesting - it is a fascinating condition. I've seen the connections with ASD, but I am pretty sure DD is not on the spectrum, certainly at this age she has no obvious markers. She is sensitive and a bit odd, but social (if very shy), affectionate, able to cope with changes in routine etc.

Sorry rhet... I wasnt suggesting that your Dd has asd and i am sure timandra wasnt either, just that my Dd is similar with smells etc.

Just in case you ever do have any other concerns about your Dd , asd presents itself very differently in girls and can easily be missed by proffs. Girls are often more social than boys and are usually better at leaning how to behave in certain situations. They also comkonlt learn how to mask their difficulties when away from their families, so that often only people very close to them see the real them.

Good luck

Comkonlt?? Should have said commonly, stupid phone

I am so sorry!

I wasn't implying your DD has ASD either. There are plenty of people who have Synaesthesia and don't have ASD

that's OK - I hope I didn't sound touchy about it...it's just something I've noticed about her.

It's fine. You were perfectly civil.

I don't know about Ineedalife but I just sometimes forget that I can worry people when I bring up my girls. I do it in conversation sometimes, saying "Oh yes my DD2 does that" without realising people will think I'm saying their child has Autism too.

Lots of children can have traits similar to Autism without it having a major impact on their lives and I expect your DD is one of these. My girls wouldn't have been diagnosed if they were home educated. They have only really had major problem in school and for DD1 that wasn't until she started High School.

All three of mine hate handdriers in public loos.

And at least two have a very acute sense of smell. E.g can smell very particulars flavours.

But none of them are particularly sensitive. It seemed to peak around 3.

I agree timandra, I find myself thinking I have worried people or assumed that their child has ASD too. Fortunately not too many people in RL know about my Dd3's dx.

DD3 does have ASD and yes it does affect her life [and ours] in a big way but primarily she is a 9 year old girl and when I compare her to other little girls I have not always got my ASD hat on.

On the other hand, many girls get missed and have an awful time going through the system sometimes ending up with incorrect MH diagnosis's instead of the underlying ASD being picked up. So I share my knowledge about ASD in girls in the hope that another lovely little girl doesn't have to go through that.

Good luck to all those with sensitive little souls and I am sure they are lovely

My dd is 2.9 and her favourite saying is Mmmm smell good smell good!!! Or Pooey funny smell! She has a veryyyyyy sensitive snout!!! She smells every flower we pass, every book she picks up, every food she eats. If it doesn't smell right she won't eat/touch it.

She doesn't like toilets/handryers either.
Some of my close friends/family she has detested since birth and physically turns away refusing eye contact or any contact at all when they approach, I've always wondered if its their smell!