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SN children

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Original poster

Dd is so sensitive to smells

22 replies

Blossomhill · 22/09/2005 21:26

Sitting at the dinner table and I have a huge bunch of lilies in the middle. Dd was like mum move them, I don't like that smell.

She really cannot tolerate any smells. Is this another sensory problem do you think?

OP posts:

Rhubarb · 22/09/2005 21:32

Just bumping this for you.

MrsSpoon · 22/09/2005 21:37

I don't know the answer BH but will be watching this thread with interest as my DS1 who I periodically worry about goes through spells when he is really sensitive to smell and will go on and on about a smell once he has picked up on it.

coppertop · 22/09/2005 21:43

Dh has a very sensitive sense of smell, and so does ds1. Ds2 has recently started saying "too noisy!" whenever there are cooking smells. His language is limited so I'm wondering if it's his way of saying the smells are too much for him. I always get a hypersensitive sense of smell when I'm pg and it really is awful. I could make a great living as a tracker dog atm.

It's a difficult one to avoid tbh as you can't really control whether people use scented soap, aftershave, perfume, fabric softeners etc. At home I usually go for the less smelly versions of household products if possible. I try not to use too much airfreshener either.

Another option (although I haven't tried this myself) is to put a scent/fragrance that dd likes onto a handkerchief so that she can smell that instead when surrounded by overpowering smells.

MrsForgetMeNotFul · 22/09/2005 22:26

kids with ASD are often very sensitive to smells...leigh will not eat anything without smelling it first- and then only eats it if it smells 'right'

also as a tot he would notice for example if i was getting a plaster out of the 1st aid box- even in another room- as he would 'smell' it.

he also hates the 'car' smell.... so i have 'over-the-top' airfreshners in the car - as amazingly if i by the purple liguid gel ambipur'glass block' type...he is NEVR travel sick.... and as the smell wears off..he starts to complain of tummy aches etc.

also alex and leigh often discuss 'their ' own smells..the smell of their pillows etc....

so yes...i believe the smell thing is to do with your DD's SPLD...as it is part of the ASD....

so don't worry..... it's another 'tick' on the list....but as a 'serial sniffer' myself....yep...I smell everything...touch everything......i can honestly say she will get better at stating her disgust.... as i'm sure what bothers you is her comments heard by the 'wrong' person...would not be understood in the same way WE understand!

Original poster

Blossomhill · 22/09/2005 22:28

I know it's part of asd Mrsf but noone else will agree with me and it's so frustrating (different story). I just think it makes it so much easier for us to see it in that context iykwim

She does tick lots of boxes and has lots of sensory problems.

Did you see my thread on meds?

How are you all? xxx

OP posts:

macwoozy · 22/09/2005 22:36

My ds is very sensitive to smells too, in fact he's becoming more sensitive the older he's getting. A trip to the hospital last week turned into a bit of an ordeal because he couldn't tolerate the hospital smells. I can't even put on deodrant or use hairspray in the same room as him, and going into certain shops can cause him to get quite upset too. All this didn't seem to affect him a couple of years ago though.

I'll be interested to hear if you decide to use meds, as it looks like I'm going to have to go down that route pretty soon as well.

Original poster

Blossomhill · 22/09/2005 22:44

Ah really Mcwoozy. It's so hard isn't it It's just when you get to the stage we are at where you can't really do anything at all as a family it's so hard to know what to do for the best

OP posts:

aloha · 22/09/2005 22:46

But lilies do have a very strong scent and some people hate it - my cleaner for one. Just thought I'd say that. But yes, it could be a sensory problem, like my ds's putting everything in his mouth.

macwoozy · 22/09/2005 22:53

I've never liked the idea of meds before but I'm getting more desperate now. Dobbin had some good advice on your meds thread though.

jenk1 · 23/09/2005 08:14

DS and myself are like this also, the other day i was cooking dd,s dinner when ds walked in and said"whats that smell im going to be sick" his eyes started watering and he was gulping so i quickly put him in the front room and shut the door!
It was only pasta with a broccoli sauce!

KarenThirl · 23/09/2005 10:13

Same thing here yesterday Jenk. I'd made a lovely baked broccoli and cauliflower cheese for dh and myself, J said he didn't like the smell of it but I served it up for us at the table anyway. Like yours, J immediately left the table and complained of feeling sick - he even looked a bit pale, tbh. We ended up eating in separate rooms.

jenk1 · 23/09/2005 10:18

oh this brings back memories,my mum and dad eating parmesan cheese when i was small, my eyes used to water-i still cant stand it now

MrsForgetMeNotFul · 23/09/2005 11:25

i cannot stand the smell of 'sour cream/chive' pringles....or sardines etc.....

So the 'feeling sick ' is a real reaction....

macwoozy · 23/09/2005 14:32

I know this one isn't a food smell but I can't stand the smell of petrol. It really does make me feel sick. Whenever my dp is filling up I always have to ask him to quickly shut the doors so the smell doesn't waft into the car.

Saker · 23/09/2005 15:35

I'm the same about petrol Macwoozy. I'm not so bad now as when I was younger. My dh actually loves the smell of petrol (uggh).

dinosaur · 23/09/2005 15:41

Yes, I think so Bh.

My DS1 is really finicky about smells. No-one is allowed to use the loo before him in the mornings, otherwise he just won't go and then we have the risk of messed pants at school (because he won't go in teh school toilets, natch).

But I have a lot of sympathy with this as I am a fusspot about smells as well. Sometimes at other people's houses I get a glass or plate that to me has an "eggy" smell and I then find it very hard to eat or drink anything else. DH is bemused by this!

singersgirl · 23/09/2005 20:27

Hi,Blossomhill. Supersensitivity to smells is also often linked to food intolerance - a lot of chemically sensitive people are sensitive to airborne salicylates and amines as well as food-borne ones, IYSWIM. So DS1 can go a bit loopy with essential oils (eg Karvol-type stuff), as well as with chlorine in swimming pools. We've cut out all scented washing powder, shampoo, soap etc and aim for a low-scent environment. He's also v. sensitive to things like milk on the turn. Don't think DS1 is ASD, though he does have lots of ADHD/dyspraxic traits, though none enough to be anything definable or truly problematic. Just some more food for thought - as you see, I'm still banging on about food intolerance!
Did your DD have lots of antibiotics in infancy? I'm convinced DS1's issues were caused by massive IV doses of multiple antibiotics to treat a life-threatening neonatal infection.

tensing · 23/09/2005 20:32

My Son Henry is very sensitive to smells, and is often very vocal about it, and will shout "argh its very smelly here."
Henry has asperger's and so this could well be why he is so sensitive.

tensing · 23/09/2005 20:33

Forgot to mention Henry is an ex-prem and had loads of antibiotics.

Chocol8 · 24/09/2005 23:59

It's comforting to know other Mums have this problem (sorry).

My ds will not touch money as he HATES the metallic smell on his fingers afterwards.

He will not let me in the loo when he's doing a poo as it is - to his mind - very smelly. He can get quite distraught if I walk in on him mid-poo.

When we go to public toilets, things can get a bit fraught as he says in a loud voice that "it SMELLS BAAAD in here" like Tensing's ds and will try and hold his breath or ask for a peg.

Ds is AS and ADHD, but I always put it down to his AS. Saying that, I have a very sensitive nose myself, so maybe it just runs in the family.

KarenThirl · 25/09/2005 06:59

Noses run in our family too, C8

jenk1 · 25/09/2005 08:06

lol at noses!

we went to a hotel this summer and in the evening when we went in the restaurant ds would not eat anything because he said all the different food smells were making him sick.
He sat at the table with his head on it and a napkin on his head to "mask" out the smells, it was a lovely big airy restaurant as well but it really affected him

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