'It’s too loud'

DR RADICA MAHASE

This last weekend was quite a noisy one as Trinidad and Tobago celebrated Divali. Even today, the noise might continue as many "buss" bamboo and set off firecrackers and fireworks.

It’s always wonderful to celebrate but in TT we tend to celebrate in a very noisy manner. Some may say, "this is we culture," but sadly, perpetuating these noisy celebrations can cause distress to animals, the elderly, some people with special needs, amongst others.

This week, I am sharing an article written by Maya Kirti Nanan, Commonwealth Young Person of the Year 2023. Here Maya shares her experience with her brother and his sensitivity to noise.

“My brother Rahul is now 19 years old. When we were younger, he never really had an issue with noise. We would go everywhere, to the mall, movies, and he was okay. As he got older it was quite interesting – he would listen to tassa and he would be okay but when we went to the malls or any kind of event, he would cover his ears. It did not get to the point where he was in pain – I do see other autistic people who are in pain because of loud noises. Although we really never allowed it to reach that point; once he started holding his ears or covering his ears, he would usually let us know that he wanted to leave, and we would take him away from the noise.

"In the past couple of years, I got noise-cancelling headphones for him. I introduced him to these gradually. I kept putting it on at home and he would keep it on for a few minutes. I always made sure he was comfortable with it. In fact, I tried quite a few different types and brands before I found one he did not take off after a few minutes. Sometimes, I wear headphones as well so he will feel less conscious of it. Now, when we go out in noisy spaces, he puts it on, and he usually stays longer than he would if he didn’t have on the headphones. He is usually much happier as well.

"Sometimes though, the noise is just a bother, especially when we are at home, and the neighbours are playing music loudly. Sometimes, they do this very late at night and it would wake him up, or he won’t even be able to sleep. Divali and Old Years are usually the worst. The loud music is nothing compared to the bamboo bussing and the fireworks.

"Persons on the autism spectrum are sensitive to sounds, known as hyperacusis (a heightened sensitivity to sounds). The noise from fireworks can make them feel very uncomfortable and may lead to them having anxiety/panic attacks or even being stressed out. For those with autism and other special needs, fireworks can be very agonising, and even the bright flashes of the fireworks can bother them and scare them which can lead to a sensory overload.

"Many people don’t realise that fireworks can actually be very traumatic to those on the autism spectrum. If they are negatively impacted by fireworks in the sky, the next time they happen to see/hear fireworks they would recall the memory and would just trigger that negative flashback which can lead to a meltdown. Even certain sounds that are similar to fireworks can impact them negatively, especially if they were not accustomed to those sounds before.

"It was very difficult for me to figure out how to lessen the impact of noise for Rahul. I didn’t want him to have to stay at home because everywhere is noisy. I didn’t want him to miss events and not be able to go out in public because the noise bothered him. I am happy that I managed to get him comfortable enough to wear the headphones. If you have someone who is affected by noise, I suggest you try the noise-cancelling headphones so at least some of the sound will be blocked out or reduced. Also, always remember to prepare them before you go to noisy spaces, so it won’t be too shocking for them. This is definitely a good idea if you’re going to watch some big fireworks display! You can try preparing them by showing them pictures and videos of how fireworks are displayed.

"You can also teach them calming methods like breathing exercises to help them cope with the loud sounds and bright flashing lights. Depending on the individual, this may or may not work. I tried this with Rahul, but he doesn’t really care to do it, so I just make sure we leave the noisy place – except of course, when we are at home. That is such a big inconvenience to us – to be home and hearing loud noise on all sides!

"I really wish that Trinis would be more considerate of those around them when it comes to celebrating holidays and so on. I wish people would understand that they can celebrate everything without being a nuisance to others. All it takes is a little bit of consideration and kindness. Let’s be mindful of those in our society who just cannot tolerate loud noise and let’s try to be accommodating.”

On behalf of Maya and myself, enjoy your Divali holiday today!

Radica Mahase is the founder/director of Support Autism T&T