“My daughter is 2 years old and is highly sensitive to any kind of sound. Is that normal?”
My daughter is 2 years old and with any kind of noise she shows extreme sensitivity. She cries every time we use our pressure cooker and mixer, or even when the fan is on. Is this normal, or should we be concerned?
3 Answers
Some children are exquisitely sensitive to noise, but this problem for most children is temporary and not harmful to the child's ear membranes.
It could be normal, some children (and adults) can be more sensitive to loud sounds. Alternatively it could be a sign of hearing loss. Patients with hearing loss often suffer from hyperacusis (sensitivity to loud sounds). I would have her hearing checked. If abnormal, it could be simply fluid in the middle ear causing the hearing loss and you can reverse the hearing loss by getting rid of the fluid. Or the hearing test may show sensorineural hearing loss which is not reversible. It is still worth finding out because correcting the hearing loss with hearing aids will help her speech development.
Hyperacusis. May be uncomfortable but usually harmless. More common is female sex (in my experience) and those with high frequency hearing loss. Can check db level of appliance with phone app (Decibel Meter, free). db levels greater than 85dB may be harmful depending on the length of exposure.
