Expert: Dr. Sharon A. Mitchell - 1/20/2010

Question
My son is 8-years old, has Aspergers syndrome, and is integrated into a regular 2nd grade classroom.  The teacher, who has been wonderful and supportive, has brought to my attention that he makes humming noises when he and the rest of the class are working quietly (without the teacher talking) at their desks, doing worksheets or tests.  I believe he is looking for some type of background noise or comfort, and that is why he is doing it, but I am at a loss as to how to help stop the humming, as other children are complaining they cannot concentrate when he does it.  I know that to stop the behavior I have to "fix" the problem... just not sure what that is exactly.  Any ideas?

Answer
Lovely to hear how well the teacher and your son get along. I'm pleased that he's in a regular classroom. Even in ideal situations though concerns can arise.

You summed it up well in your second to last sentence - the "fix" is not always easy to find.

Your son is humming for a reason. He may not be aware of the reason and in fact, he may well not even be aware that he is humming.

Many kids with autism spectrum disorders have acute hearing and are sensitive to even small sounds. Some complain about the hum from fluorescent lights, for example, or can hear conversations from a considerable distance or a TV in a distant room.

Even though the rest of the students are quietly working, the room may not be as quiet as you and the teacher think. There may be the sound of kids turning pages, pencils scratching on paper, shoes scuffling on the floor, seats creaking, etc. Most kids would totally tune out such seemingly minor sounds, but to your son, they may seem loud and interfering. I've seen kids who make noises of their own in an attempt to drown out the background noise that is interfering with their concentration.

Do you think that that could be the case with your little boy? How articulate is he? How aware of how he is feeling? Would you be able to ask him about the noises in the room and how he feels about them?

If he can recite for you many noises, then it's a good guess that he's very aware of them and possibly bothered by them. He may feel a need to mask these sounds or to substitute others that comfort him.

Here are a few ideas you could try:

- drug stores sell small, foam ear plugs that can be used discreetly to block out sound

- if the foam ear plugs bother his ears or seem too large, hunt around for some that are softer and fibre-filled. One brand name is Quiet Down

- he might like to wear larger headphones that completely cover his ears, blocking out sounds

- would it be acceptable for him to listen to quiet music with ear buds and an MP3 player during seat work time in class?

- he might not be the only child in the room who would benefit from soft music playing in the background while they work

- blocking out visual distractions could help make him feel calmer and focus better while at the same time allowing him to cope with possible auditory distractions - a study carol might work or even a three-sided box placed on his desk to form his own "office" - other students might also appreciate having access to their own "offices" when they feel the need

- weighted products can help kids feel calmer and to concentrate better - there are an array to try such as weighted vests, lap weights, ankle weights, etc.

- similar to weighted products, pressure on the body can calm some children with such things as bear hug vests

- you can take a look at these sorts of products at sites such as http://www.southpawenterprises.com/Bear-Hugs-P837.aspx and http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/weighted-vests.html

- is he a kid who likes to fidget? Perhaps you could substitute some type of fidget activity for the noises he's making. Some suggestions are:

- a piece of theraband stretched between the legs of his desk that he can swing his legs against

- holding a stress ball, fidget toy or piece of cloth in one hand while he works

Do you have access to an occupational therapist? They can be of great assistance in figuring out which sensory need a child is meeting with his current behavior and what might be an effective substitute.

Would you feel it appropriate to talk to your son about his humming? Have you used social stories with him? This may be a way of explaining to him that what he is doing interferes with the work of others and of giving him some substitute behaviors.

Before heading directly to behavioral aspects, it never hurts to first rule out any possible medical causes behind the behavior. Does your son have a history of ear infections? Colds? Sinus problems? Could he be hearing a reverberation inside his head when he hums because of some blockages? Sometimes kids with autism spectrum disorders can have low grade illnesses without the outward complaints we'd see in many other children.

If none of these ideas seem to help, please let me know what you've tried and we can come up with some other options.

Being a mom of a kid with Asperger's is often like being a detective, isn't it?

Sharon A. Mitchell, B.A., B.Ed., M.A., PhD candidate
www.autismsite.ca