Auditory perception

Auditory perception, more commonly known as hearing, is one of the basic 5 senses. Autistics can be hypersensitive or hyposensitive to sounds.

Auditory hypersensitivity

Some people are hypersensitive to sounds. Sounds that don't bother others can be intolerably loud. For example, some people can hear fluorescent lights humming (as well as see them flickering).

Other people can be easily fatigued by long, sustained sounds, such as hairdryers, vacuum cleaners, and extractor fans.

There are a few categories of sound sensitivity:

• Hyperacusis
• Misophonia
• Phonophobia

Workarounds

There are several ways to block out the sounds of your immediate environment:

• Noise-cancelling headphones or earphones
• Using regular headphones or earphones to listen to music or field recordings
• Earplugs are the cheapest option, although they only attenuate sounds, they don't mask them with other (more predictable) sounds of your own choosing
• White noise
• Having an office with a door that closes
• Soundproofing
• Teaching people about your sound sensitivities

Auditory hyposensitivity

Someone who knows more about this experience can add here

Workarounds

Someone who knows ways to help hyposensitivity to sounds can add here

Sound-based stims

• Humming
• Lip popping (making B or P style sounds)
• Listening to a song, instrumental track, or field recording
• Listening to a sound (e.g. dropping a button or dice on a book)
• Playing a musical instrument
• Singing
• Tongue clicking

See also: stims